<< County Introductions >> County Guides No.13 - Hampshire
Submitted by Jimit on Thursday, 26 February 2004 Page Views: 5650
EnglandCountry: England County: HampshireInternal Links:
Any consideration of the archaeology, as elsewhere, depends on the geology. Hampshire can be very roughly divided into the chalk downs which occupy the centre, bounded on the north, south, and east by clays, sands and gravels. There is very little building stone which could be used to create large structures so the existing monuments tend to be of the ditch, bank, enclosure and barrow type. There are scatterings of Sarsen stones but they do not seem to have been gathered into any significant structures, rather they seem to have been used as marker points for boundaries. The ubiquitous flint is seldom used except for the internal stabilisation of some barrows.
The coast provided the sites for the Palaeolithic wanderers especially at Hengistbury Head (which is now just in Dorset thanks to recent boundary changes) and some inland areas close to the four rivers which cross approximately from north to south - the Avon, Test, Itchen and Meon.
Hampshire is well represented in the early Neolithic by the thirty six long barrows which still survive. Many are isolated, but occasionally occur in groups such as Martin Down and Chilbolton. The later round barrows (of all types), of which there are at least one thousand, are found everywhere and sometimes in large cemeteries such as Petersfield Heath. Bronze Age ranch boundaries such as Grim's Ditch in the west, are still followed for long stretches by the present county border. Iron Age hillforts are perhaps the most noticeable features of Hampshire with their encircling banks and ditches often well preserved. Noticeable examples include Old Winchester Hill, Danebury and St.Catherine's Hill which dominates the south east quarter of Winchester.
There is much more in Hampshire than most people think. Many of the sites are almost unknown and finding them is rewarding in its adventure. Some are high on windswept downs with only the skylarks and wild flowers for company, others are in dark and overgrown woods where the occasional badger sett lies undisturbed.
Quite a surprise in a heavily populated county that it is still possible to get away from it all!
We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.