Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery


The Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery, or Ashton Valley Barrow Cemetery, is a group of Bronze Age bowl barrow and bell barrow tumuli located on the south facing edge of Codford Down on the west side of the valley of the Chitterne Brook, and within the civil parish of Codford, in Wiltshire, England. There were originally ten bowl barrows and a single bell barrow, but some of these have now been ploughed out. Only the bell barrow and five bowl barrows currently survive.

Context

The site lies in close proximity to Codford Circle, an Iron Age hillfort or enclosure some to the southeast, and Knook Castle, an Iron Age hillfort a similar distance to the northwest.

Archaeology

Excavations at the barrows have revealed many Bronze Age and some possible Saxon urned cremations and other interments. The barrows were originally excavated by W.F. Cunnington in 1801, and recorded by Sir R. Colt-Hoare, with later excavations by the Reverend E.H. Steele in 1957; and with further correlations by Leslie Grinsell, also in 1957. Some burials and items were left in place by Cunnington, but others are now preserved at the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes.
The excavations by Colt-Hoare and Cunnington in the 1800s revealed most of the finds and interments. However, as the three-age system had not yet been introduced, and they were unable to properly date their finds, they were at a disadvantage when trying to interpret them.
The following table includes details for the eleven barrows and associated finds:
Name/referenceLocationTypeSizeNMR numberDescription and finds
Barrow A
Monument no.887655		Bowl barrow wide by highST 94 SE 54The largest barrow in the cemetery. Finds included cremated remains of a primary burial within a large urn and other secondary remains including nine smaller cremation urns, sherds and burnt bones.
Barrow B
Monument no.887681		Bowl barrow wide by highST 94 SE 55Contained a probable Bronze Age cremation.
Barrow C
Monument no.887692		Bowl barrow wide by highST 94 SE 56No finds.
Barrow D
Monument no.887703		Bell barrow wide by highST 94 SE 57Surrounding quarry ditch wide and deep. Contained a cremation beneath an inverted Bronze Age urn along with a perforated dolerite battle-axe or hammer.
Barrow E
Monument no.887709		Bowl barrow wide by highST 94 SE 58Contained a primary cremation along with a granodiorite battle axe and a bone point.
Barrow F
Monument no.887713		Bowl barrow wide by highST 94 SE 59,
ST 94 SE 60		Contained a primary cremation and a later Saxon inhumation along with a fir-wood bucket bound with bronze, and a possible sword or spearhead.
Barrow G
Monument no.887718		Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 61Contained a circular shaft with a nearby possible cremation, and other secondary cremations with urn fragments.
Barrow H
Monument no.887751		Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 62Contained a human burial in a wooden coffin.
Barrow J
Monument no.887757		Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 63Contained a cremation within a crushed urn.
Barrow K
Monument no.888063		Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 64Contained a cremation within urns.
Barrow L
Monument no.888065		Bowl barrownow ploughed outST 94 SE 65Contained a cremation within a crushed urn.