The Great Barrow at Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire

Paul Ashbee

doi:10.1017/S0079497X00016984

The Great Barrow at Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 May 2014

Paul Ashbee

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Paul Ashbee: Affiliation:
Archaeological Consultant to the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments, Ministry of Works

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The barrow is situated on the eastern fringe of the township of Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire, in the south-western corner of a recreation ground, adjacent to Folly Farm (fig. 1). It is some 190 feet in diameter and 7 feet in height; the grassy slopes (pl. XII, 1) have provided, for many years, a tumbling ground for the local children. At the end of 1953, the Parish Council planned to level the barrow, and lay out a football pitch. In the face of this impending destruction, excavations were undertaken by the Ministry of Works, under the directorship of the writer. He was assisted in this task by Miss D. G. Duckett (Mrs J. G. Hurst), who during the latter part of the operation was in charge of all day-to-day activities. Her good management and shrewd observation, in conditions which were often adverse, ensured the measure of success with which the labours were crowned.

Type: Research Article
Information: Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 23 , January 1958 , pp. 137 - 166

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0079497X00016984 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 1958

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^{page 137 note 1} 6 inch O.S. Maps (Hampshire), Sheet LVIII, S.E.; Nat. Grid. Ref. 556174.

^{page 137 note 2} The writer wishes to express his gratitude to Mr J. G. Hurst of the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments and to Mr R. Church and his foreman and staff from Porchester and Bishop's Waltham Palace for their services freely given and their interest in the operation, and also to Dr I. W. Cornwall, Mr L. Biek and Mr J. Levy for their work on the numerous ‘laboratory’ problems. A debt of gratitude is also owed to Professor V. G. Childe and Mr G. C. Dunning, F.S.A., Inspector of Ancient Monuments, for much valuable advice and assistance, given during the preparation of the report, and last but not least to my wife for her patient and persistent help throughout the writing of this manuscript.

^{page 137 note 3} Although no written account of the barrow is known the bellshaft, sunk alarmingly near the central interment, is evidence that the mound attracted more than passing interest at some time in the past.

^{page 138 note 1} Grinsell, L. V. in P. Hants. FC, XIV, 9, 195, 345Google Scholar.

^{page 138 note 2} Hants. NQ, VI, 67Google Scholar; 6 inch O.S. (Hampshire), Sheet LVIII, N.E.; O.S Photo. 6868.

^{page 140 note 1} e.g. Barrows at Poole, in Dorset, , P.P.S., XVIII, 148–59Google Scholar.

^{page 148 note 1} Ant. J., VI, 121Google Scholar.

^{page 148 note 2} Clark, , Prehist. Eur., 212–17Google Scholar; Schw. Ldsmus. Kur. Fuh., 1954, Taf 1.

^{page 153 note 1} The food vessel was dried, cleaned, impregnated with celluloid solution, and then assembled in the usual manner. A full description of the work is given in the Museums Journal, 54, No. 12, 311–13, March, 1955.

^{page 153 note 2} Piggott, , Neolithic Cultures, 67Google Scholar.

^{page 154 note 1} Ant. J., XXXIV, 155–77Google Scholar, fig. 7, nos. 8, 11, 14, 16.

^{page 154 note 2} Cf. Wilbraham, Gt., Fox, , Arch. Comb. Reg., 35Google Scholar; Arch. J., IX, 226Google Scholar; Mepal, , Ant. J., XIII, 54–5Google Scholar. Astrop, Ashmolean Mus., No. 1928, 416a; Report Oxford Arch. Soc., 1912. See also WAM, XLVI, 233Google Scholar, pl. V, 3; Woodhenge, 1929, pl. 41, 3.

^{page 156 note 1} PPSEA, VII, 203–30Google Scholar; PPS, IV, 52–106Google Scholar.

^{page 156 note 2} e.g. Atnesbury 85 (Wilts.), WAM, XLV, 432–58Google Scholar; Latch Farm (Dorset), PPS., IV, 169–87Google Scholar; Oakley Down (Dorset), PDNHAS, LXXIV, 36–44Google Scholar; Radley (Berks.), Oxoniensia, XVII–XVIII, 14–23Google Scholar.

^{page 156 note 3} Dorchester Rpt., 1, 84; See also Arch. J., CVIII, 15Google Scholar (note), regarding relationship between certain barrow forms and henges.

^{page 156 note 4} First noted by Stukeley (Stonehenge, 44), and subsequently by Greenwell, , Arch., 52, 46–8Google Scholar.

^{page 156 note 5} PPS, VII, 94Google Scholar.

^{page 156 note 6} e.g. Crick; Latch Farm; Poole (see Appendix H).

^{page 156 note 7} PPS, VII, 105Google Scholar, ‘Lenticular’ stratification, as opposed to ‘turf’ barrows, would appear to be a similar phenomenon.

^{page 156 note 8} Amesbury 85; Pewit Farm, Charlton Down (App. H).

^{page 156 note 9} Crick; Latch Farm; Poole (App. H).

^{page 157 note 1} BB: G XXIII, G XLVII, G LXI: Forty Years, LXX; Reffley Wood (Norfolk), P. Camb. AS, XXXV, 117Google Scholar Chippenham (Cambs.), P.Camb.AS, XXXIX, 33–68Google Scholar; Stockbridge (Hants.) Ant. J., XX, 39–51Google Scholar; Charlton Down (Berks.), Trans. Newbury and Dist. FC, VIII, 110Google Scholar; Isle of Wight, PI of WNHAS, 1931, 196 and 205Google Scholar; Skendleby, , an earthen long-barrow, Arch., LXXXV, 37–106Google Scholar; Piggott, , Neo. Cult., 113Google Scholar; Cairnholy I, a Clyde-Carlingford chambered tomb (sherds were from forecourt), PSAS, LXXXIII, 103Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 2} PPS, XVIII, 148–59Google Scholar; P.Camb.AS, XXVI, 19Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 3} Hampshire, PPS., IX, 1–27Google Scholar; P.Hants. FC, 1941–1943, 248–62Google Scholar; Skendleby, Arch., LXXXV, 37–106Google Scholar (and at least fifteen more earthen long-barrows), Pentre Ifan (a chambered long-barrow) Arch. Camb., C (pt. 1), 3Google Scholar; Stonehenge, Aspects of Arch., 274–92; Cairnpapple, PSAS, LXXXII, 68Google Scholar; Dorchester, Dchtr. Rpt., 1; Eight Beatitudes (Glasbergen), 140 (General).

^{page 157 note 4} Square-ended and boat-shaped, PCBI, 1947, 129–30Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 5} A beaker from Cartington, (PSA Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 3rd ser., VI, 82–4Google Scholar; food vessels from Fawr, Dysgwylfa (Ant. J., XIX, 90)Google Scholar and Tanfield, West (Arch. J. I, 119)Google Scholar; a battle axe from Grimston, Hanging (Forty Years, 97)Google Scholar, and daggers from Hove, (Brighton and Hove Arch., No. 2, 1924, 20–28Google Scholar; SAC, LXXXII, 123Google Scholar), and Howe, Loose (PPS, XV, 87–106)Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 6} BB, 28–9, 30–1; ABME, 40.

^{page 157 note 7} Arch., LXXXVII, 142–76Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 8} Upton Pyne, , Trans. Devon. Assoc., 1870–1871, 646Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 9} Excavated by the present writer, ANL., 126–7 (An interim note); YAJ, XXXIX, 30Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 10} Cremations outnumber inhumations by 3, or 4 to 1 in almost the whole of Southern England (Info, from Mr L. V. Grinsell); Arch., XLIII, 310Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 11} Skeleton, ‘Silhouettes’, Antiquity, VII (No. 28), 468Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 12} e.g. Lett Low, Staffs., Fox and Grimes, No. 42; Arch., 43, 452Google Scholar, pl. XXXIII; PPS, IV. 60Google Scholar. This series is almost exclusively northern.

^{page 157 note 13} Arch Camb., 1928, 161–74Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 14} ibid., 137–60.

^{page 157 note 15} WAM, XLV, 432–58Google Scholar.

^{page 157 note 16} WAM, XXXVI, 622Google Scholar, fig. 4.

^{page 158 note 1} PPS, XVIII, 236–7Google Scholar, pl. XXV.

^{page 158 note 2} PPS, XVII, 95Google Scholar; XVIII, 237.

^{page 158 note 3} Bush Barrow, Wilsford, G5, AW, 203; Winterbourne Stoke (H16), AW, 123.

^{page 158 note 4} op. cit., nos. 33, 91, 92.

^{page 158 note 5} ibid., nos. 57, 69.

^{page 158 note 6} BAP, I, 94, figs. 206, 208.

^{page 158 note 7} e.g. SAC, XCII, 106–15, fig. 2, 200.

^{page 158 note 8} BAP, II, pl. LXIV, 25.

^{page 158 note 9} App. G and fig. 12.

^{page 159 note 1} Arch. J., CVIII, 16–24Google Scholar.

^{page 159 note 2} Arch., XLIII, 379Google Scholar, fig. 68.

^{page 159 note 3} Arch. J., CVIII, 1–24Google Scholar.

^{page 159 note 4} Ant. J., XIX, 291Google Scholar. The axes and daggers carved upon a stone from this barrow should be compared with those upon a trilithon of Stonehenge, PPS, XVIII, 236–7Google Scholar.

^{page 159 note 5} PPS, IV, 68Google Scholar, fig. 7.

^{page 159 note 6} Ant. J., XXX, 41Google Scholar, fig. 4, 1.

^{page 159 note 7} PDAES, IV (pt. 1).

^{page 159 note 8} Hencken, , Arch. Corn. Scilly, 1932, 74Google Scholar, fig. 20.

^{page 159 note 9} op. cit.

^{page 159 note 10} op. cit.

^{page 159 note 11} Arch. J., CVIII, 16–24Google Scholar.

^{page 159 note 12} Unpub. Brought to my notice by Miss I. Smith, Inst. Arch. Lond.

^{page 159 note 13} Arch. J., CVIII, 15Google Scholar.

^{page 159 note 14} PPS, XVII, 16–82Google Scholar.

^{page 160 note 1} Childe, , Social Evolution, esp. pp. 54–71Google Scholar for a general statement. Early social interpretations of Barrow phenomena were made by Mortimer, , Forty Years, LXX–LXXIIGoogle Scholar, and Greenwell, BB, 419–21.

^{page 160 note 2} Leubingen, , JST, V, pp. 1–59Google Scholar; Helmsdorf, op. cit., VI; Dawn, 1947, 149–51Google Scholar, for a general account in English. The same arguments can be applied to barrows of a later age; the Lubsow ‘Chieftains’, Wheeler, , Rome beyond the Imp. Front., 32–6Google Scholar.

^{page 160 note 3} The Manton Barrow was only 66 feet in diameter; Normanton (H155), a bell-barrow was larger, the mound being 75 feet in diameter.

^{page 160 note 4} e.g. Amesbury, G45, 200 feet diameter; Wilsford G44,105 feet diameter; Winterbourne Stoke G40, 100 feet diameter.

^{page 160 note 5} e.g. Hove, 200 feet diameter; Rillaton, 120 feet diameter; Blackwater Foot Cairn (Scotland), 200 feet diameter; Stoborough, Dorset, 120 feet diameter.

^{page 160 note 6} About 150 contrasted with some 5,500 of other forms, PPSEA, VII (pt. II), 203–30; PPS, VII, 73–113Google Scholar.

^{page 160 note 7} op. cit. (1) 211.

^{page 160 note 8} PPSEA, VII, 211Google Scholar.

^{page 160 note 9} PPS, VII, 85Google Scholar, Map III. (They seem to be an extreme of a general principle!—perhaps ‘bermed barrows’ would better describe the whole class.)

^{page 160 note 10} e.g. Winterbourne Cross-roads Group; Oakley Down Group.

^{page 160 note 11} SirColt-Hoare, Richard, quoted by Thurnham, , Arch. XLIII, 293–4Google Scholar, came to this quite acceptable conclusion.

^{page 160 note 12} Daggers and battle axes, thus at least eleven of the total listed, PPS, XV, 105–6Google Scholar, were almost certainly warrior graves.

^{page 160 note 13} Greenwell, BB, 20–21; Leubingen, op. cit. For the European evidence see Maninger, , ‘Menschenopfer in Bestattungsgebrauch Alteuropas,’ Anthropos, 1942–1945Google Scholar.

^{page 160 note 14} Glasbergen, , Eight Beatitudes (pt. II), 150–51Google Scholar.

^{page 160 note 15} Antiquity, VIII, 459Google Scholar; Odyssey, XI, 25–50Google Scholar; 97–9.

^{page 161 note 1} Antiquity, XV, 158Google Scholar.

^{page 161 note 2} Piggott, , Aspects of Arch., 288Google Scholar, S.V.; Childe, , Social Evolution, 100–1Google Scholar.

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