Extending Histories: From Medieval Mottes to Prehistoric Round Mounds

This project seeks to unlock the history of monumental mounds in the English landscape. Neolithic round mounds, such as Silbury Hill – the largest prehistoric mound in Europe, are among the rarest and least well-understood monuments in Britain. Recent work by the PI at the medieval Marlborough Castle motte, Wiltshire, has shown it to be a reused Neolithic round mound, and raises the possibility that other medieval mottes have prehistoric origins. This project will identify mottes in England with prehistoric potential, and through a programme of targeted investigation will determine their date of construction, sequence of development and environmental context.