Europe, British Isles, South-West England, Wiltshire, Marden
Marden, Wiltshire is in Wiltshire.
Around 22 Mar 871 Halfdan Ragnarsson defeated the Wessex army led by King Æthelred of Wessex (age 24) and King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex (age 22) at the Battle of Merton. The location of 'Marton' is not known; suggestions include Marden, Wiltshire in Wiltshire and Winterborne St Martin, Dorset. Bishop Heahmund of Wessex was killed.
Europe, British Isles, South-West England, Wiltshire, Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks [Map]
Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks is also in South England Henges.
2500BC. Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks [Map] is the largest Neolithic Henge enclosure discovered to date in Great Britain; its greatest width is 530m and area is 142,000 sq metres. Within the henge was the Hatfield Barrow which collapsed under excavation by William Cunnington around 1805. It isn't known whether the Henge contained standing stones.
Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1885 V22 Pages 234-238. "Saturday, October 10, 1807. Mild and fine day. Went in a chaise to Marden [Map], a village on the right of the great road leading to Devizes. Here there is a very singular earthen work that has been unnoticed by antiquaries. From the circumstance of the ditch being on the inside, and the vallum without, we may safely pronounce it to have been a religious, not a military work. Its form, however, is not circular like that of Abury, but very irregular. Though no traces whatever of its complete continuation remain at present, I have no doubt of such a continuance, and that in forming the water meadows, where only the vallum is interrupted, these vestiges were removed. This work, though certainly laborious and expensive, was much facilitated by the light sandy nature of the soil, and the value of water meadows to a Wiltshire farmer is such as to render my supposition of that part of the vallum which stood in their way having been removed highly probable.
"Curiosity is not alone confined to this outward and stupendous vallum. The interior of the arc contains two very interesting fragments of antiquity.
"A large tumulus, the third, I think, in size after Silbury [Map] and the Castle hill at Marlborough [Map]. This tumulus is named in the map Hatfield barrow [Map]. The etymology of which, as given me by a native farmer, was derived from the unproductive quality of the soil — which occasioned its being called Hate-field. This tumulus is not placed in the centre of the area, but towards the northern angle of it, or rather north-western. As our operations on it are not yet terminated I can give no account either of its contents or destination. From the moisture of the substratum of sand I have much doubt if we shall be able effectually to explore it.
"Our workmen had a most providential escape, by being taken off to another spot by Mr. Cunnington, when during their absence several ton weight of earth fell in, at a time when the floor of the barrow was nearly uncovered.
"On the south-west side of the enclosure is a low circular work — very similar to one we know near Southley Wood, Warminster— it is intersected by a hedge.
Colt Hoare 1812. Passing the village of Charlton, and the seat of Sir John Methuen Poore (age 66), Bart., continued along the turnpike road until I came nearly opposite to the works of Broadbury, situated on the point of a hill to my left. I then diveroed to the village of Marden; a place little known, even to antiquaries, but deserving of that general notice, which I hope to give it, A broad, and apparently old raised causeway, directed my course to this village where a large mound of earth, vulgarly called HATFIELD BARROW [Map], was the principal object of my attraction and inquiry. 1 had more than once visited this interesting relict of British antiquity, and in company with Mr. Cunnington and his pioneers, made a laborious but unsuccessful attack upon this huge pile, of which I shall hereafter relate the particulars.
The British works [Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks [Map]] which now claim our attention, consist of a deep ditch and bank, having its vallum on the outside of the ditch, and enclosing within its area one tumulus of very large dimensions and another differing in its form, and smaller in its proportions; the interior of this area comprehends fifty-one acres of land, which are intersected by hedges, and in cultivation. For a better explanation of this interesting assemblage of British antiquities, I must request my readers to refer to the annexed Plate I. No. 2, in which their relative situation is accurately laid down. Passing the rivulet at Marden mill, and following the road, which leads through these works, to the village of Beauchamp Stoke, I observed a plantation to my left at A, where the earthen agger evidently appears, and continues with little interruption to B, assuming a circular form at first, but afterwards contracting itself to an angle at a point where it is intersected by the aforesaid road; at C, it approaches the large barrow, and pursuing an irregular course, terminates abruptly in the water meadows at D, but points evidently to some high ground on the other side of them at E. This circumstance, owing to the sudden disappearance of the bank and ditch at D, has caused much debate and inquiry amongst us. Mr. Cunnington was of opinion that the bank did not cross the brook, but proceeded in a line from A towards D; but the Rev. Mr. Charles Mayo, residing at Beauchamp Stoke, whose father first took notice of these works, after a frequent and very minute investigation of this ground, thought otherwise, and was dccidedly of opinion, that the original vallum extended across the present1 water meadows to the high ground marked E. E. E. E. Some ingenious remarks which he kindly communicated to me by letter, induced us to re-examine the ground very minutely with my surveyor and draughtsman, Mr. Philip Crocker, and we were both of opinion that Mr. Mayo was right in his conjectures respecting both the direction and extent of this bank and ditch. On examining the southern circumvallation of this earthen work, we were struck with the singularity of that part of the works marked F, which appeared as if intended for an approach or entrance into the area of the circle; and this idea was in a great degree corroborated by the circumstance of our discovering the sile of a British village on some high ground not far distant.2
Note 1. I say present, because I doubt much if any existed io the tera of the Britons, and perhaps only a vcry inconsiderablc stream, whic.h in mocc modern times may possibly have been enlarged, if not conducted hither for the benefit of the mill.
Note 2. A great deal of British pottery bas been found in the fields on this side of the works.
John Methuen Poore 1st Baronet: In 1745 he was born to Edward Poore. In 1820 he died. His great nephew Edward Poore 2nd Baronet succeeded 2nd Baronet Poore of Rushall in Wiltshire. Agnes Marjoribanks Lady Poore by marriage Lady Poore of Rushall in Wiltshire.
Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine Volume 1955 V56 Page 4-11. The object of this paper is partly to give a fuller account than has hitherto been published of Marden [Map] (in the parish of Beechingstoke) as it was in Colt Hoare's time; and partly to add a little to the descriptions of the Cunnington MS. given by Meyrick in his Sir Richard Colt Hoare and William Cunnington (WAM June 1948), and by me in the Appendix to The Cunningtons in Wiltshire (WAM June 1954), and to correct some mistakes in the latter. The additional information has some relevance to the account of Marden in A. W.; and, it is hoped, may also be of interest in itself.
Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine Volume 1955 V56 Page 4-11. Marden [Map] And The Cunnington Manuscripts By Lt. Col. R. H. Cunnington
The River Avon West, Wiltshire rises around All Cannings, Wiltshire [Map] in the Vale of Pewsey being formed from many streams from where it flows past Patney, Wiltshire [Map], around Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks [Map] and Wilsford Henge [Map], Rushall, Wiltshire [Map] where it joins the River Avon East, Wiltshire to form the Wiltshire River Avon.
Europe, British Isles, South-West England, Wiltshire, Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks, Hatfield Barrow [Map]
Hatfield Barrow is also in Prehistoric Mounds.
The Hatfield Barrow [Map] was a Bronze Age barrow, possibly a Prehistoric Mound, located in Marden Henge aka Hatfield Earthworks [Map].
Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine 1885 V22 Pages 234-238. "Saturday, October 10, 1807. Mild and fine day. Went in a chaise to Marden [Map], a village on the right of the great road leading to Devizes. Here there is a very singular earthen work that has been unnoticed by antiquaries. From the circumstance of the ditch being on the inside, and the vallum without, we may safely pronounce it to have been a religious, not a military work. Its form, however, is not circular like that of Abury, but very irregular. Though no traces whatever of its complete continuation remain at present, I have no doubt of such a continuance, and that in forming the water meadows, where only the vallum is interrupted, these vestiges were removed. This work, though certainly laborious and expensive, was much facilitated by the light sandy nature of the soil, and the value of water meadows to a Wiltshire farmer is such as to render my supposition of that part of the vallum which stood in their way having been removed highly probable.
"Curiosity is not alone confined to this outward and stupendous vallum. The interior of the arc contains two very interesting fragments of antiquity.
"A large tumulus, the third, I think, in size after Silbury [Map] and the Castle hill at Marlborough [Map]. This tumulus is named in the map Hatfield barrow [Map]. The etymology of which, as given me by a native farmer, was derived from the unproductive quality of the soil — which occasioned its being called Hate-field. This tumulus is not placed in the centre of the area, but towards the northern angle of it, or rather north-western. As our operations on it are not yet terminated I can give no account either of its contents or destination. From the moisture of the substratum of sand I have much doubt if we shall be able effectually to explore it.
"Our workmen had a most providential escape, by being taken off to another spot by Mr. Cunnington, when during their absence several ton weight of earth fell in, at a time when the floor of the barrow was nearly uncovered.
"On the south-west side of the enclosure is a low circular work — very similar to one we know near Southley Wood, Warminster— it is intersected by a hedge.
Colt Hoare 1812. The large round barrow [Hatfield Barrow [Map]], being the most prominent feature within the area, claims our first attention. Neither labour nor expense has been spared in endeavouring to ascertain the original purpose for which this immense mound was raised; but each has failed, and full scope is still left conjecture. As that may in some degree be assisted by a full statement of facts attending the operations of our spade, I shall here insert them from our journal of the year 1809.
The enormous tumulus witl-ün this work, called HATFIELD BARROW [Map], is situated on the East side of the area; it is of a circular form, and has a deep and wide ditch around it, which in winter is nearly full of water, although the soil consists of a greenish sand. From having been some time in tillage, the height is probably decreased some feet; its elevation above the floor of the barrow (viz. the original soil) is at present twenty-two leet and a half: the area, within the circum. vallation, supposing the works perfect, would amount to fifty-one acres.
We began our operations by making a large square opening in the centre, but the tumulus being composed of sand, which continuallv slipped down, we afterwards canied our section in the form of an inverted cone. When at the depth of about twenty-two lee! on the cast side of the section, and eighteen on the west side, we came to the bottom of the barrow, but from the heavy masses of sancl that still continued to slip down, several days elapsed beforc we could clear the space of about twentyethree by twenty-four feet of the floor, During the operation of digging, our discoveries where exactly similar (o those we have made in many other circular barrows where cremation has been practised. From the depth of two or three feet from the summit of the tumulus to the bottom, the men frequently met with charred wood, animal bones of red deer, swine, and those of a large bird, as well as two small parcels of burned human bones. Upon tile floor of the barrow, we found charred wood scattered over the part that we cleared, and in one place, where there were large quantities of charred wood, we picked up some small pieces of human burned bones; and as similar circumstances often occur in barrows where burning has been practised, we concluded that in this spot the body of the person here interred. was consumed, and that herc his remains were gathered up, to be finally deposited in a cist, or under the shelter of a sepulchral urn; and our anxiety as well as our hopes of information began rapidly to increase: but alas! notwithstanding all our energy and exertions, we were doomed to remain in ignorance respecting the original destination of this gigantic barrow; and fortunately had not (added to our disappointment) to regret the loss of several of our labourers, who most providentially escaped an untimely end by having been called off from their work by Mr. Cunnington, at a time when the soil of the barrow appeared sound, but proved otherwise, by falling in very shortly after the men had quitted their labours.
Mr. Cunnington was of opinion that this mound was sepulchral, but from the discoveries we made in digging down from the summit to the floor, I do not think he found a sufficient basis to support his hypothesis. YVith respect to its high antiquity, and being the work of our British ancestors, no doubt can be entere tamed; and its situation about midway between Stonehenge and Abury, with the vicinity of a British trackway, seems to indicate an intermediate connexion with those two grand sanctuaries.
Although I have so frequently agreed in opinion with Mr. Cunnington upon British topics, I cannot justify myself in coalescing with him respecting the sepulchral origin of this tumulus, though I think it may have been devoted to religious as well as civil purposes. It may probably have been either a Hill Altar, or a locus consecratus, ac which the Druids attended to decide various causes, and issue their decrees; such which are described by Cæsar as existing in Gaul.
"Ii (Druides) certo anni tempore in finibus Carnutum, quæ regio totius Callie media habetur, considunt in loco consccrafo. Huc omnes unique qui controversias habeut, conveniunt, eorumque judiciis decretisquc parent. Disciplina in Britannié reperta, atque inde in Galliam translata esse existimatur," &c.
Once in every year the Druids assemble at consecrated place in the territory of the Carnutes, whose country is supposed to be situated in the centre of Gaul. Hither such as have my suits depending, resort from all parts, and submit implicitly to the decrees of the Druids. Their institution is said to have come originally from Britain, frorn whence it passed into Gaul,"