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,"