Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery

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Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery
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Shown within Wiltshire
Alternative nameAshton Valley Barrow Cemetery
Location Wiltshire
RegionSouthern England
Coordinates 51°11′07″N2°01′48″W / 51.1853°N 2.0301°W / 51.1853; -2.0301
TypeBarrow cemetery
History
MaterialChalk
PeriodsBronze 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 Tumuli at Ashton Valley and earthworks at Elder Valley.jpg
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 Artefacts from Ashton Valley.jpg
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 on the south facing edge of Codford Down on the west side of the valley of the Chitterne Brook, within the civil parish of Codford, in Wiltshire, England. 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 survive. [1] The site is a scheduled monument. [2]

Contents

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 a similar distance to the northwest.

Archaeology

Excavations at the barrows have revealed many Bronze Age and some possible Saxon urned cremations and other interments. 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 Museum in Devizes. [1]

The excavations by Colt-Hoare and Cunnington in the 1800s revealed most of the finds and interments. However, as the three-age system had not yet been introduced, and they were unable to properly date their finds, they 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/referenceLocationTypeSizeNMR numberDescription and finds
Barrow A
Monument no.887655		 grid reference ST97914268 Bowl barrow23.5 m (25.7 yd) wide by 2.2 m (7.2 ft) highST 94 SE 54The largest barrow in the cemetery. Finds included cremated remains of a primary burial within a large urn and other secondary remains including nine smaller cremation urns, sherds and burnt bones. [3]
Barrow B
Monument no.887681		 grid reference ST97914274 Bowl barrow20 m (22 yd) wide by 1.0 m (3.3 ft) highST 94 SE 55Contained a probable Bronze Age cremation. [4]
Barrow C
Monument no.887692		 grid reference ST97914277 Bowl barrow15.5 m (17.0 yd) wide by 0.3 m (0.98 ft) highST 94 SE 56No finds. [5]
Barrow D
Monument no.887703		 grid reference ST97894280 Bell barrow22.5 m (24.6 yd) wide by 2.8 m (9.2 ft) highST 94 SE 57Surrounding 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. [6]
Barrow E
Monument no.887709		 grid reference ST97874277 Bowl barrow21 m (23 yd) wide by 0.4 m (1.3 ft) highST 94 SE 58Contained a primary cremation along with a granodiorite battle axe and a bone point. [7]
Barrow F
Monument no.887713		 grid reference ST98044280 Bowl barrow30 m (33 yd) wide by 1 m (3.3 ft) highST 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. [8]
Barrow G
Monument no.887718		 grid reference ST97954269 Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 61Contained a circular shaft with a nearby possible cremation, and other secondary cremations with urn fragments. [9]
Barrow H
Monument no.887751		 grid reference ST97904290 Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 62Contained a human burial in a wooden coffin. [10]
Barrow J
Monument no.887757		 grid reference ST97844280 Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 63Contained a cremation within a crushed urn. [11]
Barrow K
Monument no.888063		 grid reference ST97864280 Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 64Contained a cremation (possibly two) within urns. [12]
Barrow L
Monument no.888065		 grid reference ST97884279 Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 65Contained a cremation within a crushed urn. [12]

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References

  1. 1 2 Historic England. "Ashton Valley (211332)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. ↑ Historic England. "Round barrow cemetery to the south of Codford Down (1016556)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  3. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887655". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  4. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887681". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  5. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887692". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  6. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887703". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  7. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887709". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  8. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887713". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  9. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887718". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  10. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887751". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  11. ↑ Historic England. "Monument No. 887757". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  12. 1 2 Historic England. "Monument No. 888063". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 22 April 2012.

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