Weedon Mound

Silbaby 17

Image by Cursuswalker

Pete G Dec 2, 2004 02:23:07

New thread (Sorry Kammer)
The little mound thats been pissed on!

Do we now have an Old name for the location of the mound once known as Silbaby aka The Great Bank?

"South of Abury town is a hill, between it and Silbury, callíd Windmill-hill; it lies between our two avenues, and intercepts the view from one to the other. This too is crowníd with barrows of different sorts and sizes.
The Via badonica runs on the southern skirt of it, going from Overton-hill to Silbury. I took notice there of a barrow of the kind I call Druids. This
happening too near the track of the Roman road, it goes over part of it.
Part is fillíd up, and the tump in the middle, under which the urn lay, they have dug away:
A further demonstration, that it is of a date posterior to our celtic works here.this hill too is callíd weedon hill, perhaps from the Roman way."

I'm happy with it...
PeteG

FourWinds Dec 2, 2004 07:01:13

Replying to Pete G

"I'm happy with it"

Well, being as you know the area as well as anybody, I'd say that if you're happy with it then anyone else should be!

It's good that Stukeley seems to have recorded it and it's good to have another bit of his Avebury plan confirmed (and to see another bit that's survived).

P.S. I think it will always carry the nickname 'Silbaby'

moss Dec 2, 2004 07:31:48

Replying to Pete G

Historical note; looking thro Wiltshire domesday book, this came up, Kennett -

Under land of Hugh the Donkey(yes) St. Marys church Winchester holds 2 hides for his daughter....

Most land seems to have been in the ownership of Alfred of Marlborough (taxes for 13 and half hides). the people who held the hides before 1066; Wulfgeat, Alnoth,Edmer, Leofric and Wulmer.
after l066, Nicholas, Thurstan, Wulfgeat, leofric, and Wulmer. Two seem to have got the chop. Reinbold the priest held Avebury which was 2 hides (from the king).

Just thought to put some people into the framework as everyone argues over names, bet they had different names as well..

nigelswift Dec 2, 2004 08:26:23

Replying to Pete G

Everything seems to be pointing to Weedon being right, I agree.
Slightly unfortunate though, as the older funsters amongst us will inevitably think of it as "Bert"...

jimit Dec 2, 2004 09:15:33

Replying to Pete G

I know that Stukeley can be a bit difficult to interpret but on my reading he is talking about the barrows which used to exist on Waden Hill. He talks about the hill obscuring the view "....between the two avenues" and he says that the "tump" had been pillaged and an "urn" was found. This suggests to me that he was talking about a barrow which had been partially destroyed by the Roman road.

Pete G Dec 2, 2004 10:16:29

Replying to Pete G

This has been sent to me,
The 'Druid's Barrow' was located in the 1993 Kennet Valley Foul Sewer pipeline at SU 10606830, the exposed part (well north of the current road) being excavated by Wessex Archaeology. It was published in: A Powell, M Allen, I Barnes (1996) Archaeology in the Avebury Area, Wiltshire: recent discoveries along the line of Kennet Valley Foul Sewer Pipeline, 1993. Wessex Archaeology Report No 8.

They reproduce one of Stukeley's views of Avebury as the frontispiece, showing the 'Via Badonica' cutting through the barrow at the southern end of 'Windmill' (ie Waden) Hill.

PeteG