Reasons for Designation
The landscape around Avebury contains a wide range of archaeological
monuments belonging to the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods and part has
accordingly been included in the World Heritage Site designation. The later
archaeology of this landscape is also considered to be of importance,
illustrating the ways in which communities through time have both used it but
also continued to respect and recognise many of its original features.
The square enclosure 350m north east of Wansdyke represents part of the
medieval use of the landscape. Although levelled by cultivation, features
below the ploughsoil will contain archaeological and environmental evidence
relating to the enclosure's construction and the landscape in which it was
built.
Details
The monument includes a square enclosure, interpreted as a medieval stock
enclosure, situated 350m north east of the Wansdyke on Bishop's Cannings Down.
The enclosure is orientated north east to south west and encloses an area
c.70m square.
Although no longer visible at ground level, the enclosing bank measures c.3m
wide and can be seen on aerial photographs as a cropmark.
The enclosure appears to be associated with the field system represented by
field boundary earthworks to the north west. These are the subject of a
separate scheduling. MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21868
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other SU 06 NE 012, R.C.H.M.(E), Square Enclosure, (1973) Title: SMR 1:10000 Map
Source Date: 1990
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
SU 06 NE based on Ordnance Survey WI 676, County List of Scheduled Monuments: Wiltshire, (1992)
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.
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