Monument Type(s):

• ENCLOSED HUT CIRCLE SETTLEMENT (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 410 AD?)
• FARMSTEAD (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 410 AD)
• (Former Type) RINGWORK? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: Well-preserved earthworks of a small Iron Age farmstead, a type of site which only infrequently survives with upstanding earthworks in central southern England.

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA188 - 1978 field observation by SCC SMR
• ESA189 - 1972 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA190 - 1983 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA191 - 1984 field observation by SCC SMR

Description

Destroyed. OS FI 1972. This earthwork has been destroyed, probably during afforestation of the area some 50-60 years ago. The site is indicated by a faint, unsurveyable rise of ground, the area of which approximates roughly with that of the former earthwork. <1a>

An earthwork of oval plan lies on the eastward slope of Wilderley hill. It measures 175ft by 135ft and is enclosed by a bank and ditch and counterscarp bank, being best preserved on the north where the bank rises 2ft above the interior and drops 5ft into the ditch. Only a third of the counterscarp bank survives, 1ft high, and the whole of the earthworks have been destroyed on the SE, leaving only a faint trace of their former course <2b>

Destroyed [<1>], but see IB's 1978 visit. A circular hillslope enclosure set on an east facing slope, well below the hilltop to the W. Surrounded by open pasture land with extensive views to the N and E. The coniferous trees on the site are largely dead, but some young trees have been planted on the bank and ditch on the SW side. The earthwork consists of a bank ditch and counterscarp bank to the dimensions cited by the VCH. The earthworks are destroyed on the SE. In the sloping interior there are two possible levelled platforms in the SW and NW quadrants. A stream runs SW/NE 50m to the S. I Burrow FI 1978 <3>

A report of ploughing in the vicinity of the site led to a site visit in 1984. No evidence of a threat from ploughing to the site or the land immediately surrounding it. M Watson FI 1984 <4>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 30 Upland Enclosures <7>

Scheduled in 1994. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the remains of a small Iron Age enclosed farmstead situated on the gentle south east facing slope of Wilderley Hill. The farmstead enclosure is well defined, roughly circular in plan, with an overall external diameter of 60m and an interior area c.42m in diameter. The visible earthworks include a substantial perimeter bank averaging 5m wide and 1.lm high with an external ditch 3.3m wide and 0.8m deep. Traces of an external counterscarp bank can be recognised around the south western quarter of the monument, standing up to 0.2m high. The main bank and ditch is continuous around the uphill side of the enclosure, providing shelter from the rising ground to the north west and some protection from water draining off the hillslope. The bank and ditch are interrupted in the south eastern, downslope quarter, where no trace of either can be recognised. This may represent the position of the original entrance to the enclosure. The interior of the enclosure follows the natural slope of the land over most of its area, however, slight evidence of levelling in the south west and north west quadrants, may represent the sites of original buildings. All fencing which lies within the area of the monument is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath is included. <8>

Had been previously interpreted as a ringwork. <9>

The enclosure described by the previous authorities was seen as earthworks on aerial photographs and mapped as part of the Marches Uplands NMP. The enclosure, which is incomplete, is approximately 50m across, the west side being defined by a ditch and the east side
by a bank. <10>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.