Bristol Avon Archaeol 21

An archaeological `strip and record' investigation was conducted in 2000 on the site of the former Stoke Park Hospital, Bristol, in advance of redevelopment. The site is located in the northeast corner of the Stoke Park Estate.Three ditches were recorded, which appear to define part of a rectangular enclosure, with a possible entrance to the east. A scatter of hearths and possible hearths extended across the site, beyond the area defined by the ditches. There was no clear evidence for associated structures. Pottery recovered from three of the hearths suggests a date range within the Leat Bronze Age or Early Iron Age, which is consistent with the radiocarbon determination from charcoal from one of the hearths of 1190--900 cal BC. Within the stripped area, the density and depth of features increased towards the northwest, suggesting that the core of the settlement may lie beyond the main area of the redevelopment.

Three possible locations for, or remains of, long barrows are considered, at Brean Down (Weston-super-Mare), Hengaston (near Failand); and Bathford Hill, Bathford. The article aims to test the sites for plausibility using as the main criteria the data amassed on all known long barrows of North Somerset, in addition to the author's own observations and research.

The article discusses the relationship between the medieval Bewys Cross in the grounds of King's Weston House, and the (now lost) `Bevis Stone' on the Gloucestershire side of the mouth of the River Avon. It considers in particular the origin of the name, and the popular folk hero Sir Bevis of Hampton.

Short, separately authored notes of archaeological investigations carried out in the Briston and Avon area during 2005, arranged alphabetically by town or parish within the unitary authority divisions of Bath & North-East Somerset; Bristol; North Somerset; and South Gloucestershire.