Reasons for Designation
Hengi-form monuments are ritual or ceremonial centres closely connected with
burial and dating to the Middle and Late Neolithic periods (3000-2000 BC).
They were constructed as flat, roughly circular enclosures comprising an area
of ground typically between 5m and 20m across enclosed by a ditch with
external bank. One entrance or two opposing entrances through the earthwork
provided access to the interior of the monument which often contained pits,
cremation pits, postholes and graves. Cremation pits and postholes were often
present around the perimeter of the site. They are distinguished from standard
henges by their small size and their more specific association with burial.
Finds from the ditches and interiors of hengi-form monuments provide important
evidence for the chronological development of the sites, the types of activity
that occurred within them and the nature of the environment in which they were
constructed. Most examples are situated on gravel terraces or on hill slopes.
They sometimes occur in pairs or groups of three in close proximity. Hengi-
form monuments are very rare nationally with only 24 examples known, although
this is likely to be an underestimate in view of the difficulties in
recognition. As one of the few types of identified Neolithic structures and in
view of their rarity, all hengi-form monuments are considered to be of
national importance.
Details
The monument includes the buried remains of a Neolithic hengiform monument
situated 260m north west of Honeypot Cottage on the limestone ridge of Owmby
Cliff.
Although the monument cannot be seen on the ground, its infilled and buried
ditch is clearly visible from the air as a cropmark. The cropmark (an area
of enhanced growth resulting from higher levels of moisture retained by the
underlying archaeological features) has been recorded on aerial photographs
since the 1970s.
The area of the monument, measuring some 22m overall, is defined by a sub-
circular ditch somewhat flattened to the south, and estimated to be between
5m and 10m in width. The outer bank, which would have been constructed from
material quarried from the ditch, has been reduced by ploughing but the two
causeways to the east and west, which gave access to the central area, are
clearly apparent. The causeways are nearly opposing and are positioned
off-centre, towards the southern side.
The hengiform monument is partly overlain to the east by the remains of a
series of small enclosures. Although these enclosures post-date the hengiform
monument, their nature, precise period and extent cannot be determined at this
time. They are not therefore included in the scheduling although a small
sample which falls within the area of protection is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
29712
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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.
End of official list entry
