MONUMENTS PROTECTION PROGRAMME
MONUMENT CLASS DESCRIPTION - HENGE-ENCLOSURES
MARCH 1989
HENGE-ENCLOSURES
Alternative, colloquial and related terms: Durrington Walls type henge; Earth circle;
Giant henge; Henge; Henge, Durrington Walls type; Henge, enclosure; Henge, giant
Ordnance Survey map term: Henge
RCHME Thesaurus Monument Type : Henge Enclosure.
1 Definition
A henge-enclosure is a large, roughly circular or oval area of ground, usually over 300m
across, which is more or less completely enclosed by a boundary work
made up of a ditch and external bank. The enclosure boundary is often slightly irregular
in plan. Either two or four fairly wide entranceways through the earthwork
provided access to the interior of the monument. Henge-enclosures typically contain or lie
adjacent to one or more standard henge monuments.
Henge-enclosures have mostly been discovered through surface survey as earthworks, but in
several cases aerial photography, probing, and geophysical survey have
contributed towards their recognition and definition.
Henge-enclosures may sometimes be confused with other classes of prehistoric monuments,
principally large settlement enclosures (various classes) of Iron Age and
later date. The position of the bank, the nature of the entrances, and the presence of an
associated henge are important features for distinguishing henge-enclosures.
Specifically excluded from this definition of henge-enclosures are large standard henge
monuments. Such sites contain a rather different range of components and
lack the abundant evidence for occupation in the interior which is found on henge-
enclosures.
Henge-enclosures are of late Neolithic date, culturally part of the Grooved ware
tradition, and are currently interpreted as settlements and ceremonial centres.
2 Date
Henge-enclosures are generally dated by radiometic determinations on organic material from
their lower ditch fills and internal features, by associated artefactual
material, and sometimes by stratigraphic relationships with earlier and later monuments.
By these means henge-enclosures have been fairly tightly dated to the late
Neolithic, most being constructed around the turn of the second millennium RCYBC.
Durrington Walls, Wiltshire, for example has dates of 2050+90, 2015+90, and
1977+90 RCYBC (BM-400, BM-399, BM-398) from the primary ditch silts. These calibrate to
approximately 2800-2400 cal BC.
Information from excavated henge-enclosures suggests that individual sites had a life-span
of two or three centuries. At Durrington Walls some of the internal
structures underwent several phases of replacement and redesign although the basic
elements remained fairly static. Such a chronology for individual sites is
supported by the sequence of ditch fills.
There is no evidence for the chronological development of the class or for the regionally
specific dating of henge-enclosures.
3 General description
Monuments which are now considered to be henge-enclosures have been known about for many
years, not least because of their substantial earthworks. However,
it was not until the 1960s and a campaign of excavation and research under the direction
of G J Wainwright that the characteristics of the class became clear. Key
excavations were those at Durrington Walls, Wiltshire (Wainwright and Longworth 1971),
Marden, Wiltshire (Wainwright 1971) and Mount Pleasant, Dorset
(Wainwright 1979). The most recent synthesis of data relating to henge enclosures and
related sites is by Harding and Lee (1987).
The most distinctive components of all henge-enclosure, as they survive today, are those
comprising the boundary earthworks, namely the bank and internal ditch.
The internal ditch is bed-rock cut, typically between 7m and 16m wide, steep sided with a
flat bottom, and between 2m and 5.7m deep. The ditch terminals are
variously expanded slightly, in-turned, out-turned, or square butted, and are sometimes
deeper than the rest of the ditch circuit. When excavated the primary silts of
the ditch fill are usually found to be fairly undisturbed, although hearths and stakeholes
were found on stabilization horizons sealing the lower fills at Durrington Walls
and Mount Pleasant respectively.
The banks were constructed of material quarried from the ditches. Soil and turf form the
core with an envelope of redeposited bedrock above. No certain traces of
revetments have been found. At Marden the bank survives to a maximum height of 2.75m and a
greatest width of 40m; where excavated it proved to be 13.5m wide
and only 1.0m high. Variations in the size and scale of the bank have been noted at other
sites too. Estimates of the original size of the bank at Durrington Walls
suggests that it was 30m wide and 3m high when new.
At all recorded henge-enclosures the bank and internal ditch are separated from each other
by a berm for at least part if not the whole circuit. The width of the berm
varies considerably even within a single monument, at Durrington Walls it ranges from 6m
to over 20m across.
The enclosure earthworks are punctuated by entranceways. Durrington Walls and Marden each
have two entrances while Mount Pleasant appears to have had four.
In all cases the entranceways are fairly wide; 22.8m and 30m in the case of Durrington
Walls, 10.5m and 27m at Marden. No certain traces of gates or temporary
arrangements to close the entranceways have been found at investigated sites.
In plan, the earthworks of henge-enclosures define slightly irregular shapes of sub-
circular and oval outline, the boundaries having been mostly laid out as a series of
nearly straight alignments. Most are full enclosures, but at Marden the south-western
quarter lacks a boundary earthwork and seems to have been delimited by the
river Avon. Internally, henge-enclosures range from about 185m across at Knowlton South to
387m at Durrington Walls. Externally the extremes, represented by
the same two sites are 240m and 479m respectively. Marden is slightly unusual in being
more oval in plan, approximately 429m x 280m internally and 392m x 537m
externally.
Investigations within henge-enclosures have been limited in extent as even quite large
excavations such as those at Durrington Walls only involved a small percentage
of the total interior. What is, however, fairly clear is that henge-enclosures contain a
relatively high concentration of archaeological features representing a range of
components. This is also borne out by geophysical surveys at Durrington Walls.
The fairly high density of activity in henge-enclosures contrasts with what is known of
standard henge monuments. A further distinction is the fact that henge-
enclosures do not have the distinctive flat, almost peneplained, interior so common among
standard henges.
One difficulty with understanding the components found within henge-enclosures is knowing
whether they are all of the same date and whether they necessarily
belong to the period when the henge-enclosure was in use. Some internal features may well
pre- date the construction of the boundary earthworks but this can rarelt
be proven.
Round houses have been found within two henge-enclosures, Durrington Walls and Marden. At
Marden the structure was represented by a ring of substantial
postholes some 10.5m in diameter together with several internal postholes. At Durrington
Walls the structure was slightly larger, 14.4m in diameter, probably of
more than one phase, and comprising a central setting of four large posts surrounded by a
ring of smaller posts.
A Timber circle, similar in form to those known elsewhere as single monuments, forms a
freestanding component within Durrington Walls and a similar structure lies
within a small henge at Mount Pleasant. The Durrington Walls timber circle (southern
circle) has at least three main phases, and it may be noted that the entrance to
the circle is aligned with the south-eastern entrance to the henge.
At Mount Pleasant a small type I henge some 43m in diameter (internal) lies within the
henge-enclosure in the south-western quarter of the site. The entrance to this
henge is to the north, and within it there is a timber circle. In all respects this henge
is identical with those that occur elsewhere as single monuments. A circular
earthwork towards the southern end of the Marden henge-enclosure may also be the remains
of a henge.
Within Durrington Walls, situated very near to the timber circle already referred to, was
an elongated oval hollow some 12m by 6.7m interpreted as a midden
because of the large quantities of dark soil, pottery, animal bones, stone tools and ash
that were found within it. Stakeholes around the two ends may have supported
uprights that sserved to contain the debris or to screen it from view.
Fences comprising lines of postholes and stakeholes were found at Durrington Walls. One
formed a sort of facade to the timber circle while others flanked a
pathway leading to the entrance into the northern circle. All the postholes and stakeholes
forming these recorded fences were very shallow and it is probable that the
visible lengths were part of a wider pattern of boundaries dividing-up the site.
Pits seem to be fairly rare within henge-enclosures, but one small example was located at
Marden. Being only 0.59m in diameter and 0.1m deep it probably
represents only the truncated remains of what was originally a more substantial feature.
Truncatation of the original ground surface may be the reason that pits seem
so rare.
Burials have been found at Marden and Mount Pleasant, in both cases being inhumations
placed in the lower ditch fills above the primary silts. Occasional finds of
disarticulated human bone are recorded at all of the excavated sites.
The small number of recorded henge-enclosures precludes any detailed typology of the
class, although a two-fold division may provisionally be proposed as follows:
A. Henge-enclosures with complete circuits of boundary earthworks (eg. Durrington Walls,
Wiltshire).
B. Henge-enclosures with incomplete circuits of boundary earthworks (eg. Marden,
Wiltshire).
Similified ground-plans illustrating a selection of henge-enclosures are given on Figure
1.
Henge-enclosures were variously reused in prehistoric times. Bowl barrows were built at
Marden and Mount Pleasant, perhaps reflecting the earlier importance of
the site. At Mount Pleasant the timber circle within the small henge was replaced by a
stone setting (?cove) in early Bronze Age times, and at about the same time a
massive palisaded enclosures was constructed inside the ditch of the henge-enclosure,
probably utilizing the part-filled ditch in a defensive way. At Durrington Walls
traces of Iron Age settlement were found within and around the enclosure.
The purpose and function of henge-enclosures are not precisely known. Interpretations
include ritual enclosures and large settlements. Given that considerable
quantities of domestic debris and what appear to be round houses are found alongside other
components such as henges and timber circles which are more regularly
attributed ritual functions it may be appropriate to see henge-enclosures as residential
foci that include provisions for the ceremonial needs of the community as well
as their domestic needs. Studies of patterning in the deposition of pottery, flintwork and
animal bone at Durrington Walls (Ricahrds and Thomas 1984) suggests that
different parts of the site were indeed used in different ways; to take animal bones as an
example it was found that pig bones were most common at the timber circle
whereas cattle bones predominated at the round house (northern circle). The great size of
henge-enclosures, the amount of labour needed to build them, and the
large quantities of timber and materials required has led to the suggestion that these
sites were central places of some sort, perhaps the residences of holy men or the
great chief of the territory, or both.
4 Distribution and regional variation
The recorded distribution of henge-enclosures is confined to central southern England and
in particular to the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. Given the distinctive
character of the sites this is probably a fair reflection of the original distribution. No
examples are known in Wales or Scotland, or indeed on the Continent.
All known henge-enclosures are situated on low-lying land, usually on gentle hill- slopes
beside or overlooking a watercourse. At Durrington Walls the site straddles
a dry valley with the boundary earthworks follow the higher ground around the rim so that
the interior of the site is lower-lying than the perimeter. The uneven nature
of the interior of most henge-enclosures has already been mentioned.
Henge-enclosures only occur as isolated examples, indeed the spacing between then is
almost so regular as to suggest that each formed the focus of a particular tract
of land or territory.
5 Rarity
At present only four henge-enclosures can be identified with a fairly high degree of
certainty. Other may be located in due course, low-lying areas and major river
valleys being the most likely places to look.
Of the known sites three examples are of type A, only one (Marden) being of type B.
6 Survival and potential
As they survive today, henge-enclosures are a fairly degraded reflection of their original
appearance. When new, the earthworks would have been more substantial
than now and the interiors would have contained large timber buildings of various sorts.
All that now remains are the larger bedrock-cut features representing the
ditch, excavated hollows, and the main supports for the buildings and other structures,
and the denuded remains of the banks. All the excavated examples exhibit
truncated features resulting from the lowering of the bedrock surface by cultivation since
prehistoric times. This may be the reason why small shallow features such as
pits, stakeholes and scoops are fairly rare within the excavated areas of
henge-enclosures.
Excavated evidence provides insights into the boundary works, the entrances, and small
areas of the interiors. However, geophysical surveys suggest that the
evidence recovered from the sampled areas is fairly representative of the remainder of the
monuments. Being low-lying, it might be expected that henge-enclosure
ditches would be waterlogged. This was the case at Marden, although it seems that
waterlogging had not been continuous since the occupation of the site and for this
reason the preservation offerred was little better than elsewhere.
Finds from excavations at henge-enclosures are fairly numerous. Some of the largest
available collections of grooved ware pottery, flintwork, and associated
assemblages of animal bones from southern England derive from excavations at these sites.
If the interpretation of the sites as combined domestic and ceremonial foci
is correct then the scope for investigating the patterning of deposits is considerable.
Some of the patterns are indeed fairly easy to see, among them the recurrent
deposition of antler picks on the floor of the ditches.
The range of finds from henge-enclosures includes: pottery, flintwork, stone tools, antler
tools, bone objects, baked clay objects, carved stone items, bronze axe,
animal bone, and human bone. Key contexts for the preservation of artefactual and
ecofactual material include the pits, postholes, and middens in the interior, and the
fills of the ditches. Because these sites have been fairly heavily truncated the topsoil
may also contain important and signifcant groups of material. Secondary features
also sometimes provide important contexts for the preservation of material relating to the
use of the monument because elsewhere such items will have been
disturbed or removed altogether. At Mount Pleasant, for example, large collections of
artefactual and ecofactual material were recovered from the fills of the palisade
trench relating to the early Bronze Age reuse of the site.
Environmental evidence from henge-enclosures includes data on the pre-monument land-use
and environment, and the changing environment during and after the use
of the site. Key contexts for such studies include the old ground surface under the bank,
the matrix of the bank and the fill of the ditch. Mollusca collumns are the
most commonly recorded environmental sequences. Charcoal and carbonized remains have been
found widely at henge-enclosures.
No contemporary historical records exist for henge-enclosures, but antiquarian sources can
be useful in reconstructing the former condition and extent of the sites
and sometimes even details of internal components. In most cases these records are
narrative accounts; the remains did not lend themselves to drawing and painting.
7 Associations
Henge-enclosures are associated with a fairly restricted range of other classes of
monument, contemporary monuments being almost exclusively known through
spatial relationships and cultural affinity.
Contemporary associations are best gauged through the presence of grooved ware or early
beaker-style pottery in primary contexts. This allows the identification of
the following classes near to henge-enclosures: henges, bowl barrows, flint mines, flat
graves, enclosed cemeteries, pit clusters, and stockaded enclosure. The
associations with standard henges is especially interesting because, as already noted,
henges are also found as components of some henge-enclosures and overall
their juxtaposition seems to have been rather significant.
Some associated contemporary monuments lie very close to the henge-enclosures themselves.
At Durrington Walls, the sites of Woodhenge (a standard henge),
several pit groups, and some bowl barrows lie within 100m of the outer edge of the bank.
All of the henge-enclosures that have been excavated seal traces of earlier, generally
middle Neolithic activity below their banks. Overlying monuments are also
present, including bowl barrows at Mount Pleasant and Marden, a palisaded enclosure at
Mount Pleasant, and at the same site a series of stone settings including a
possible "cove". These non-contemporary associations tend to be
stratigraphically imposed, but there are also later monuments of other classes around
about known
henge-enclosures.
8 Characterization criteria
The four criteria for assessing class importance apply to henge-enclosures as follows:
Period (currency): Restricted. The tradition of building and using henge-enclosures
appears to have spanned two or three centuries around the turn of the second
millennium RCYBC.
Rarity: Very rare. Only four fairly certain examples are known at present.
Diversity (form): Low. All known henge-enclosures are basically similar in form, although
two types may be defined on the basis of whether the earthworks fully
enclose the site of not.
Period (representativity): Very high. Henge enclosures are among a relatively small number
of monument classes belonging to the later Neolithic period, and have
yielded some of the largest and most important collections of material currently
available. Moreover, if the presence of both domestic and ceremonial activities on the
same site is a correct interpretation then these sites are crucial to an understanding of
everyday life at the time.
Assigning scores to these criteria following the system set out in the Monument Evaluation
Manual, henge-enclosures yield a Class Importance Value of 37. This lies
over half-way up the range of possible values (max.= 64) reflecting the rarity and
representativity of the class. Examples representing both identified types, and
variations in size and orientation, must be included in the sample of nationally important
sites.
12 Bibliography
Harding, A F, & Lee, G E, 1987, Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain (=
British Archaeological Reports Brit Ser 175). Oxford. BAR
Richards, C, & Thomas, J, 1984, "Ritual activity and structured deposition in
later Neolithic Wessex". In R Bradley & J Gardiner (eds), Neolithic studies: A
review of some current research (= British Archaeological Reports Brit Ser 133 / Reading
Studies in Archaeology 1). Oxford. BAR. 189-218
Wainwright, G J, 1969, "A review of henge monuments in the light of recent
research". Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 35, 112-133
Wainwright G J, 1971, "The excavation of a late Neolithic enclosure at Marden,
Wiltshire". Antiquaries Journal, 51, 177-239
Wainwright, G J, 1979, Mount Pleasant Dorset: Excavations 1970-1971 (= Reports of the
Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London 37).
London. Society of Antiquaries
Wainwright, G J, & Longworth, I H, 1971, Durrington Walls: Excavations 1966-1968 (=
Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of
London). London. Society of Antiquaries
13 Acknowledgements
Description prepared by T C Darvill, March 1989. Release 00, March 1989.
14 Figures
Figure 1 - Simplified specimen ground plans of a selection of henge-enclosures. After
Wainwright, G J, 1979: Mount Pleasant Dorset: Excavations 1970-1971
(=Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London). London.
Society of Antiquaries, fig. 95.
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