H.E.R. record

.kmz file

Overview map

Public access:

The public accessibility of this site is unknown but it should be visible from a public right of way. Please assume that the site is private property. [Information last updated on 17 December 2002]

Details:

Central circle of the group of three. Belongs to the secondary Neolithic and fall into the Henge group of monuments. Banks average 1.0m high and the ditch 0.4m deep. Entrance in NNE segment. {1}

Divided into two parts by a line of beech trees against a stone wall running approx E- W. To the S of the wall the interior of the circle has obviously been ploughed at some time, the bank preserved as a strip in the arable. All is now down to permanent grass. The E part is cut into by old mine workings. To the N of the wall the whole area is heathland with many thorn bushes, bracken and gorse and is used as rough grazing. {2}

Many of the surface depressions in and around the Priddy Circles are natural sinkholes, not mine workings. The construction of the Circles involved levelling several pre-existing sinkholes, but the ground remained liable to subsidence. Unsatisfactory ground conditions may have been one of the factors that led to the abandonment of the whole ceremonial site before the Circles were completed. {5}

Scheduling revised with new national number on 31.1.1997 (was Somerset 119). {6}

See PRN 90072 for inconclusive geophysical survey and discussion. {7}

The monument is basically stable under pasture but there are areas of scrub, nettle, bracken etc growth on the banks. {8}

See PRNs 24042, 24045 and 24046 for the other three Priddy circles. {9}

The second southernmost of the four Priddy Circles, centred at ST 5401 5279 and described above in (1) to (9) was mapped and recorded as part of a survey of aerial photographs and Lidar in the Mendip AONB.

Priddy Circles are thought to be henge monuments dating to the Neolithic and were possibly used for a ceremonial or ritual purpose.

This circle is in the centre of a group of three located 40m southeast of the circle to the north (PRN 24045) and 60m northwest of the circle to the south (PRN 24042).

The circle measures 180m in diameter. The longest continuous section of earthworks, extending from ST 5409 5282 to ST 5393 5277, is defined by a bank with an external ditch. This section extends from the east to the southwest of the circle. Six shorter sections of bank are located around the rest of the circle measuring between 27m and 45m in length. The earthworks in the northeast quadrant are less visible on aerial photographs or Lidar due to tree cover but a narrow outer ditch is also visible in this area.

The banks measure up to 13m in width and the ditches measure up to 8m in width.

There are gaps or entrances to the northwest measuring 21m, the northeast measuring 7m, the east measuring 6m, the southeast measuring 3m, the south measuring 10m, and the west measuring 29m. These gaps in the circle may have been part of the construction or may have been caused by disturbances to the earthworks. Areas of quarrying or sink holes are located immediately to the northwest, south and east of the circle (PRNs 19155and 19114). {10}

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