The Excavation of a Long Barrow at Nutbane, Hants

Abstract

The excavation of the long barrow at Nutbane, Penton Grafton, Hants, took place from August to October 1957, covering a period of nine weeks, and was carried out by the writer on behalf of the Andover History Group. The barrow, which was not included in the Ordnance Survey's Map of Neolithic Wessex (1932), had only been discovered at the end of 1955 when the attention of Ordnance Survey Officers was drawn to its presence by Mr North of Penton Mewsey. Describing the barrow to Mr W. Woodhouse of the Ordnance Survey on 10 December 1955, Mr North stated: ‘In this field is a mound which, when ploughed, shows as an oval area of chalk. Black marks can be seen on either side. I dug a pit about 5 feet deep in the mound and the chalk was loose and easy to dig. I found nothing’. Mr Woodhouse reported that it was a typical long barrow of Wessex type. Later an air photograph provided confirmation and indicated the flanking ditches.