THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY UK STUDY TOUR 2007: WILTSHIRE Monday 20th August – Friday 24th August 2007 Urchfont Manor, Urchfont, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 4RG, Tel. no. 01380 840495 www.urchfontmanor.co.uk This study tour will be based at Urchfont Manor in the Vale of Pewsey, located in the heart of Wiltshire. It is a scenic, peaceful, location for our Study Tour and provides us with easy access to some of the most outstanding prehistoric sites and landscapes in the British Isles. During the tour we will encounter a wide range of well preserved sites on the chalk downland that lies at the heart of Wiltshire, focussing specifically on the Avebury and Stonehenge World Heritage Site. As well as this we are fortunate to gain access to normally restricted areas on the Salisbury Plain military ranges. All of these areas have either seen recent investigation or are currently the subject of major, internationally significant, research. So, as well as the monumental complex at Avebury, we will visit the high profile work taking place at Stonehenge and Durrington Walls and include an evening visit to the ‘stones’. The tour will be rounded off in the Wylye Valley of South Wiltshire, an important routeway flanked by a variety of significant archaeological sites. Urchfont Manor, though in a rural position is easily reachable by car, lying some 3km to the south-east of the market town of Devizes at NGR SU 036570 just off the A342. There are relatively nearby train stations at Pewsey and Westbury; it may well be possible to arrange a pick up for those travelling by train. Please advise on booking if this is required. For more detailed location information please look at the Urchfont Manor website or contact them by ‘phone. All excursions will be by mini-bus and it should be noted that site visits will include walks across difficult terrain, occasionally covering several kilometres. Appropriate clothing, such as walking boots and waterproofs, is essential N.B. Advice for members • Participants must take out their own personal & belongings insurance. The Society can accept no liability with regards to personal injury or loss or damage to belongings. • Participation in this tour requires an adequate level of personal fitness as a number of the site visits will involve walks up (and down) steep hills. It is anticipated, too, that on at least one occasion we will be away from the coach for the entire day. Itinerary: Monday 20th August: Register at Urchfont Manor from 11am onwards, followed by lunch. Afternoon Field Trip: Marden Neolithic henge; Rybury Camp, Neolithic enclosure and Iron Age hillfort; Clifford’s Hill, Neolithic enclosure; All Cannings Cross, Early Iron Age settlement and midden; Stanton St Bernard Early Iron Age midden. Visit to Devizes Museum. Evening: lecture by Dr. David Field (English Heritage) The Prehistoric Archaeology of Wessex. Tuesday 21st August: Field Trip: Knap Hill Neolithic enclosure, later prehistoric and Romano-British settlement; Adam’s Grave long barrow; Avebury Museum; Avebury henge, West Kennet and Beckhampton avenues; Windmill Hill Neolithic enclosures, round barrows and prehistoric fields; West Kennet long barrow. If time permits a visit to the lesser known, but equally spectacular, East Kennet long barrow. Evening: Lecture by Dr. Richard Osgood (MoD archaeologist) The Field Archaeology of the Salisbury Plain Military Ranges. Wednesday 22nd August: Field Trip: Visit to the on-going excavations in the area around Stonehenge. Woodhenge and Durrington Walls Neolithic enclosures. Lunchtime visit to Salisbury Museum. Winterbourne Stoke barrow cemetery; Stonehenge cursus; Fargo Plantation and Stonehenge barrow groups; Amesbury 42 long barrow; Stonehenge and its avenue. Evening visit to the stones themselves. Evening: No evening lecture due to visit to Stonehenge. Evening meal at local hotel. Thursday 23rd August: Field Trip: Salisbury Plain Training Area. Weather Hill henge and walk to Snail Down barrow cemetery; Neolithic and Bronze Age barrows; linear earthworks, prehistoric enclosures and fields; Sidbury Camp Iron Age hillfort and linear earthworks; Lidbury Early Iron Age enclosure, linear earthwork and fields; East Chisenbury Early Iron Age ring fort and midden; Knook Down multi-period landscape including long barrow, hillfort, fields and linear earthworks. Evening: Conference Dinner. After dinner talk by Prof. Mike Parker Pearson Recent Work at Durrington Walls and Stonehenge. Friday 24th August: Field trip: South Wiltshire. Visit to Battlesbury hillfort and round barrows; Scratchbury Camp Iron Age hillfort, possible Neolithic enclosure, Neolithic and Bronze Age barrows; Codford Circle Early Iron Age enclosure; Bilbury Ring Early Iron Age enclosure; Church End Ring Late Iron Age ‘banjo’ enclosure. Late afternoon return to Urchfont Manor to collect luggage and depart. Meals: Breakfast 8.00-8.45; Lunch on Monday 20th August 12.30 – 13.30; Dinner 18.30-19.30 Tour Fees: All Resident fees include four nights full board (bed, breakfast, packed lunch and dinner), study tour notes, entrance to sites and transport by mini-bus. BOOKING FORM Space is very limited at Urchfont Manor and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis; members will have priority and non-members will be asked for a £30 supplement. Payment for this study tour is regarded as NON-REFUNDABLE. N.B. The number of single rooms is limited and these will be allocated on a first, come first served basis. I/We wish to book……….places on the 2007 UK Study Tour to Wiltshire, Name………………………………. Daytime Tel. No. …………………………... Address …………………………… Email ……………………………………….. ………………………………………………….. Postcode.……………………………………….. Costs per person: 1) Single room: …… place(s) in a single room @ £490 per person =£………... 2) Twin/Double room: …… place(s) in a twin (shared with ………………………) @468 per person =£………... 3) Non-residents: …… place(s) @£195 per person =£………... 4) Non-members supplement …… place(s) @£30 per person =£………... TOTAL DUE =£………... I enclose a cheque for £……… made payable to ‘The Prehistoric Society’. Special Dietary Requirements/Special Needs, etc: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... Signed ……………………………………………… Date …………………………. Please return this form and full payment to: Tessa Machling, Prehistoric Society, Institute of Archaeology, 31-34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, by 31st May 2007 at the latest. .