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Description

Reasons for Designation Hengi-form monuments are ritual or ceremonial centres closely connected with burial and dating to the Middle and Late Neolithic periods (3000-2000 BC). They were constructed as flat, roughly circular enclosures comprising an area of ground typically between 5m and 20m across enclosed by a ditch with external bank. One entrance or two opposing entrances through the earthwork provided access to the interior of the monument which often contained pits, cremation pits, postholes and graves. Cremation pits and postholes were often present around the perimeter of the site. They are distinguished from standard henges by their small size and their more specific association with burial. Finds from the ditches and interiors of hengi-form monuments provide important evidence for the chronological development of the sites, the types of activity that occurred within them and the nature of the environment in which they were constructed. Most examples are situated on gravel terraces or on hill slopes. They sometimes occur in pairs or groups of three in close proximity. Hengi- form monuments are very rare nationally with only 24 examples known, although this is likely to be an underestimate in view of the difficulties in recognition. As one of the few types of identified Neolithic structures and in view of their rarity, all hengi-form monuments are considered to be of national importance. Although the hengiform monument 260m north west of Honeypot Cottage can no longer be seen on the ground, its infilled and buried ditch survives well, and the form of the monument, including its distinctive causeways, is clearly visible from the air. The fills of the buried ditch will retain artefactual and organic material which will provide rare and valuable evidence relating to the date of construction, period of use and function of the monument. Features associated with the ritual and ceremonial functions of the monument, which may survive within the central area, will also contain similar archaeolgical deposits. Environmental evidence preserved in the same contexts may illustrate the nature of the landscape in which the monument was set. Details The monument includes the buried remains of a Neolithic hengiform monument situated 260m north west of Honeypot Cottage on the limestone ridge of Owmby Cliff. Although the monument cannot be seen on the ground, its infilled and buried ditch is clearly visible from the air as a cropmark. The cropmark (an area of enhanced growth resulting from higher levels of moisture retained by the underlying archaeological features) has been recorded on aerial photographs since the 1970s. The area of the monument, measuring some 22m overall, is defined by a sub- circular ditch somewhat flattened to the south, and estimated to be between 5m and 10m in width. The outer bank, which would have been constructed from material quarried from the ditch, has been reduced by ploughing but the two causeways to the east and west, which gave access to the central area, are clearly apparent. The causeways are nearly opposing and are positioned off-centre, towards the southern side. The hengiform monument is partly overlain to the east by the remains of a series of small enclosures. Although these enclosures post-date the hengiform monument, their nature, precise period and extent cannot be determined at this time. They are not therefore included in the scheduling although a small sample which falls within the area of protection is included. Sources Books and journals Everson, P, 'Proceedings of the Lincs Hist and Archaeological Society' in Archaeological Notes for 1981, , Vol. 17, (1982), 79 Other oblique monochrome print, Everson P, 51688/27, (1979)

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