Books, Prehistory, The Ancient History of Wiltshire by Richard Colt Hoare Volume 1, Station 5 Amesbury North, Winterbourne Stoke East Barrows

On the eastern side of the valley, and nearly opposite to the cluster of barrows which I have just described, is another group situated on the southern declivity of a projecting point of the downs; and commanding a fine view southwards of the vale of Winterbourn, bounded by the woody district of Great Ridge; and of the vale of Shrewton northwards. They are enclosed in an area of about seven acres, within an oval earthen work, surrounded by a bank and ditch of slight elevation, are eleven in number, and are attended with some novel and peculiar circumstances, By the annexed plan, we perceive that No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, run nearly in a parallel line from east to west. No. 8 is a little to the south of the above lines, and No. 9, 10, 11, placed at equal distances from the outward ditch and bank, form a triangle.

In the barrows No. 1 [Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 1 G60 [Map]] and No. 2 [Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 2 G59 [Map]], the rites of cremation had been practised, but no circumstances worthy of any particular detail occurred.

No. 3 [Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 3 G59a [Map]] and No. 4 [Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 4 G58 [Map]] had been opened by shepherds, and contained interments of burned bones. In the former was found a little cup. which Mr. Gunnington purchased.

No. 5 [Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 5 G58a [Map]] contained an urn very imperfectly baked, and within it an interment of burned bones, and a very small arrow head of bone.

No. 6 [In Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 6 G55a [Map]] the ceremony of burning had been adopted.

No. 7 [Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 7 G56 [Map]]. This large barrow produced three interments. At the depth of four feet and a half, we discovered the skeleton of an infant, with its head laid towards the south; and immediately beneath it, a deposit of burned bones, and a drinking cup, which was unfortunately broken. At the depth of eight feet, and in the native bed of chalk, we came to the primary interment, viz. the skeleton of a man lying from north to south, with his legs gathered up according to the primitive custom. On his right side, and about a foot or more above the bones, was an enormous stag's horn. This was certainly the original deposit; chough we find the same mode of interment, as well as cremation adopted at a subsequent period near the surface of the barrow.

No. 8 [Winterbourne Stoke East Barrow 8 G57 [Map]] is a large old-fashioned bowl-shaped tumulus, the base diameter being nearly one hundred feet. It contained a skeleton lying on the floor with its bead towards the north, and much decayed from its having been covered with vegetable earth. Mr. Cunnington, supposing that this barrow contained more interments, made a second trial, but procured no further information.

The remaining three barrows within this enclosure, viz. 9 [Map], 10 [Map], 11 [Map], which have before mentioned as being placed nearly at equal distances from the vallum, and forming a kind of triangle, afforded, on opening, no one appearance of sepulchral remains; and for what purpose they could have been raised, it is impossible for me to determine; it is rather singular that eiÜht out of the eleven tumuli which are enclosed within this work should have each proved sepulchral, and these not so.