Millbarrow Long Barrow, Winterbourne Monkton, Selkley Hundred, Wiltshire, South-West England, British Isles [Map]

Carbon Date. 2560BC. Location: Millbarrow Long Barrow [Map]

Late Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Antler, id as red deer, 2047, from context 234, primary fill inner ditch, N side at Millbarrow chambered tomb, Winterbourne Monkton, Wiltshire, England. Subm A Whittle 1990. Comment (subm): Compare series OxA-3169 to -3172 and -3198. The series shows activity starting before, but running after, the enclosure on Windmill Hill to the south. [Ed: calibrated dates given in second ref below.]

ID: 7156, C14 ID: BM-2730 Date BP: 4560 +/- 70, Start Date BP: 4490, End BP: 4630

OS Letter: SU, OS East: 95, OS North: 722

Archaeologist Name: A Whittle 1989

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Reference Name: Archaeometry, 34, 1992, 143; Wiltshire Archaeol Natur Hist Mag, 87, 1994, 26

Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1854 V1 Pages 303-304. Tumulus [Monkton Fields Long Barrow [Map]] at Winterbourne-Monkton. Discovery of an Ancient Tumulus, At Winterbourne-Monkton.

A curious, and possibly important discovery, exhibiting one of the ancient modes of sepulture in this country, has recently been made at Winterbourne-Monkton, about three hundred yards west of "Mill-barrow [Map]," and a mile and-a-half north of Avebury.

For many years a large flat Sarsen stone [Monkton Fields Long Barrow [Map]] (partially seen above the surface of the ground) had been the cause of many ungentle maledictions from the various clod-hoppers, who, from time to time, have followed the plough's-tail in this particular locality. Forbearance being worn out, Mr. Eyles, the present occupier of the land, by whose kindness and assistance we have been allowed to investigate the spot, sent several men to dig a large hole on one side of it,—in fact to bury it. Indoing this they found the soil beneath the stone to be of a different quality from the natural subsoil; which is here chalk marl. They consequently excavated part of the earth and found several human bones, when night put an end to their operations. This discovery led to a more minute investigation, the results of which are as follows:—

The stone is lying flat, and is of considerable size, measuring nine feet four or five inches, each way, and varying from two feet six inches, to nearly four feet in thickness. By removing the soil beneath the stone we discovered a chamber dug in the natural chalk about seven or eight feet in diameter, somewhat circular in shape, and four feet in depth measuring from the under surface of the stone. This chamber was paved at the bottom with small irregularly shaped Sarsen stones, placed so closely that a 'pick' could with difficulty be inserted between them. On this pavement were four or five human skeletons, in a most confused state, covered with Sarsen stones, weighing from ten pounds to a half a ewt. each, and about twenty or thirty in number—over these again was a layer of mould up to the top stone which covered all. The skeletons did not seem to have been deposited in any particular direction. The skulls, thigh-bones, &c., were in such close proximity that one would suppose they were originally placed in a sitting posture, when the weight of stones and earth would naturally force them into the apparently confused state in which we found them. The jaw bones were in excellent preservation, as were also the teeth. One jaw evidently belonged to a child, as the second teeth are not cut, but remain still in the jaw.