Long barrow and Old Ditch linear earthwork, on Tilshead Down

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1009297
Date first listed:: 06-Mar-1990

User submitted image — Uploaded by Ian Parker Heath This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1009297
Date first listed:: 06-Mar-1990

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Chitterne
District:: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Tilshead
National Grid Reference:: SU 01409 46470, SU 02422 46881

Reasons for Designation

The most complete and extensive survival of chalk downland archaeological remains in central southern England occurs on Salisbury Plain, particularly in those areas lying within the Salisbury Plain Training Area. These remains represent one of the few extant archaeological "landscapes" in Britain and are considered to be of special significance because they differ in character from those in other areas with comparable levels of preservation. Individual sites on Salisbury Plain are seen as being additionally important because the evidence of their direct association with each other survives so well. Twenty- eight Neolithic long barrows have been identified in the Salisbury Plain Training Area. As a monument type long barrows are sufficiently rare nationally that, unless severely damaged, all examples surviving as earthworks are considered to be of national importance. The significance of the monument is considered to be enhanced by its direct association with well-preserved linear earthwork.

Details

A long barrow with a north-east/south-west axis. A boundary earthwork is aligned on the barrow. To the east of the barrow the boundary earthwork is planted with trees. To the west it is mostly destroyed. 1 - A long barrow 130m along the south-west/north-east axis and c.50m overall width, including very large side ditches. The barrow was partially excavated twice in the 19th century. There is some military damage. (SU02304683) 2 - A boundary bank and ditch called "Old Ditch". The bank varies from 2m in width to non-existent. The ditch is up to 5m wide. The eastern area is planted with trees.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 10109
Legacy System:: RSM

Sources

Other
Trust for Wessex Archaeology, (1987)
Wiltshire Library & Museum Service, (1987)

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.