Stonehenge World Heritage Site Landscape Project: Lake Down, Wilsford-cum-Lake
Author(s): Anna Komar
Archaeological features on Lake Down, including a barrow group, were surveyed at a scale of 1:1000 in May 2009, as part of the Stonehenge WHS Landscape Project. The survey encompassed twelve barrows and parts of two substantial linear features, each of which comprised a ditch and bank. Unfortunately, recent agricultural land use has levelled any other historic landscape features that may have existed. The barrow cemetery is situated on the summit of an interfluve, which falls steeply to Lake Bottom in the east, and to the south towards Lake village. The cemetery is distinguished from surrounding barrow groups by the presence of four pond barrows, which usually occur only singly elsewhere, and are altogether absent from many barrow cemeteries in and around Wiltshire. The earthwork survey revealed relationships between four of the barrows and demonstrated that the linear ditches were later in date than at least one barrow, and therefore probably later than all. It is probable that most elements of the ‘Celtic’ field systems to south and north of the surveyed area pre-date the linear ditches, contributing to the time-depth of prehistoric activity on Lake Down.
- Report Number:
- 95/2010
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 29
- Keywords:
- Bronze Age Landscape Park Prehistoric Survey Analytical Landscape Survey
