Morgan's Hill Enclosure facts for kids
 Location in Wiltshire
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| Location | near Calne, Wiltshire |
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| Coordinates | 51°24′8.6″N 1°56′37.8″W / 51.402389°N 1.943833°W |
| History | |
| Periods | Romano-British or earlier |
| Designated | 10 November 1964 |
| Reference no. | 1014032 |
Morgan's Hill Enclosure is an ancient site in Wiltshire, England. It is found on Morgan's Hill, a short distance south-east of the town of Calne. This important historical place is also a scheduled monument, meaning it's protected by law. It lies about 130 meters north of another famous old earthwork called the Wansdyke.
Contents
What is Morgan's Hill Enclosure?
This ancient site is a large, square-shaped earthwork. An earthwork is a structure made by shaping the natural ground. The sides of this square are about 180 meters long. This means it covers an area of about 3.25 hectares, which is roughly the size of five football fields!
The enclosure has a raised bank around its edges. This bank is about 0.6 meters high and 3 meters wide. Outside the bank, there is a ditch. This ditch is about 4 meters wide and up to 1 meter deep.
Entrances to the Enclosure
There are three openings, or entrances, around the edges of the square. We don't know for sure if these entrances were part of the original design. They might have been added later, or perhaps they were always there.
Digging for Clues: The 1909 Excavation
Archaeologists did some digging, called an excavation, at Morgan's Hill Enclosure in 1909. They hoped to find clues about when and why it was built. During this dig, they found some pieces of pottery on the surface. These pottery pieces were from the medieval period, which is much later than when the enclosure was likely built.
Unfortunately, the archaeologists didn't find anything that could clearly tell them about the original builders or the exact time the enclosure was made. This means its true age and purpose remained a bit of a mystery after that first excavation.
What Was It Used For?
Archaeologists believe that enclosures like Morgan's Hill were used for farming. They think these sites might have been:
- Stock pens: Places to keep farm animals safe, like sheep or cattle.
- Protected areas for crops: Fields where crops could grow without being disturbed.
These types of enclosures were common from the Neolithic period (the New Stone Age) all the way up to the Romano-British period. The Romano-British period was when the Roman Empire ruled parts of Britain.
There are many similar enclosures in the area around Avebury. Avebury is a very famous prehistoric site about 4 miles east of Morgan's Hill. The Avebury complex was used during the Neolithic period and the early Bronze Age. This suggests that people in this region have been using earthworks for thousands of years.
