Fowler, P. J., ed. (1972). Archaeology and the Landscape.

A search of air cover for the Gloucestershire Cotswolds produced no unrecorded barrow-mounds but revealed over 150 ring-ditches (excluding recognisable house-sites). Applying the necessary cautions it may be estimated that about 40% of these represent ploughed-out barrows, being either close to extant mounds, placed in "linear cemeteries", associated with a cursus, known to have yielded burials, or similar to small Class I henges (see also 72/1605).

Much fresh evidence permits an interim assessment which may stimulate neighbouring counties to widen the synthesis. Part I presents the available data - topographical, historical and archaeological. Part II attempts a synthesis by centuries, rejecting labels like "Dark Age". The evidence suggests that in early to mid-5th century Romanised life continued in somewhat reduced style, but the remainder of 5th saw changes denoting crisis: new settlements, reoccupation of old sites, and strong defences implying either wealthy rulers or communal effort. These sites flourished after Badon (c 500), as the imported wares show; but, apart from major cemeteries like Cannington, it is hard to say which sites continued into late 6th century. By early 7th, Germanic and British material appears well mixed in Somerset. The later 7th is represented so far only by Cannington and by Glastonbury Abbey (the first clear evidence of Christianity). The open settlements of the presumed majority of the 5th-8th century population remain unknown (see also 72/1736).