CROOKSBURY LINE

The CROOKSBURY LINE at around 232 degrees would seem to be aligned to the midwinter sunset.   From the beginning of the line at the Whitmoor Barrow base point, the line passes through St Bartholomew’s Church in Wanborough at just over 7 Druid Miles (DM).  At just over 8 DM, and on the extremity of visibility, lies the Hog’s Back Barrow site on a high ridge which appears to be the aiming point for the midwinter sunset.  The line then passes close by Hillbury Hillfort (but it is two other alignments that pass through the fort itself) and then carries on to Culverswell Barrow.  I discovered this previously unrecorded barrow by predicting its position on the alignment.  Although precisely on the line, it is about 15 metres beyond the 12 DM point at the crest of the hill.  Carrying on down the hill, the alignment terminates between two very close tumuli known as Crooksbury Barrows.  Nothing has so far been found beyond this point.

SCALE PLAN OF THE CROOKSBURY LINE

CROOKSBURY LINE DATA

The code is the degrees from north (refined to 232.32) followed
by the distance in Druid Miles (DM) from the base point 232/0

Code        Easting      Northing      Site

232/0      499675    153682    Whitmoor Barrow
232/1      498807    153011

232/2      497938    152341
232/3      497070    151670
232/4      496201    150999
234/5      495333    150328
232/6      494464    149658
232/7      493596    148987
232/7+    493487    148903    Wanborough Church
232/8      492728    148316
232/8+    492614    148254    Hogs Back Barrow
232/9      491859    147645
232/10    490991    146975
232/10A  491116    146814    Hillbury Hillfort
232/11    490122    146304
232/11+  489620    145916    Littleworth Cross
232/12    489233     145616     Culverswell Barrow
232/12+  488990    145430    Crooksbury Barrows
232/13    488385    144962
232/14    487517    144292