The Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery, or Ashton Valley Barrow Cemetery, is a group of Bronze Age bowl barrow and bell barrow tumuli on the south facing edge of Codford Down on the west side of the valley of the Chitterne Brook, 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 survive. The site is a scheduled monument.
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:
+A list of the Barrows at Ashton ValleyName/referenceLocationTypeSizeNMR numberDescription and finds Barrow AMonument no.887655 Bowl barrow wide by high ST 94 SE 54 The 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 BMonument no.887681 Bowl barrow wide by high ST 94 SE 55 Contained a probable Bronze Age cremation. Barrow CMonument no.887692 Bowl barrow wide by high ST 94 SE 56 No finds. Barrow DMonument no.887703 Bell barrow wide by high ST 94 SE 57 Surrounding quarry ditch wide and deep. Contained a cremation beneath an inverted Bronze Age urn along with a perforated dolerite battle-axe or hammer. Barrow EMonument no.887709 Bowl barrow wide by high ST 94 SE 58 Contained a primary cremation along with a granodiorite battle axe and a bone point. Barrow FMonument no.887713 Bowl barrow wide by high ST 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 GMonument no.887718 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 61 Contained a circular shaft with a nearby possible cremation, and other secondary cremations with urn fragments. Barrow HMonument no.887751 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 62 Contained a human burial in a wooden coffin. Barrow JMonument no.887757 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 63 Contained a cremation within a crushed urn. Barrow KMonument no.888063 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 64 Contained a cremation (possibly two) within urns. Barrow LMonument no.888065 Bowl barrow now ploughed out ST 94 SE 65 Contained a cremation within a crushed urn.
References
Further reading Wiltshire Museum finds records for the Ashton Valley Barrow Group