Maiden Bower, Bedfordshire: RCHME survey report, August 1994
Author(s): Martyn Barber, Peter Topping
In 1994, the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME) undertook an archaeological survey of the prehistoric enclosure known as Maiden Bower, located west of Dunstable in Bedfordshire (centre at SP 9966 2247). A new analytical earthwork survey of the site was undertaken as part of a national project to investigate and record Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Period. The principal surviving earthwork is a sub-circular enclosure, damaged by ploughing and chalk quarrying, which has generally been described as a later prehistoric plateau fort or hillfort. However, it was interpreted by E. C. Curwen (1930) as a possible Neolithic enclosure and was therefore re-examined by RCHME. The depiction of the Iron Age fort was amended slightly as a result of this work, but the survey was not able to identify any earthworks which might be associated with the putative Neolithic causewayed enclosure underlying it. However, a possible Neolithic ditch is revealed in section in the edge of the adjacent chalk quarry. The site is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
- Report Number:
- 92/1994
- Series:
- RCHME
- Pages:
- 18
- Keywords:
- Iron Age Neolithic Prehistoric Survey Analytical Landscape Survey Fortification Earthwork Causewayed Enclosure Hillfort