Carbon Date. 2510BC. Late Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Collagen, id as antler, red deer beam and tine (Annie Grant), Ref. 79a, from lowest silt of cursus ditch, at Dorchester Site VIII [Map], Oxfordshire, England. Subm R Bradley. Comment (subm): Confirms chronological context of cursus monuments (cf Dorset Cursus, BM-2438).

ID: 1874, C14 ID: BM-2443 Date BP: 4510 +/- 100, Start Date BP: 4410, End BP: 4610

OS Letter: SU, OS East: 582, OS North: 948

Archaeologist Name: R J C Atkinson 1949

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 31, 1989, 18; Oxford J Archaeol, 7, 1988, 271-89; Proc Prehist Soc, 58, 1992, 143-201

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 2320BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Collagen, id as antler, red deer tines (Annie Grant), Ref. 33, from bottom of Ditch 1 (last ditch) at Dorchester Site XI 'Big Rings [Map]', Oxfordshire, England. Subm R Bradley 1984. Comment (subm): Confirms Neo attribution but comes from secondary phase.

ID: 1872, C14 ID: BM-2440 Date BP: 4320 +/- 90, Start Date BP: 4230, End BP: 4410

Abstract: triple-ditched enclosure

Archaeologist Name: R J C Atkinson 1949

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 31, 1989, 18; Oxford J Archaeol, 7, 1988, 271-89; Proc Prehist Soc, 58, 1992, 143-201

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 2320BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Collagen, id as antler, red deer brow tine (Annie Grant), Ref. 87, from bottom of Ditch 1 (last ditch) at Dorchester Site XI 'Big Rings [Map]', Oxfordshire, England. Subm R Bradley 1984. Comment (subm): Confirms Neo attribution but comes from secondary phase.

ID: 1873, C14 ID: BM-2442 Date BP: 4320 +/- 50, Start Date BP: 4270, End BP: 4370

Abstract: triple-ditched enclosure

Archaeologist Name: R J C Atkinson 1949

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 31, 1989, 18; Oxford J Archaeol, 7, 1988, 271-89 [where s.d. given as 70]; Proc Prehist Soc, 58, 1992, 143-201

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 2230BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Antler, id as probably red deer (R Wilson), from top of primary fill of ditch (Site I F81) at Dorchester-on-Thames Site I [Map], Oxfordshire, England. Coll R Chambers. Subm R Bradley. Comments (lab): Is new determination on material previously dated erroneously as BM-2268; (subm): Measured to establish TAQ for cremation burials cut into uppermost filling of ditch.

ID: 1923, C14 ID: BM-4225N Date BP: 4230 +/- 50, Start Date BP: 4180, End BP: 4280

Abstract: sited within E terminal of Dorchester Cursus

Archaeologist Name: R Chambers

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 27, 1985, 509-10 (original determination Radiocarbon, 32, 1990, 65 (revision Oxford J Archaeol, 1988, 7, 271-89; Proc Prehist Soc, 58, 1992, 143-201

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 3050BC. Middle Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Bone: Bos

ID: 4997, C14 ID: OxA-1402 Date BP: 5050 +/- 100, Start Date BP: 4950, End BP: 5150

Abstract: Coneybury Henge, England [Map]

Archaeologist Name: Richards

Reference Name: Archaeometry 31(2), 1989, 207-234

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 2370BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: bone:-

ID: 5004, C14 ID: OxA-1409 Date BP: 4370 +/- 90, Start Date BP: 4280, End BP: 4460

Abstract: Coneybury Henge, England [Map]

Archaeologist Name: Richards

Reference Name: Archaeometry 31(2), 1989, 207-234

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 2200BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: bone:dog

ID: 5003, C14 ID: OxA-1408 Date BP: 4200 +/- 110, Start Date BP: 4090, End BP: 4310

Abstract: Coneybury Henge, England [Map]

Archaeologist Name: Richards

Reference Name: Archaeometry 31(2), 1989, 207-234

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Colt Hoare 1812. CHLORLIS'S CAMP [Map], but in Mr. Aubrey's Monumenta Britannica, as well as in Mr. Camden's Britannia, it is noticed under the title of FRIPSBURY [Map]. What, the origin of the latter name is, I am at a loss to conjecture. The former may be derived from the British General CONSTANTIUS CHLORES, to whom, perhaps, the construction of this camp may be attributed. In Kennet's Parochial Antiquities, I find this earthen work alluded to, and some history given of its supposed founder. "After the death of Carausius, in the year 297, the Emperors Dioclesian and Maximian succeeded to the government of the empire, and in order to withstand the rebellions that broke out in divers parts of it, elected Galerius Maximus and Constantius Chlorus as their generals. The latter having defeated the usurper Allectus, got a good footing in Britain, and a good governor he was, and was come forwards upon the downs as far as New Sarum², where, upon the side of the downs he built a fortification, the rampers whereof still appear very apparently, and is called CHLOREN, after the name that the Britons gave him, by reason of his long train carried up after him; it standeth in Wiltshire, upon the north corner of CHLORENDON Park, now called CLARENDON, which taketh is name thereof; a park of that largeness and bigness that it excecdeth any park in the kingdom; it hadi a church covered over with ivy in the north pan thereof next CHLOREN, which thereupon is now called Ivy Church: and if we give credit to a late poet, the park had twenty groves in it, each of them of a mile compass, and without any sophistication, it had a house of kings within, but long since dilapidated; it cloth now belong to the Right Honourable William Earl of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain to his Majestie, whose heart is as large and liberal as the park is wide. This CONSTANTIUS embraced the Christian faith, and married Helena, daughter to King Coyl that built ColChester, by whom he had Constantine the Great, that removed the empire to the east, and built Constantinople."

Note 1. The following minutes Were sent to me Mr. Cunnington, respecting his researches on these barrows. "August 6, 1807. Aboüt a mile and a half south of Wilbary House, in a shallow vale, immediately under the hills to the is a group of five barrows; three bowl-shaped, and two of the Druid they stand nearly in a straight line, and owing to the ground being in tillage, have been repeatedly over, therefore much reduced in height. No. 1 is a bowl shaped barrow, 74 feet in its base diameter, and 3 feet 9 inches in elevation. It contained within an oblong cist, an interment of burned bones. over which was a brass pin. In making the sections, our men found at the depth of two feet the skeleton of a dog, which had been deposited immediately over the cist. No. 2, a bowl-shaped barrow, 69 feet in diameter, and feet in elevation, produced a little pile of burned bones, unaccompanied by any arms [?] or trinkets. No. 3, a fine Druid barrow, of the second class, contained a deposit of burned bones; but Mr. Cunnington thinks he may have missed the primary interment, or it may have been disturbed by a prior opening, No. 4 and 5 had both been examined before,

"From hence we proceeded to a group of eight barrows on Idmiston Downs, two of which are shaped, four bowl-shaped, and two Druid; all situated on a piece fine maide down. One of the bell-shaped barrows produced a simple interment of burned bones; and in the other, the sepulchral deposit was not discovered.

The fine Druid barrow contained within its area, which measured 194 feet in diameter, two raised mounds, in one of which, immediately under the turf, were discovered three large urns within few inches of each other; they were inverted, and covered the burned bones of three Britons. From being placed so near the surface, two of the urns were broken, but the third is preserved entire in our Museum at Heytesbury. They were all of rude pottery, and without any ornament. Beneath these three urns, in a shallow cist, were the burned bones of another Briton, piled up in R little heap. In the other within the same barrow, was another interment of burned bones, accompanied by the following articles, viz. a small cup similar size to the very diminutive one discovered at Everley, and engraved in Tumuli Plate XXII but without ornament; a brass pin, and a considerable quantity of amber beads." In one of the bowl-shaped barrows Mr. Cunnington railed in finding the interment, and the others he did not open.

Note 1. For New, we must read Old Sarum, as the former dates its origin only from the year 1220, and this transaction must have taken place soon after the accession of Dioclesian and Maximian to the empire in the year 304.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1885 V22 Pages 234-238. "Saturday, October 10, 1807. Mild and fine day. Went in a chaise to Marden [Map], a village on the right of the great road leading to Devizes. Here there is a very singular earthen work that has been unnoticed by antiquaries. From the circumstance of the ditch being on the inside, and the vallum without, we may safely pronounce it to have been a religious, not a military work. Its form, however, is not circular like that of Abury, but very irregular. Though no traces whatever of its complete continuation remain at present, I have no doubt of such a continuance, and that in forming the water meadows, where only the vallum is interrupted, these vestiges were removed. This work, though certainly laborious and expensive, was much facilitated by the light sandy nature of the soil, and the value of water meadows to a Wiltshire farmer is such as to render my supposition of that part of the vallum which stood in their way having been removed highly probable.

"Curiosity is not alone confined to this outward and stupendous vallum. The interior of the arc contains two very interesting fragments of antiquity.

"A large tumulus, the third, I think, in size after Silbury [Map] and the Castle hill at Marlborough [Map]. This tumulus is named in the map Hatfield barrow [Map]. The etymology of which, as given me by a native farmer, was derived from the unproductive quality of the soil — which occasioned its being called Hate-field. This tumulus is not placed in the centre of the area, but towards the northern angle of it, or rather north-western. As our operations on it are not yet terminated I can give no account either of its contents or destination. From the moisture of the substratum of sand I have much doubt if we shall be able effectually to explore it.

"Our workmen had a most providential escape, by being taken off to another spot by Mr. Cunnington, when during their absence several ton weight of earth fell in, at a time when the floor of the barrow was nearly uncovered.

"On the south-west side of the enclosure is a low circular work — very similar to one we know near Southley Wood, Warminster— it is intersected by a hedge.

Colt Hoare 1812. Passing the village of Charlton, and the seat of Sir John Methuen Poore (age 66), Bart., continued along the turnpike road until I came nearly opposite to the works of Broadbury, situated on the point of a hill to my left. I then diveroed to the village of Marden; a place little known, even to antiquaries, but deserving of that general notice, which I hope to give it, A broad, and apparently old raised causeway, directed my course to this village where a large mound of earth, vulgarly called HATFIELD BARROW [Map], was the principal object of my attraction and inquiry. 1 had more than once visited this interesting relict of British antiquity, and in company with Mr. Cunnington and his pioneers, made a laborious but unsuccessful attack upon this huge pile, of which I shall hereafter relate the particulars.

The British works [Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks [Map]] which now claim our attention, consist of a deep ditch and bank, having its vallum on the outside of the ditch, and enclosing within its area one tumulus of very large dimensions and another differing in its form, and smaller in its proportions; the interior of this area comprehends fifty-one acres of land, which are intersected by hedges, and in cultivation. For a better explanation of this interesting assemblage of British antiquities, I must request my readers to refer to the annexed Plate I. No. 2, in which their relative situation is accurately laid down. Passing the rivulet at Marden mill, and following the road, which leads through these works, to the village of Beauchamp Stoke, I observed a plantation to my left at A, where the earthen agger evidently appears, and continues with little interruption to B, assuming a circular form at first, but afterwards contracting itself to an angle at a point where it is intersected by the aforesaid road; at C, it approaches the large barrow, and pursuing an irregular course, terminates abruptly in the water meadows at D, but points evidently to some high ground on the other side of them at E. This circumstance, owing to the sudden disappearance of the bank and ditch at D, has caused much debate and inquiry amongst us. Mr. Cunnington was of opinion that the bank did not cross the brook, but proceeded in a line from A towards D; but the Rev. Mr. Charles Mayo, residing at Beauchamp Stoke, whose father first took notice of these works, after a frequent and very minute investigation of this ground, thought otherwise, and was dccidedly of opinion, that the original vallum extended across the present¹ water meadows to the high ground marked E. E. E. E. Some ingenious remarks which he kindly communicated to me by letter, induced us to re-examine the ground very minutely with my surveyor and draughtsman, Mr. Philip Crocker, and we were both of opinion that Mr. Mayo was right in his conjectures respecting both the direction and extent of this bank and ditch. On examining the southern circumvallation of this earthen work, we were struck with the singularity of that part of the works marked F, which appeared as if intended for an approach or entrance into the area of the circle; and this idea was in a great degree corroborated by the circumstance of our discovering the sile of a British village on some high ground not far distant.²

Note 1. I say present, because I doubt much if any existed io the tera of the Britons, and perhaps only a vcry inconsiderablc stream, whic.h in mocc modern times may possibly have been enlarged, if not conducted hither for the benefit of the mill.

Note 2. A great deal of British pottery bas been found in the fields on this side of the works.

John Methuen Poore 1st Baronet: In 1745 he was born to Edward Poore. In 1820 he died. His great nephew Edward Poore 2nd Baronet succeeded 2nd Baronet Poore of Rushall in Wiltshire. Agnes Marjoribanks Lady Poore by marriage Lady Poore of Rushall in Wiltshire.

Carbon Date. 1970BC. Middle Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Antler, id as red deer (H St George Gray), from bottom of Shaft 1 at Maumbury Rings [Map], Dorchester, Dorset, England. Subm R Bradley 1983. Comment (lab): Is revision (ie new run) of earlier date BM-2282.

ID: 1547, C14 ID: BM-2282N Date BP: 3970 +/- 70, Start Date BP: 3900, End BP: 4040

Abstract: Hengiform enclosure

Archaeologist Name: H St George Gray 1908-13

Reference Name: Dorset Natur Hist Archaeol Soc/Proc, 110, 1988, 160; Radiocarbon, 29, 1987, 63-4 (original, unrevised date Radiocarbon, 32, 1990, 59-69 esp. 65 (revision)

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 1940BC. Middle Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Antler, id as red deer (H St George Gray), from sample in highest Neo level of Shaft 3 to have escaped later disturbances at Maumbury Rings [Map], Dorchester, Dorset, England. Subm R Bradley 1983. Comment (lab): Is revision of earlier date BM-2281.

ID: 1548, C14 ID: BM-2281R Date BP: 3940 +/- 130, Start Date BP: 3810, End BP: 4070

Abstract: Hengiform enclosure

Archaeologist Name: H St George Gray 1908-13

Reference Name: Dorset Natur Hist Archaeol Soc/Proc, 110, 1988, 160; Radiocarbon, 29, 1987, 63-4 (original, unrevised date Radiocarbon, 32, 1990, 59-79 (revision)

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767