From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:
PREHISTORY
No-one can tell when the valley was first inhabited. There are, on the downland slopes, several sites of ancient British (Celtic) villages.
Mrs. M.E. Cunnington (Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine, Vol. XIV.) mentions four of these sites which are also described by Colt Hoare. They also partly correspond to the list of pre-historic and other sites given by the Rev. E.H. Goddard (W.A.M. XXXVIII.).
(1) On Cratt Hill (Croft Hill), ½ mile north of Chicklade village and south of Great Ridge Wood (O.M.58S.W.). Hoare mentions a bank to the north of the village and an old ditch near (perhaps prehistoric).
(2) On the next hill eastward and south of Berwick Bushes (O.M.58S.W.). Hoare visited this site and picked up pieces of pottery but the site was in tillage. Goddard mentions also a coin of Caranasius having been found here by Hoare.
(3) In the parish of St. Leonards on Chilfinch Hill (which Colt Hoare calls High Peak) north of Bake Barn.
(4) Hoare’s 4th site was opposite the New Inn (now Chicklade Bottom Farm) in the parish of Fonthill Bishop.
A Roman road through Great Ridge Wood seems to be part of the road from Old Sarum towards the Mendips. To the south of the old road and near the edge of the Ridge is the Boyton-Chicklade parish boundary.
Of Earthworks and Barrows which denote an earlier prehistoric people there are little or no indications in Chicklade parish. Just within the Boyton parish boundary in “Scrubbed Oak†(Great Ridge Wood) is a small, nearly square Earthwork and two other Earthworks in the same vicinity are marked on the map (O.M.58S.W.).
On Corton Down and Barrow Hill to the north of Chicklade and Ridge Wood are four Barrows including Corton Long Barrow on Barrow Hill (O.M.58N.E.).