More information : (SS 71834690) Stock Castle Camp (NR) (1)
A univallate hill slope enclosure, on high ground south of
Lynton. (2) Approximately square with rounded corners, the
original ditch has been ploughed away (3). (2-3)
This sub-square IA hillslope enclosure known as Stock Castle
(4) is situated on a slight west slope.
It is approximately 58.0 metres across and comprises a strong
bank, up to 1.7 metres high, on the uphill side which fades to a
1.5 metre high scarp on the lower side; the entrance is in the
south. There is now no trace of an outer ditch, and the interior
which is slightly higher than the surrounding ground level, is
under plough.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
SS 7183 4690. A small hillslope enclosure similar to several in the area generally accepted as being of Iron Age date.
Known as Stock Castle (6) it is situated in improved pasture on a gentle west-facing slope at about 295m OD. It is predominantly square with rounded corners and a slight outward curve to the downhill western side.
It measures 44m square (enclosing an area of about 0.19 ha) within a bank of variable dimensions which reaches a maximum width of 11m at the SE corner and a maximum height of 2m at the NW corner. The bank is gorse-covered in the north and east; animal rubbing has exposed the fabric in places showing a content of small stones and earth. The north bank is 6m wide, 1.3m high externally and 0.4m high internally. There are traces of the footings of a possible stone wall on top of its western end. The east bank is 6.8m wide, 0.8m high externally and 1.2m high internally. The south bank is 7.5m wide, 1.7m high externally and 1.4m high internally. Along the west side there is only an outer facing scarp 4m wide and up to 1.5m high.
There is the faint depression of an outer ditch along the upper east side but elsewhere there is no trace of a ditch.
The entrance, a gap of about 3m, lies towards the eastern end of the south side. Ploughing has removed the soil outside the entrance so it is now some 0.7m below the featureless and partly gorse-covered interior.
(For comparison see SS64NE1 Voley Castle, SS64NE4 Beacon Castle, and SS74NW13 Roborough Castle)
Published Survey 1:2500 Accepted. (6)
The hillslope enclosure earthworks were transcribed from aerial photographs as part of the Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme (NMP) Survey. The enclosure is situated on a north-west facing spur of Stock Common at an elevation of circa 290 metres, approximately 1.5 distant from the similarly sized enclosure of Roborough Castle to the south-east of the hills of Stock Common.
It is clear from the available aerial photographs that the interior of Stock Castle has been under cultivation since at least the 1940s (8). What is also apparent from more recent specialist photography is that this has not completely eradicated traces of low earthworks, possibly building platforms, from the settlement (10). The enclosure appears to be divided into two roughly equal sections, from a line halfway down its straight eastern side to just above the kink in its western bank.
The enclosure may be associated with a complex of linear cropmarks to the east and south-east. (8-10)
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