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All About History Books

The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough, a canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: "In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed." Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Books, Prehistory, Prehistoric Paths, Dorset Cursus

Dorset Cursus is in Prehistoric Paths, South England Neolithic Cursus.

Carbon Date. 4800BC. Mesolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Bone: Bos

ID: 6267, C14 ID: OxA-627 Date BP: 6800 +/- 100, Start Date BP: 6700, End BP: 6900

Abstract: Dorset Cursus, England

Archaeologist Name: Bradley

Reference Name: Archaeometry 28(1), 1986, 116-125

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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Carbon Date. 4460BC. Mesolithic Carbon Dates

Report: bone:Bos?

ID: 6268, C14 ID: OxA-628 Date BP: 6460 +/- 140, Start Date BP: 6320, End BP: 6600

Abstract: Dorset Cursus, England

Archaeologist Name: Bradley

Reference Name: Archaeometry 28(1), 1986, 116-125

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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3300BC. The Dorset Cursus is a 10km Cursus that extends across of Cranborne Chase from Dorset Cursus North-Western End Martin Down [Map], over North Farm, Cashmoor [Map]. At Gussage Down Long Barrow 1 changes direction to Wyke Down Barrow 1 [Map], contining to the Thickthorn Down Long Barrows [Map]. The cursus consisted of a pair of parallel banks 1.5m high 80 m apart with external ditches 1.5m deep and 2m wide.

Carbon Date. 3160BC. Middle Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Collagen from antler, ref sample 3, id as red deer by J W Jackson, from group of bone and antler found together on surface of buried soil beneath N quadrant of long barrow at Thickthorn Down, Gussage St Michael, Cranborne Chase, Dorset, England. Subm R Bradley 1983. Sample had been treated with PVA and was cleaned with acetone but sone contamination may have survived pretreatment. Comment (subm): should provide tpq for long barrow aligned on S terminal of Dorset Cursus; date seems anomalously early compared with those for long barrows of similar form and some contamination is likely.

ID: 8877, C14 ID: BM-2355 Date BP: 5160 +/- 45, Start Date BP: 5115, End BP: 5205

OS Letter: ST, OS East: 971, OS North: 123

Archaeologist Name: Drew & S Piggott, 1936

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 29, 1987, 180; Proc Dorset Archaeol Natur Hist Soc, 107, 1985, 174-6

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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Carbon Date. 2770BC. Late Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Bone: Bos

ID: 6265, C14 ID: OxA-626 Date BP: 4770 +/- 120, Start Date BP: 4650, End BP: 4890

Abstract: Dorset Cursus, England

Archaeologist Name: Bradley

Reference Name: Archaeometry 28(1), 1986, 116-125

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Become a Member via our 'Buy Me a Coffee' page to read complete text.

Carbon Date. 2570BC. Late Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Bone: Bos

ID: 6263, C14 ID: OxA-624 Date BP: 4570 +/- 120, Start Date BP: 4450, End BP: 4690

Abstract: Dorset Cursus, England

Archaeologist Name: Bradley

Reference Name: Archaeometry 28(1), 1986, 116-125

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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Carbon Date. 2510BC. Late Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Collagen, id as antler, red deer beam and tine (Annie Grant), Ref. 79a, from lowest silt of cursus ditch, at Dorchester Site VIII [Map], Oxfordshire, England. Subm R Bradley. Comment (subm): Confirms chronological context of cursus monuments (cf Dorset Cursus, BM-2438).

ID: 1874, C14 ID: BM-2443 Date BP: 4510 +/- 100, Start Date BP: 4410, End BP: 4610

OS Letter: SU, OS East: 582, OS North: 948

Archaeologist Name: R J C Atkinson 1949

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 31, 1989, 18; Oxford J Archaeol, 7, 1988, 271-89; Proc Prehist Soc, 58, 1992, 143-201

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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Carbon Date. 2440BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Bone: Bos

ID: 6264, C14 ID: OxA-625 Date BP: 4440 +/- 100, Start Date BP: 4340, End BP: 4540

Abstract: Dorset Cursus, England

Archaeologist Name: Bradley

Reference Name: Archaeometry 28(1), 1986, 116-125

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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Carbon Date. 2490BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Antler collagen, id as red deer (A Legge), from pick in partially stabilised surface on top of primary ditch silts, sealed by secondary silts containing Mortlake and Fengate wares, at Dorset Cursus (Down Farm Woodcutts), Cranborne Chase, Dorset, England. Comment (subm): Consistent with OxA-624/625/626. The large antler pick is unlikely to have moved around in soil profile; this date is therefore more secure in context than the muh smaller samples submitted to Oxford.

ID: 1359, C14 ID: BM-2438 Date BP: 4490 +/- 60, Start Date BP: 4430, End BP: 4550

Abstract: Sequence from cursus ditch

Archaeologist Name: Richard Bradley (1984)

Reference Name: Bradley, R, in Gowlett, J A J & Hedges, R E M (eds), 'Archaeological results from accelerator dating' (Oxford, 1986), 139-41; Barrett, J et al (eds), 'Papers on the prehistoric archaeology of Cranborne Chase' (Oxford, 1991)

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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Carbon Date. 2040BC. Early Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Antler collagen, id as red deer by A Grant, from Pit 1, Layer 5, from silt in rapidly filled pit 1 (of 27 in pit circle aligned on Dorset Cursus) at Wyke Down, Down Farm, Cranborne Chase, Dorset, England. Subm RB 1984. Comment (subm): this and BM-2396/7 show site to be among earlier henge monuments in lowland Britain and somewhat earlier than superficially similar site at Maumbury Rings (BM-2281R). [Ed: See also comment in second ref below.]

ID: 8889, C14 ID: BM-2395 Date BP: 4040 +/- 90, Start Date BP: 3950, End BP: 4130

Abstract: Single-entrance pit-circle henge

Archaeologist Name: R Bradley 1984

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 29, 1987, 182-3; Barrett J et al (eds), 'Papers on the prehistoric archaeology of Cranborne Chase' (Oxbow Monogr 11, 1991), 9; Barrett J et al (eds), 'Landscape, monuments and society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase' (CUP, 1991)

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

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Carbon Date. 1870BC. Middle Bronze Age Carbon Dates

Report: Charcoal, ref F31 L2, id as Quercus sp over 15 yr old by M Robinson, from middle fill of pit in Cluster 2 of features beside pond barrow, assoc with middle Beaker pottery (similar to material from upper fill of Dorset Cursus, 40m away) at Down Farm, Cranborne Chase, Dorset, England. Subm RB 1980. Comment (subm): This date and BM-2191R are consistent with general sequence of Beaker domestic pottery; both date Beaker settlement cut by features of pond barrow (BM-2189R etc). [Ed: some inaccurately published NGRs are corrected here.]

ID: 8864, C14 ID: BM-2325 Date BP: 3870 +/- 50, Start Date BP: 3820, End BP: 3920

Abstract: Beaker settlement cut by features of pond barrow

Archaeologist Name: R Bradley 1980

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 29, 1987, 62-3; Barrett J & Bradley R (eds), 'Papers on the prehistoric archaeology of Cranborne Chase' (Oxbow Monogr, 11), 1991, 9; Barrett J et al (eds), 'Landscape, monuments and society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase' (CUP, 1991)

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Become a Member via our 'Buy Me a Coffee' page to read complete text.

Carbon Date. 450BC. Middle Iron Age Carbon Dates

Report: Bone collagen, ref PH12 L1, id as Bos sp long bone by A Legge, from fill of post hole of oval structure between pond barrow and Dorset Cursus at Down Farm, Cranborne Chase, Dorset, England. Subm RB 1982. Comment (subm): date shows this group of otherwise undated post holes actually relates to early Iron Age activity.

ID: 8895, C14 ID: BM-2416 Date BP: 2450 +/- 110, Start Date BP: 2340, End BP: 2560

Abstract: Unassociated post hole group

Archaeologist Name: R Bradley 1982

Reference Name: Radiocarbon, 29, 1987, 185; Barrett J et al (eds), 'Papers on the prehistoric archaeology of Cranborne Chase' (Oxbow Monogr 11, 1991), 9; Barrett J et al (eds), 'Landscape, monuments and society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase' (CUP, 1991)

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Become a Member via our 'Buy Me a Coffee' page to read complete text.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough, a canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: "In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed." Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

The Thickthorn Down Long Barrows [Map] are two Neolithic long barrows near the south-western end of the Dorset Cursus.