Wiltshire Archaeol Natur Hist Mag 85

Investigation of cropmarks threatened by quarrying produced evidence of an Early Bronze Age barrow ditch and central primary inhumation, an adult male accompanied by grave goods comprising a small, plain pottery vessel, a dagger and knife dagger, both of bronze, a whetstone, bone needle and bone belt hook. A disturbed secondary inhumation was found in the barrow ditch. Other features, including an isolated Late Bronze Age pit and Romano-British ditches, gullies and pits, were also excavated. There are specialist reports on: `The Early Bronze Age grave goods' by R M J Cleal, W Murray, S Watkins & L Wootten (9--11); `Compositional analysis of the dagger and knife dagger' C Mortimer & S Watkins (11--13); `X-ray fluorescence analysis of samples from the dagger and knife dagger' by C Mortimer (12); `Relationship of the finds to each other and to the organic deposit' S Watkins, L Wootten & W Murray (13); `Discussion' R M J Cleal (13--14); `The human bone' by J McKinley (14--18); `The pottery' by L N Mepham & E L Morris (18--21); `The later metal finds' by K E Walker, L N Mepham & E L Morris (21--2) and `The worked flint' by F Healy (24--5).

The collection of brooches concerned was for the most part the result of collection at Gastard by Gary Yorke. The nature of the site has not been established, but the inhumation samian (see also 93/410) and coins found confirm that it was in use from the early Roman period to the fourth century. Although much smaller than the group recovered from Cold Kitchen Hill, Brixton Deverill, this assemblage is one of the largest from the county and as such merits detailed record. The collection includes Colchester derivatives, and examples of Strip, Aucissa-Hod Hill, and Plate brooch forms. Most of the examples are made of copper alloy.

A comparison of the sites and architectural history of the castles with descriptions of their uses, national importance and shared administrative history up to 1300. Neither castle has been the subject of in depth historical study, largely because few records survive from which to reconstruct their history. Their importance as fortresses was short-lived, ceasing after the death of Henry III in 1272. No trace of Marlborough's buildings remains above ground and later construction on the site has prevented large-scale excavation.

Three additional dates for the eastern barrows. Barrow 72 examples provide indirect dating for the collared urn.

Records activity from slight evidence from the Mesolithic to Bronze Age, through the foundation of a Roman rural settlement c AD 43 to Saxon and post medieval occupation.

Records an (unusually) clipped solidus of Valens found in the Melksham area.

Medieval pendants resembling seals in design were pendants nonetheless. Normally given as anonymous love tokens, this example is, unusually, inscribed with the name of the donor.

Notes the original dedication of St Mary's church as being to St Leonard, and the `safe haven' reputation attributed to the manor of Bradford as the result of a network of stone quarrying tunnels used for hiding in.

Further comments on a previous article of the same name (see 90/1689).