Amesbury ancient site revealed by local volunteers

The project was funded by Historic England and Wiltshire Council’s Archaeology Service, which also managed the project.

Volunteers joined from the Friends of Ancient Monuments (FOAM), part of the Council for British Archaeology Wessex, the Amesbury Scouts, and the Athelstan Museum in Malmesbury.

The hands-on field work clearing the two monuments – the remains of a medieval fortification at Cam’s Hill on the outskirts of Malmesbury and medieval earth terraces (lynchets) at Southmill Hill, Amesbury - of damaging vegetation was carried out as part of Historic England’s Monuments Management Scheme in Wiltshire.

The scheme aims to improve the condition of sites on the national Heritage at Risk register in partnership with local organisations and communities.

Wiltshire has some of England’s most important and well-known ancient sites and places, and more than 1,000 of these are designated as scheduled monuments, meaning they are legally protected due to their national importance, but more than 100 of the sites are at risk.

Ancient sites are often fragile and vulnerable to natural processes such as tree or scrub growth. This can disturb and even damage important archaeological remains, and if left unchecked, can also hide these historic places from view so they can’t be seen and appreciated.

Volunteers have also embarked on a project to protect and reveal the medieval lynchets at Southmill Hill, Amesbury.

Once very prominent landscape features in the south of the town, these impressive field terraces, created by historic ploughing over hundreds of years, have begun to disappear below scrub and tree growth.

Friends of Ancient Monuments (FOAM), part of the Council for British Archaeology Wessex, assisted by local volunteers and the Amesbury Scout Group, have started the long process of clearing the vegetation from the monument with the aim of returning it to its former glory. The work is due to be completed by 2025.

Nick Croxson, Heritage at Risk Projects Officer at Historic England, said: “We’re very pleased to have been able to fund this important project, and we’re delighted that so many members of the local community have come together to help look after these important and special places, for the benefit of people both now and in the future.”

Volunteer Frances Matthews said: “It’s been wonderful to be involved in this community project. I have wanted to see these lynchets free of scrub for many years. It is so rewarding to help achieve this.”

Volunteer Beverley Margerison added: “It was a thoroughly enjoyable day in a beautiful location, made all the more rewarding by having a valuable purpose too.”

Archaeologist Julian Richards of CBA Wessex said: “Winter 2022 marked a successful re-launch of the Friends of Ancient Monuments. It was great to be back in the field, and we’re now looking for other ancient monuments in Wessex that would benefit from the attention of our volunteers.

“There will be new opportunities for volunteers to get involved with the project later in the year, and FOAM will be back at Southmill Hill for a second season of vegetation clearance this winter when we will welcome new volunteers to carry on this rewarding work.”