146 THE WILTSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY MAGAZINE | 
PART 1: THE 
ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE 
WHITESHEET DOWN 
HILLTOP 
SURVEY 
by M. Corney and D. McOmish 
The earthworks on Whitesheet Hill occupy the 
extreme south-west tip of the chalk massif which 
covers much of southern Wiltshire. Extensive views 
of the Blackmoor Vale are afforded to the south, 
whilst to the north and north-east much of the high 
chalk downland of west Wiltshire is visible, 
including the concentration of Neolithic, Bronze 
Age and later monuments on Cold Kitchen Hill. 
Much of the study area is now downland pasture, 
although there are clear traces of prehistoric and 
later cultivation. 
The Whitesheet Hill complex (Figure 2) 
comprises three large enclosures, two univallate 
and one multivallate. Divisions of the landscape are 
represented by three substantial cross-ridge 
earthworks and funereal activity marked by at least 
eleven round barrows. This note is confined to the 
description of the two univallate enclosures 
(Figures 3 and 4) and related features. Both sites 
were surveyed at a scale of 1:1000 using a Wild 
TC2000 ‘Total Station survey package with 
additional measurements made by taped offsets. 
Enclosure 1 (Neolithic causewayed 
enclosure) _ 
Enclosure 1 (Figure 3) is an ovoid medium-sized 
circuit (Oswald et al. 2001, 75), defined by at least 
23 ditch segments, with an internal bank enclosing 
an area of 2.3ha (5.7 acres). First noted by Colt 
Hoare (1812, 42), the true nature of the site was only 
recognised in 1950 by Grinsell, with confirmation 
of the date provided by Piggott and Stone in 1951 
(Piggott 1952; VCH 1957). The enclosure is best 
defined to the north-east of the modern track which 
cuts across the site. Here the ditch is visible as a 
series of elongated hollows up to 0.5m deep. The 
bank is correspondingly well-preserved and 
survives to a height of 0.7m above present ground 
level. It is generally continuous although there are 
also locally raised sections which, in part, relate to 
the deeper portions of the ditch. Some offsetting of 
the alignments between ditch and bank causeways 
is evident. Later mutilation has occurred on the 
north-eastern arc where hollow-ways associated 
with the former Stourhead to Salisbury coach road 
cross the line of the enclosure. 
To the south-west of the modern track the 
enclosure is less substantial with the bank formed 
by a series of dumps, 10—-15m in length and up to 
0.4m high. These dumps tend to occur opposite 
ditch segments which, in this area, are more 
irregular and slighter than on the north-east. 
Recent chalk quarrying has destroyed 60m of the 
ditch on the north-western arc. 
One potential entrance was noted 35m west of 
the large bowl barrow (Wilts SMR ST83NW 649) 
which impinges upon the ditch circuit. The 
putative entrance consists of a slightly offset 10m 
wide gap in the circuit approached by a double 
lynchet terrace. A noticeable misalignment of 
approximately one-third of the circuit of the 
enclosure occurs 70m north of barrow 648 with a 
further offset some 170m to the north-east (Figure 
3). This may indicate a longer period of 
development of the site than previously assumed. It 
is possible that, initially, the north-west side, on the 
edge of the steep escarpment, was not defined by a 
bank and ditch but only further excavation could 
resolve the matter. 
Three bowl barrows were recorded beyond the 
south-western arc of the enclosure (Wilts SMR 
ST83NW 646, 647, and 648). No. 646 is now 
eroding into an abandoned quarry. A slight 
rectangular, embanked feature was recorded between 
barrows 646 and 647; it is of unknown date or 
function. The narrow chalk plateau is cut 130m 
south-east of the causewayed enclosure, by a cross- 
ridge earthwork formed by a single ditch up to 1.0m 
deep with a bank on each side. Severe mutilation and 
damage has occurred where hollow-ways associated 
with the former coach road cross the earthwork. 
Enclosure 2 (undated univallate 
enclosure) 
An oval enclosure (Figure 4) of c. 3ha (7.4 acres), 
300m north-east of the causewayed enclosure, was 
first noted by the Ordnance Survey in 1953. Defined. 
by ascarp up to 0.4m high with an external ditch, the 
circuit has been much reduced by ploughing. There 
are traces of possible ditch interruptions on the 
south-eastern arc and a probable entrance, 14m 
