Knap Hill lies on the northern rim of the Vale of Pewsey, in northern
Wiltshire, England, about a mile (1.6 km) north of the village of Alton
Priors. At the top of the hill is a causewayed enclosure, a form of
Neolithic earthwork that appeared in England from about 3700 BC
onwards. These earthworks are characterised by the enclosure of an area
with ditches that are interrupted by gaps, or causeways. It is not known
what they were used for; they may have been settlements, or meeting
places, or ritual sites of some kind. Knap Hill was the first causewayed
enclosure to be excavated and identified. In 1908 and 1909 Benjamin and
Maud Cunnington spent two summers investigating the site, and Maud
Cunnington published two reports of their work, noting that there were
several gaps in the ditch and bank surrounding the enclosure. The site
has been scheduled as an ancient monument. About a thousand causewayed
enclosures have now been found in Europe, including around seventy in
Britain.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knap_Hill>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1845:
The Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States,
becoming the 28th state to be admitted to the Union.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_annexation>
1940:
Second World War: The Luftwaffe began a major night bombing
raid on the British capital as part of the Blitz, beginning what was
later called the "Second Great Fire of London".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Great_Fire_of_London>
1975:
A bomb planted by unknown perpetrators exploded at LaGuardia
Airport in New York City, killing 11 people and seriously injuring 74
others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_LaGuardia_Airport_bombing>
1996:
Peace accords were signed under the leadership of President
Álvaro Arzú and guerilla leader Rolando Morán, ending the 36-year-
long Guatemalan Civil War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemalan_Civil_War>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
succour:
1. (transitive) To give aid, assistance, or help.
2. (transitive, military) To provide aid or assistance in the form of
military equipment and soldiers; in particular, for helping a place
under siege.
3. (transitive, obsolete except dialectal) To protect, to shelter; to
provide a refuge.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/succour>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The disease of an evil conscience is beyond the practice of all
the physicians of all the countries in the world.
--William Ewart Gladstone
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Ewart_Gladstone>