<< Our Photo Pages >> Priddy Circles S - Henge in England in Somerset
Submitted by TheCaptain on Wednesday, 25 February 2015 Page Views: 33699
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Priddy Circles S Alternative Name: Priddy Circle 1Country: England County: Somerset Type: Henge
Nearest Town: Wells Nearest Village: Priddy
Map Ref: ST53945255 Landranger Map Number: 182
Latitude: 51.270229N Longitude: 2.66162W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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From Somerset HER site No 24042.
Southernmost of the four Priddy circles. Excavations in 1956-9 in the NW quadrant revealed that the bank had a stone core with a ring of post-holes on each side. The posts had been of 8" diameter and about 10ft high with stakes between them, apparently erected prior to the ditch, whose upcast was added to the bank probably leaving the posts projecting at least 4-6ft above the earth top. A causewayed entrance was proved for the circle in the NNE sector. Central area was devoid of any structure and no finds were made. {1}
Belongs to the secondary Neolithic and fall into the Henge group of monuments, class 2. Banks average 1m high and the ditch is 0.4m deep. {4}
Bank at best 7m wide and nearly 2m high, interior area flat and about 1m above the surrounding fields. Divided ownership marked by stone wall running NNW-SSE. Part on the W has never been ploughed but is somewhat cut about by old mine workings. On the S the bank is not well preserved. On the E the interior of the circle has been ploughed at some time but the bank is untouched. Some evidence of the stone construction of the bank is visible at some points. Few thorn and gorse bushes on the E side. {5}
Ploughing of centre and surrounding area but not bank in 1984-5. {6}
The interior of the E part of the circle has been ploughed again this spring. One quite large stone has been disinterred and added to the bank. {7}
Many of the surface depressions in and around the Priddy Circles are natural sinkholes, not mine workings as had been assumed. Unsatisfactory ground conditions (the ground remained liable to subsidence) may have been one of the factors that led to the abandonment of the whole ceremonial site before the circles were completed. {10}
See PRN 90072 for inconclusive geophysical survey and discussion. {12}
The monument is basically stable under pasture but there are areas of scrub, nettle, bracken etc growth on the banks. {13}
Management agreement between English Heritage and the owner from 5/3/2004 until 5/3/2007 for part of the monument. {15}
Two photographs in the HER files show a couple of shallow trenches (approx 2m long, 0.5m wide and 0 .3m deep) dug during for the construction of a horse jump in January 1986. No archaeological features or artefacts are apparent. Location is given as ST53955255 {16}
The southernmost of the four Priddy Circles, centred at ST 5395 5255 and described above in was mapped and recorded as part of a survey of aerial photographs and Lidar in the Mendip AONB.
Priddy Circles are thought to be henge monuments dating to the Neolithic and were possibly used for a ceremonial or ritual purpose.
This circle is the southernmost of a group of three, 60m southwest of the next circle to the north (PRN 24043).
The circle measures 192m in diameter. The northern half of the circle is defined by a bank with an external ditch. The southwest quadrant is defined by a single bank and the southeast quadrant is defined by a double bank.
The banks measure up to 9m in width and the ditches measure up to 6m in width.
There are gaps or entrances to the north measuring 19m, the southeast measuring 26m, the south measuring 21m, and the west measuring 36m. These gaps in the circle may have been part of the construction or may have been caused by disturbances to the earthworks. Areas of quarrying or sink holes are located immediately to the west and east of the circle (PRNs 19157and 19114). A quarry pit is located within the gap to the southeast of the circle. {17}
References:
1 Excavation report - Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society Taylor, C and Tratman, E.K 1956 "The Priddy Circles..." vol 8(1), 7-17
2 Mention - Secretary's Report: Archaeology Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society 1960 vol 9 (2), 64
3 Excavation report - Tratman, E.KThe Priddy...Henge Monument Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society (1966) vol 11(2), 97-125
4 Detailed records - Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division 1966 ST55SW4 (SCC Planning Department)
5 Detailed records - HBMC Field Monument Wardens report (SCC Planning Department)
6 Personal communication - Dennison, E Somerset County Council 12.09.85
7 Detailed records - HBMC Field Monument Wardens report (SCC Planning Department)
8 Aerial photographs - Slide (SCC Planning Department) 2.040.0004
9 Map - HBMC Field Monument Wardens report (SCC Planning Department)
10 Detailed records - Stanton, WI Natural sinkholes...Priddy Circles..." . Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society vol 17(3) (1986), 355-8
11 Correspondence - English Heritage to Somerset County Council (7.2.1997) in HER files
12 Personal communication - Webster, CJ SMRO (14/12/1998)
13 Site visit report - Graham, A. EH field Monument Warden (25/7/2000) report in HER files
14 Personal communication - Matthew Nicholas, Somerset County Council (7/7/2003)
15 Correspondence - English Heritage to Somerset County Council (23/7/2004)
16 Photographs - two colour photos SCC (1986) Copy in HER Files
17 Aerial photographs - RAF 3G/TUD/UK/25 5342-3 14-JAN-1946 in National Monuments Record
Much of the southern circle was in very fine condition up until 2000, with most of its ditch and bank features finely preserved and easily seen, from both the air and the ground.
However, in June 2011, I can now confirm that part of the field containing much of the southern, and perhaps most well preserved of the three main Priddy Circles has been bulldozed and flattened, including the southwestern arc of the circle.
Trying to look on the bright side, it would seem that only about a third of the circle has been destroyed.
Note: Priddy Circles damage due to be reinstated following archaeological work, see the latest comment on our page
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250m NNE 16° Priddy Circles C* Henge (ST54015279)
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