Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery

Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery
Shown within Wiltshire
Alternate name Ashton Valley Barrow Cemetery
Location Wiltshire
Region Southern England
Coordinates 51°11′07″N 2°01′48″W / 51.1853°N 2.0301°W
Type Barrow cemetery
History
Material Chalk
Periods Bronze Age
Site notes
Archaeologists Sir Richard Colt Hoare,
W.F.Cunnington,
L.Grinsell,
Rev.E.H.Steele,
A pencil sketch showing, in the upper plate, the original arrangement of the barrows, from The Ancient History of Wiltshire, by Sir Richard Colt-Hoare, 1810.
A pencil sketch showing some of the artefacts found within the barrows at Ashton Valley, from The Ancient History of Wiltshire, by Sir Richard Colt-Hoare, 1810.

The Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery, or Ashton Valley Barrow Cemetery is a group of Bronze age bowl barrow and bell barrow tumuli located on the south facing edge of Codford Down on the west side of the valley of the Chitterne Brook, and within the civil parish of Codford, in Wiltshire. There were originally ten bowl barrows and a single bell barrow, but some of these have now been ploughed out. Only the bell barrow and five bowl barrows currently survive.[1]

Location and Context

The site lies in close proximity to Codford Circle, an Iron Age hillfort or enclosure some 2 km (1.2 mi) to the southeast, and Knook Castle, an Iron Age hillfort some 2 km (1.2 mi) to the northwest. Approximately 2.5 km (1.6 mi) to the west lies Upton great barrow

Archaeology

Excavations at the barrows have revealed many Bronze Age and some possible Saxon urned cremations and other interments, a few other relics have been found. The barrows were originally excavated by W.F.Cunnington in 1801, and recorded by Sir R.Colt-Hoare, with later excavations by the Reverend E.H.Steele in 1957; and with further correlations by Leslie Grinsell, also in 1957. Some burials and items were left in place by Cunnington, but others are now preserved at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes.[1]

The excavations by Sir Richard Colt Hoare and William Cunnington in the 1800s revealed most of the various finds and interments. However, as the three-age system had not yet been introduced, and they were unable to properly date their finds and therefore were at a disadvantage when trying to interpret them.

The following table includes details for the eleven barrows and associated finds:

A list of the Barrows at Ashton Valley
Name/reference Location Type Size NMR number Description and finds
Barrow A
Monument no.887655		 grid reference ST97914268 Bowl barrow 23.5 m (25.7 yd) wide by 2.2 m (7.2 ft) high ST 94 SE 54 The largest barrow in the cemetery. Finds included for the cremated remains of a primary burial within a large urn and other secondary remains including for nine smaller cremation urns, sherds and burnt bones.[2]
Barrow B
Monument no.887681		 grid reference ST97914274 Bowl barrow 20 m (22 yd) wide by 1.0 m (3.3 ft) high ST 94 SE 55 Contained a probable bronze age cremation.[3]
Barrow C
Monument no.887692		 grid reference ST97914277 Bowl barrow 15.5 m (17.0 yd) wide by 0.3 m (0.98 ft) high ST 94 SE 56 No finds.[4]
Barrow D
Monument no.887703		 grid reference ST97894280 Bell barrow 22.5 m (24.6 yd) wide by 2.8 m (9.2 ft) high ST 94 SE 57 Surrounding quarry ditch 5 m (5.5 yd) wide and 0.5 m (0.55 yd) deep. Contained a cremation beneath an inverted bronze age urn along with a perforated dolerite battle-axe or hammer.[5]
Barrow E
Monument no.887709		 grid reference ST97874277 Bowl barrow 21 m (23 yd) wide by 0.4 m (1.3 ft) high ST 94 SE 58 Contained a primary cremation along with a granodiorite battle axe and a bone point.[6]
Barrow F
Monument no.887713		 grid reference ST98044280 Bowl barrow 30 m (33 yd) wide by 1 m (3.3 ft) high ST 94 SE 59,
ST 94 SE 60		 Contained a primary cremation and a later Saxon inhumation along with a fir-wood bucket bound with bronze, and a possible sword or spearhead[7]
Barrow G
Monument no.887718		 grid reference ST97954269 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 61 Contained a circular shaft with a nearby possible cremation, and other secondary cremations with urn fragments.[8]
Barrow H
Monument no.887751		 grid reference ST97904290 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 62 Contained a human burial in a wooden coffin.[9]
Barrow J
Monument no.887757		 grid reference ST97844280 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 63 Contained a cremation within a crushed urn.[10]
Barrow K
Monument no.888063		 grid reference ST97864280 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 64 Contained a cremation (possibly two)within urns.[11]
Barrow L
Monument no.888065		 grid reference ST97884279 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 65 Contained a cremation within a crushed urn.[11]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "English heritage pastscape entry for Ashton Valley". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887655". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887681". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887692". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  5. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887703". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  6. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887709". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887713". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887718". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  9. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887751". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  10. ↑ "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.887757". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "English heritage pastscape entry for Monument no.888063". Retrieved 22 April 2012.

Further reading

See also