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From Carnac to Callanish: Prehistoric Stone Rows, Aubrey Burl

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge - Round Barrow(s) in England in Wiltshire

Submitted by AngieLake on Sunday, 16 May 2010  Page Views: 23267

StonehengeSite Name: Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge Alternative Name: Greater Cursus Barrows
Country: England County: Wiltshire Type: Round Barrow(s)
Nearest Town: Salisbury  Nearest Village: Amesbury
Map Ref: SU11894278  Landranger Map Number: 184
Latitude: 51.184128N  Longitude: 1.831265W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

rvbaker2003 visited on 25th Jan 2025 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

markj99 visited on 4th Jun 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3 The Great Cursus Barrows are obvious on the horizon viewed from the stone circle. It is more prominent than the nearby Great Cursus. It's a shame that the majority of visitors to Stonehenge take the bus to and from the stone circle missing out on the less spectacular barrow cemetery and cursus.

Chrus visited on 29th Mar 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

Chappers60 visited on 7th Aug 2018 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

XIII saw from a distance on 12th Aug 2015 - their rating: Amb: 3 Access: 3

Richard13 visited on 1st Jan 2014 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

SolarMegalith visited on 25th Nov 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

coldrum visited - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3

coin visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 3 Access: 4

Geojazz DrewParsons AngieLake h_fenton TimPrevett FrothNinja have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.75 Ambience: 4.11 Access: 3.33

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by TimPrevett : One of the most impressive bell barrows - which we thought resembled landed 'flying saucers'. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Round Barrows in Wiltshire. This line of barrows, visible from the Stonehenge car park, runs alongside the great earthwork, known as the Cursus.

For a closer view follow the marked footpath from the car park to the Cursus.

Also see our site pages for Great Cursus W Barrow and Great Cursus, Stonehenge.

Note: New images from Angie give a look at the Stonehenge landscape
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Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by h_fenton : Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge - viewed from the west. Kite Aerial Photograph 29 August 2011 @ 8.54am (4 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by h_fenton : Great Cursus Barrows, looking towards Stonehenge. Kite Aerial Photograph 29 August 2011 @ 9.11am (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by h_fenton : Great Cursus Barrows, looking towards Stonehenge. Kite Aerial Photograph 29 August 2011 @ 9.14am (Vote or comment on this photo)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by Horatio : Direct overhead shot of the following ‘Amesbury’ barrows that make up just some of the Curses Barrows. Personally, I think perhaps these are not actually barrows at all but some kind of signal, message or rules for visiting Aliens when using the Cursus as their landing strip so there is no spaceship congestion or prolonged waiting times to land. Ok below the Amesbury Barrow no’s .. (from... (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by Horatio : Also showing the Great Cursus and the Drove, can't make out the Avenue though (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by Horatio : Showing the Great Curses Barrows within this amazing landscape, it sure is a real place of absolute beauty. My wife favours Avebury (I love the Avebury landscape also) but this? packed full of all these monuments, in this landscape, absolutely breathtaking. (2 comments)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : Stonehenge in a zoomed-in view from the lower barrow lying approx SW of the main chain of Cursus Barrows. (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : The west end of the chain of cursus barrows on the ridge near the Great Cursus. The Old and New King Barrows are visible in the distance, amongst the trees. (3 comments)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : Beside the fenced-in Cursus Barrow that lies tucked in beside the east border of Fargo Plantation, south of the cursus. Here looking back towards Stonehenge.

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : In shadow here, the darker low mound of one of the barrows lying approx SW of the main Cursus Barrows on the ridge, with Stonehenge hovering above it! (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : In the foreground the slightly battered mound of the barrow SW of the larger chain of barrows on the ridge, and just above the white patch of clay, the fenced barrow tucked in beside Fargo Plantation is visible. The low mound of another to its NW lies centre right, framed by the two right-angles of Fargo plantation in the distance, where they flank the Cursus. (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : When walking uphill towards the West end of the Cursus, past the larger Cursus Barrows on the ridge, and look back towards the A344 where it meets with the southern end of Fargo Plantation, you'll see this one sitting in that area to their SW. Not far from this one (slightly NW) is another low barrow mound, and (approx to its WNW) another fenced one sits tucked in beside the eastern edge of the ... (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by vicky : The Great Cursus Barrows at Stonehenge. (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by Bladup : Lidar image of The Great Cursus Barrows (Eastern side) Source: www.lidarfinder.com

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by Bladup : Lidar image of The Great Cursus Barrows (Western side) Source: www.lidarfinder.com

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by Horatio : Well not just the Great Cursus Barrows also the Great Cursus, the SH visitor centre somewhere in the setting sun and lets not forget the the Drove that's been home to well...thousands (and more) over the years. (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by Bladup : Monarch of the Plain barrow is to be found inside Fargo Plantation and is the most Westerly of the Great Cursus Barrows (1 comment)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : One of three photos Alex Down took of me holding the phallic flint I'd found near Barrow 50 [?] SW of the Gt Cursus on 4 May 2010. I was thrilled to find it, but at the same time we found it very amusing! Perhaps it was a treasured possession of some ancient Stonehenge ancestor?

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : One of three photos Alex Down took of me holding the phallic flint (with 'bull's head' at other end) on 4 May 2010.

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : One of three photos Alex Down took of me holding the flint that's featured in previous photos, 4 May 2010.

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : The bull's head end of the phallic flint I found on the surface near Barrow 50 [?] SW of the Gt Cursus Barrows, while on my way to the west end of the Gt Cursus in May 2010. Alex Down (our late Neolith) was with me, and photographed me holding it... see next shots. (Posted due to our Forum topic about 'the oldest thing you've held'!) :-)

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by AngieLake : This was the phallic flint I found on the surface near Barrow 50 [?] SW of the line of Gt Cursus Barrows, while on my way to the west end of the Cursus in May 2010. One end looks like a phallus and the other like a bull's head. The chalk ball came from somewhere around Stonehenge, but I forget exactly where. I was with the late Alex Down [our 'Neolith'] that afternoon, and he photographed me h...

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by coin : The Monarch of the Plain up close.

Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge
Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge submitted by DrewParsons : Two barrows in the alignment. April 2015

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 247m NE 43° Great Cursus, Stonehenge* Cursus (SU1206042960)
 395m SSE 164° Stonehenge Car Park Postholes* Timber Circle (SU120424)
 446m W 260° Bowl and Bell Barrow* Barrow Cemetery (SU11454270)
 530m ENE 60° Great Cursus W Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SU1235143043)
 618m S 176° Stonehenge Long Barrow* Long Barrow (SU1193642164)
 667m S 170° Stonehenge Down Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SU1200942124)
 669m SE 143° Heel Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SU1229142244)
 686m SSE 149° Stonehenge.* Stone Circle (SU1224742194)
 739m W 268° Fargo Disk Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SU11154275)
 807m SE 139° Stonehenge Bowl Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SU12424217)
 814m ESE 101° The Avenue* Ancient Trackway (SU12694262)
 995m W 277° Amesbury Cursus (W)* Cursus (SU109429)
 1.1km SSW 199° North of Normanton Gorse Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SU1154441754)
 1.3km N 356° Durrington Down Barrow Cemetery* Barrow Cemetery (SU1179044090)
 1.4km NW 305° Winterbourne Stoke Cursus (E) Cursus (SU107436)
 1.5km ESE 121° Amesbury 39 Bowl Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SU13154204)
 1.5km S 189° Bush Barrow* Round Barrow(s) (SU11644126)
 1.6km S 183° Normanton Down* Barrow Cemetery (SU118412)
 1.7km ESE 110° New King Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SU13454222)
 1.7km SW 218° Pond Barrow and Wilsford Shaft Round Barrow(s) (SU1086441475)
 1.7km WNW 293° The Lesser Cursus* Cursus (SU10354343)
 1.7km NNE 20° Long Barrow alongside The Packway, Larkhill* Long Barrow (SU12474438)
 1.7km WNW 291° Winterbourne Stoke Cursus (W) Cursus (SU103434)
 1.7km E 89° Old King Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SU13604280)
 1.8km SSW 196° Normanton Down Long Barrow* Long Barrow (SU1141341071)
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"Great Cursus Barrows, Stonehenge" | Login/Create an Account | 7 News and Comments
  
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Exploring the Cursus Barrows and Fargo Plantation by Andy B on Monday, 23 March 2020
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Prof. Howard M R Williams writes: The Stonehenge landscape has the richest concentration of Bronze Age burial mounds in Britain. If you cannot afford to visit Stonehenge itself, do not worry; most of the exciting landscape is managed by the National Trust and is free for you to explore.

After a recent early morning visit to Stonehenge, I walked back over the surrounding landscape to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre via the ‘Cursus barrows’ and Fargo Plantation.

The Cursus barrow group are a striking linear arrangement of Early Bronze Age burial mounds prominently situated on the north-western skyline when viewed from Stonehenge. They run for c. 1200m along the roughly W-E ridge located south of the west end of the Stonehenge Great Cursus (dated c. 3600-3300 BC).

The barrows are largely bowl and bell barrows, the Fargo hengiform enclosure and the large bell barrow ‘The Monarch of the Plain’ (Amesbury 55). The prominent western end of the Great Cursus defines the north-western edge of this barrow cemetery.
William Stukeley excavated two barrows here in 1723 and Richard Colt Hoare examined them in the early 19th century. The mounds have been recently re-surveyed by English Heritage.

When excavated, they were found to contain a range of Early Bronze Age burials including individuals accompanied by Beaker and Collard Urn vessels (c. 2500-1600 BC).

More at
https://howardwilliamsblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/exploring-the-cursus-barrows-and-fargo-plantation/
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Stonehenge Cursus excavations 2006 – discovery of Neolithic pottery by Andy B on Saturday, 10 March 2018
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Stonehenge Cursus excavations 2006 – discovery of Neolithic pottery by Dennis Price, March 27, 2007

The interim report on the 2006 excavations by the Stonehenge Riverside Project is available under Media Links on the right of this page. It’s well worth reading as it contains some intriguing detail about the summer excavations and also some superb photographs that manage to convey the sheer scale of the earthworks known to us as Durrington Walls.

The report contains accounts of the discovery of prehistoric houses and the Avenue leading to the River Avon, but there are also some disappointments in its pages, as it appears that none of the various stones so far recovered by the test pit programme at the western end of the Cursus are bluestone originating from South Wales.

Nonetheless, as the photos above and below show, some Neolithic pottery, which I understand was decorated Peterborough Ware, was recovered by the archaeologists working near the Cursus. These few crumbling sherds may seem unimpressive when compared to stunning features such as the newly discovered Avenue at Durrington Walls, or when placed side by side with elegant yet lethal flint arrowheads, but I find them captivating nonetheless.

I didn’t personally dig up these pieces, but it was still a privilege to be able to hold some artefacts so closely connected with Stonehenge, shortly after they’d seen the light of day after having been buried for something like 4,500 years. The great William Blake alluded to this feeling far better than I ever could, when he wrote “To see the world in a grain of sand, and to see heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hands, and eternity in an hour.”

To make the original vessels, someone laboured long and hard at their craft to perfect the ability to produce these containers. Along the way there was doubtless heartbreak and some tears of sheer frustration, when the clay was incorrectly mixed, mixed to the wrong consistency or when the pots were fired at the wrong temperature, but they persisted.

While these containers had an obvious utilitarian value, their makers embellished them with various designs, using pieces of bone and plaited cord to make abstract impressions on the curved surfaces before the clay vessels were baked. It is a simple matter for us today to wander out to a local shop and buy a coffee mug or some dishes to replace some broken or chipped crockery, but it was not always thus.

More at
http://web.archive.org/web/20160618185550/http://eternalidol.com/?p=180
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Re: Gt Cursus Barrows: 'Stonehenge Twin' controversy by AngieLake on Friday, 17 December 2010
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Controversy in a Daily Mail article regarding the newly discovered (last July) 'Stonehenge Twin' is discussed here by Mike Pitts:
http://mikepitts.wordpress.com/2010/

There is a post on the Woodhenge site regarding the Daily Mail article.
(There are quite a lot of posts on the Woodhenge site!!) ;-)
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Re: Stonehenge twin discovered stone's throw away by AngieLake on Saturday, 07 August 2010
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Mike Pitts has written a very informative article with excellent plans and illustrations:
http://mikepitts.wordpress.com/2010/08/06/analysing-the-new-site-near-stonehenge/
Thanks to contibutor Aynslie, on Dennis Price's Eternal Idol, for alerting us to it.
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Stonehenge twin discovered stone's throw away by Andy B on Friday, 06 August 2010
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This is pretty close to the location of the new henge.

New wooden henge, a circular ditch that aligns with world-famous monument, deemed site's most exciting find in a lifetime. Without a sod of earth being dug up, a new henge, a circular ditch which probably enclosed a ring of timber posts and may have been used for feasting, has been discovered within sight of Stonehenge.

Lots more on our page here:
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146413865
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The Stonehenge Landscape: a Journey of Discovery, Thu 29 July by Andy B on Saturday, 10 July 2010
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The Stonehenge Landscape: a Journey of Discovery

Thu 29 July 11.00–15.30

Join a Neolithic expert and archaeologist on this walk of around 8 miles through the stonehenge landscape. Booking essential. …

Join Neolithic expert and National Trust archaeologist Dr Nick Snashall on this walk of around eight miles through the stonehenge Landscape. Accompanied older children welcome. Please come prepared for the weather and wear stout footwear. Light refreshments provided; please bring water and a packed lunch. Contact the office for directions to the Amesbury start point. Cost £7.00. Free entry to YAC members

Location: Start point tbc; directions will be sent on booking.

O: National Trust
N: Lucy Evershed
T: 01980 664780
E: [email protected]
W: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stonehengelandscape

Festival of British Archaeology 2010
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Street View by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 March 2010
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