Chippenham Hundred, Wiltshire, South-West England, British Isles

Green Barrow Farm Long Barrow [Map]. Historic England 1018419

The monument includes a long barrow 240m south west of Green Barrow Farm on level farmland to the east of the village of Castle Combe. The monument has a long rounded mound up to 1.5m high interpreted as a long barrow which has been spread by ploughing. It is 57m long on a NNE-SSW axis and 43m wide on a SSE-NNW axis. Crossing the mound towards the south west there is a slight linear depression interpreted as a former field boundary. The barrow from which Green Barrow Farm takes its name is recorded in Scrope's History of Castle Combe as a long oblong mound, levelled by its owner in 1852.

Lugbury aka Littleton Drew Long Barrow [Map]. Historic England 1010397

The monument includes a long barrow set on level ground above the valley of By Brook, a tributary of the River Avon. It is orientated east-west and appears rectangular in shape. The monument measures 56m long, 38m wide and 1.5m high. Towards the eastern end of the mound are the remains of a limestone chamber comprising a capstone, 3m by 2m in size, leaning against the western side of two large uprights which measure 2m by 1m. Flanking ditches, from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument, run parallel to the north and south sides of the mound. These have been infilled over the years but survive as buried features c.3m wide. The monument was partially excavated by Colt-Hoare in 1821 and again by Scrope in 1854/5. Finds included twenty-six skeletons in four limestone chambers.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1856 V3 Pages 164-177. On a Cromlech-tumulus called Lugbury [Map], near Littleton Drew by John Thurnam (age 45), M.D., F.S.A.

22 Littleton Drew Barrow. This [Lugbury aka Littleton Drew Long Barrow [Map]] was first noticed by John Aubrey in his MS., "Monumenta Britannica," in the seventeenth century; it was called "Lugbury." It lies in the parish of Nettleton, but close to Littleton Drew, in Wiltshire, just outside the boundary of our county. It measures 180 feet in length, and 90 feet in breadth, its greatest elevation being six feet. Its direction is nearly due east and west. There are three stones at the east end, on the slope of the barrow, thirty feet from its base; the two uprights are six feet six inches apart, two feet thick, and four feet wide; one is six feet six inches high, the other five feet six inches. Resting on the mound and leaning against the uprights is a large stone, twelve feet long, six feet wide, and two feet thick. A cistern was discovered about sixty feet from the east end, containing one skeleton. Another cistern was found on the south side. Three other cisterns were also found, about ten feet long, four feet wide, and two feet deep, formed of rough stone. The total number of skeletons found numbered twenty-six. Several flint flakes were also discovered.

See "Crania Britannica," vol. II.

Also "Ancient Wilts," vol. II, p99 (Hoar).

Also "History of Castle Combe," p7 (Scrope).

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1856 V3 Pages 67-86. Bury Wood camp [Map], or North Wood camp, referred to by Whitaker as the probable Danish fortress, is in the parish of Colerne, on the borders of Grloucestersliire, and within about half a mile of the Roman road, the Fosse. "It has," says Aubrey, "double-works [and is] therefore not Roman." It contains about twenty-five acres, and is situate on a promontory of Colerne Down, from which it is separated by a double, deep rectilinear rampart, having a single entrance in the centre facing the south-west. The other sides, says the same writer, are well secured by the precipice, at the bottom of which runs a stream. Within the area is a small subsidiary earthwork, about an acre in extent, and with an opening facins: the west.¹ The name of Doncombe Bottom, which attaches to the ravine below the camp, may possibly refer to the Danes.

Note 1. See a good plan in Hoare's "Ancient Wilts," vol. II, p. 103, from which our wood engraving has been reduced. See also "Roman Era," p. 103. For this engraving, and for that of Bratton Camp [Map], also reduced from a plate in "Ancient Wilts," vol. I., p. 55, the Committee of the Society are indebted to one of the members, the Rev. E. Meyrick.

In 1229 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury (age 42) founded Lacock Abbey [Map] as a nunnery of the Augustinian order.

In 1240 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury (age 53) was appointed Abbot Lacock.

In 1243 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury (age 56) resigned as Abbot Lacock due to ill health.

On 24 Aug 1261 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury (age 74) died. She was buried in Lacock Abbey [Map]. Her inscription reads ... Below lie buried the bones of the venerable Ela, who gave this sacred house as a home for the nuns. She also had lived here as holy abbess and Countess of Salisbury, full of good works. Her great granddaughter Margaret succeeded 4th Countess Salisbury.

In 1540 William Sharington (age 45) paid £783 for Lacock Abbey [Map] which had been dissolved.

Before 06 Jul 1553 William Sharington (age 58) died. His brother Henry Sharington of Lacock in Wiltshire (age 21) inherited Lacock Abbey [Map].

Before 20 Oct 1743 Michael Dahl (age 84). Portrait of Mary Mansel. Lacock Abbey [Map].

Mary Mansel: she was born to Thomas Mansel 1st Baron Mansel and Martha Millington Baroness Mansel. Before 1717 John Talbot and she were married. On 16 Feb 1786 Louisa Barbara Mansel died. Her estates passed to her aunt Mary Mansel.

The Roman Road from Silchester to Bath connected Silchester, Hampshire [Map] with Bath, Somerset [Map] via Speen, Newbury [Map], Cunetio Roman Town [Map], Verlucio Roman Town [Map] and Lacock [Map] where it crossed the Gloucestershire River Avon.

In 1703 Barbara Slingsby (age 70) died. She was buried at St Cyriac's Church, Lacock.

Lanhill Long Barrow aka Hubba's Low [Map]. Historic England

The monument includes a long barrow set on level ground close to a tributary of the River Avon. It is rectangular in plan and orientated east-west. The barrow mound is 55m long, 25m wide and 1.5m high. A drystone entrance on the south side of the mound leads into a small chamber c.2m square while two further chambers are recorded on the north side of the mound. Although no longer visible at ground level flanking ditches, from which material was quarried during construction of the monument, run parallel to the north and south sides of the mound. These have become infilled over the years but survive as buried features c.3m wide. The site has been partially excavated, finds including the scattered bones of two adults in a chamber on the north side of the mound, nine skeletons in a chamber on the NW side and eleven skeletons in a further chamber.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1856 V3 Pages 67-86. On the Barrow of Lanhill [Map] near Chippenham. with remarks on the site of, and the events connected with The Battles of Cynuit and Ethandun, A.D. 878 By John Thurnam (age 45), M.D. F.S.A.

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1910 V36 Pages 300-310. The Discovery Of A Chamber In The Long Barrow At Lanhill [Lanhill Long Barrow aka Hubba's Low [Map]], Near Chippenham. By Maud E. Cunnington (age 40).

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1913 V38 Pages 379-414. Chippenham. 1. "Lanhill Barrow [Map]," on Barrow Hill, sometimes called "Hubba's Low." Length about 160ft. (Thurnam); E. and W. chambered. This large stone-built barrow has been long used more or less as a quarry. In 1855 Thurnam made some excavations in it, and found two chambers with remains of skeletons, but they seem to have been previously disturbed. In 1909 a chamber was accidentally discovered by men digging stone from the mound; it was built of six large slabs of stone, with the spaces between them filled in with dry walling, and a corbelled roof of. similar stones. Lying in a confused heap within the chamber were the remains of not fewer than eleven individuals. Steps have been taken to protect this chamber, and it may be seen still intact.

Thurnam's description, written in 1866, of this once fine barrow, applies to it equally well to-day. " At present the mound has the appearance of several irregular hillocks, in part grown over with thorns and briars, resembling somewhat the site of an old quarry." O.M. 19 SE; A. W. II. 99; Arch. xlii. 203; W.A.M. iii. 67 (Thurnam 1856); xxxvi. 300,(1909). This barrow was described by Aubrey about the middle of the 17th century in his manuscript "Monumenta Britannica."

1937. Doris Emerson Chapman (age 34). "Skull 4, Lanhill [Map]."

On 16 Jan 1655 William Button 1st Baronet (age 71) died. He was buried at St James the Great Church, North Wraxall. His son William (age 33) succeeded 2nd Baronet Button of Alton in Wiltshire.

On 06 Mar 1660 William Button 2nd Baronet (age 38) died. He was buried at St James the Great Church, North Wraxall. His brother Robert (age 38) succeeded 3rd Baronet Button of Alton in Wiltshire.