Notes; Fyfield Down is famous for the 'Celtic field system' still lightly sketched across the landscape. These prehistoric and Roman field boundaries form a lattice across the hillside. There is the possibility that the Roman field boundaries were still in use into the later Saxon era, and that the formation of Fyfield (its boundaries resemble a triangle), its apex on high on the marlborough Downs at Hackpen Hill, and it is believed that Fyfeld may have been a villa-estate in the late Roman period. This evidence is deduced on late 19th finds near Fyfield village. The evidence of the Roman road not following the modern A4 but taking its path from North Farm following a curve from 'Piggledene' sarsen stream, down Piper Lane, and probably somewhere near Fyfield Church. Acccording to a report by Gillian Swanton, the road is not the customary agger type but 'a sequence of road structures continues eastwards the line of the A4 from North Farm' and that this road is thought to be a sarsen road.
What a fascinating place - and very interesting seeing sarsens beneath the church. Some might say it was structural, but I think we might both argue differently . . . I vaguely remember the Celtic field systems at Fyfield - think it came into a lecture when we were studying Landscape Archaeology at Lampeter.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennie, have'nt done the history on this one yet. Fyfield down is a fascinating place, but a long walk up from Avebury.. Stones under churches - have you ever been to Alton Barnes in the Pewsey Valley? there maybe, only maybe, be a stone circle under there.
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