ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



BOXFORD. There is a barrow of nearly circular form in a field at 

 the bottom of Rowbury Hill. It was opened about the year 1870, 

 when only a quantity of charcoal ashes was found. 1 



BRIGHTWELL. There is a circular barrow which forms a con- 

 spicuous landmark on the top of Brightwell Hill. 



BRIMPTON. There are six round barrows in Brimpton parish, five 

 near to each other, the sixth being a quarter of a mile to the south. 

 They vary in size, the largest being go feet in diameter, the others some- 

 what smaller. They are all flat on the top and have a trench around 

 the base. 



Two were exhaustively examined by Canon Greenwell in 1880, 

 who failed to find any evidence of their sepulchral origin. Two are 

 mentioned in the Abingdon Chronicle (i. 117-8) under the names of 

 Imma beorge and heafod beorge. The five are near what is believed 

 to be the course of the Roman road from Calleva to Aquae Solis.* 



CHADDLEWORTH. Three round barrows lie in the extreme southern 

 corner of Wooley Down, to the west of the road leading from Hunger- 

 ford to Wantage, and extend in a line from north to south. Their 

 diameters are 66, 48, and 36 feet, while their heights vary from five 

 feet to one. There is a shallow trench around each, and there are 

 depressions at the top, due, no doubt, to the work of treasure-seekers, 

 who have been active here, even in recent years. They are popularly 

 supposed to be soldiers' graves. 



There is a mound in the middle of Field Copse, but this is probably 

 not a burial tumulus. 



CHILDREY. There is a barrow about 50 yards north-east of the 

 Ridge-way 97 feet in diameter, and still 5! feet high, though formerly 

 much higher. It was opened in 1880 by Canon Greenwell who 

 found a large sarson stone six feet from the centre, with a smaller one 

 beneath it. 3 



There is another barrow on Hackpen Hill. 



CHILTON. There is a large tumulus on Chilton Down near the 

 southern boundary of the parish. 



COMPTON. There were four barrows, known as the Cross Barrows, 

 in Compton parish, about a mile east of Ilsley on a conspicuous emi- 

 nence. These were examined by Mr. Hewitt in 1843. ^ n one was 

 found the skeleton of a large man, fixed into whose pelvis was an iron 

 javelin-head. In another were six skeletons, with a small brass pin, 

 some fragments of coarse pottery, several ochre beads and other objects. 

 In the third was a single skeleton with weapons somewhat resembling 

 that found in No. i. The fourth contained no interment whatever.' 



COOKHAM. At Cockmarsh are four barrows. They were opened 

 in 1874 by Mr. A. H. Cocks, when three were found to contain remains 



> Trans. Newbury Dist. Field Club, ii. 16. 



* Arch. lii. 65-6. Trans. Newbury Dist. Field Club, iv. 1 86. 



Arch. lii. 62-4. Trans. Newbury Dist. Field Club, ii. 191. 



Hewitt, Hundred of Compton, 153-5. Reading Mercury, Jan. 1843. 



279 



