Four Highworth circles east of North Leaze Farm

Reasons for Designation

Highworth circles are a type of earthwork enclosure found mostly in north east Wiltshire, with a few outliers north of the Thames in Oxfordshire. Although they are known as `circles' their form varies from circular or sub-circular with diameters of between 40m and 90m, to sub-rectangular. All have a wide flat bottomed ditch with an external bank. Despite limited fieldwork and excavation their date remains uncertain. Although sharing characteristics with henge monuments of Neolithic date, Highworth circles, located almost entirely within the Hundred of Highworth, may be suggested as being of medieval date, possibly constructed for stock management. Over 40 examples have been recorded, many of them reduced by modern cultivation. All examples exhibiting significant survival of archaeological remains will normally be identified as nationally important. The four Highworth circles east of North Leaze Farm survive comparatively well and will contain archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed.

Details

The monument includes four earthwork enclosures, known as Highworth circles, located east of North Leaze Farm. The site lies on a clay plain below Little Crouch Hill to the south west. Three of the enclosures are aligned broadly north east to south west and are conjoining. A fourth enclosure is located to the north west. All four enclosures are approximately circular and survive partly as low earthworks which include a ditch surrounded by an outer bank. The diameter of the four enclosures can be calculated from surviving earthworks and from aerial photographic evidence as varying in overall diameter between 96m and 68m. All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.

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:

28974

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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