HER 360 DESCRIPTION:- Scheduled Monument Description:- Iron Age defended settlement known as Batsford Camp, 310m WNW of Blenheim Farm. Reasons for Designation During the Iron Age a variety of different types of settlement were constructed and occupied in south western England. At the top of the settlement hierarchy were hillforts built in prominent locations. In addition to these a group of smaller sites, known as defended settlements, were also constructed. Some of these were located on hilltops, others in less prominent positions. They are generally smaller than the hillforts, sometimes with an enclosed area of less than 1ha. The enclosing defences were of earthen construction. Univallate sites have a single bank and ditch, multivallate sites more than one. At some sites these earthen ramparts represent a second phase of defence, the first having been a timber fence or palisade. Where excavated, evidence of stone- or timber-built houses has been found within the enclosures, which, in contrast to the hillfort sites, would have been occupied by small communities, perhaps no more than a single family group. Defended settlements are a rare monument type. They were an important element of the settlement pattern, particularly in the upland areas of south western England, and are integral to any study of the developing use of fortified settlements during this period. Despite the construction of a road and buildings the Iron Age defended settlement 310m WNW of Blenheim Farm survives comparatively well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, longevity, agricultural practices, social organisation, territorial significance, domestic arrangements and overall landscape context. History See Details. Details This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 24 September 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records. The monument, which falls into two separate areas of protection, includes an Iron Age defended settlement situated on relatively low lying, gently sloping land close to the sources of several tributaries to the River Evenlode. The settlement survives as a roughly rectangular enclosure which measures approximately 65m long by 60m wide internally and is defined by a rampart bank standing up to 7m wide and 1m high externally and an outer ditch of up to 5m wide and 0.3m deep. It has been bisected by a road and cut on the western side by a later building. Excavations have produced Iron Age finds and also Roman pottery which imply a prolonged period of occupation. The settlement is close to the Roman road known as the Fosse Way and the small Roman town (scheduled separately) at Dorn to the north {Source Work 2873.} Measures 50m x 41m and is almost rectangular. It lies on flat ground and has been partly destroyed by a road which crosses it, in which a bump still marks the position of the rampart. To S the bank is broad and low with a well marked ditch, but the W side has been obliterated by a house N of the road. The rampart stands prominently above the interior and about 1m above the ditch. "I am informed that British and Roman coins, Roman pottery, fibulae etc have been found within its area". Undated rectangular enclosure with rounded NE angle. No original entrance survives. Roman finds are reported but without corroboration. {Source Work 862.} A probable Iron Age defensive settlement, horseshoe in plan, about 65m E-W by 60m transversely and situated on a slight rise. The sides of the work are slightly curved and the corners rounded. The inner bank is 7m wide and 0.5m internally and 1m externally. The outer ditch is 5m wide and 3m deep. The entrance would have been in W side, which is either destroyed or never existed. {Source Work 862.} Area visible on 1947 APs {Source Work 315.} no detail visible on composite - earthwork is masked by trees lining road and field boundaries. On RAF verticals - a well defined ditch is visible only partly shaded by tree line. On recreational land to W at SP20253296C a regular, narrow ditch is visible. This is most likely to be an old field boundary or drain, although it does continue the alignment of the S side of the enclosure.{pers comm S Brown} Undated rectangular enclosure. {Source Work 403.} The ditch and bank to N of road are on pasture and well preserved, to S of road they are effectively destroyed by house and garden Assuming that Dorn (HER 361) is a Roman fort, then the proximity of the earthwoks suggest that it could perhaps be a Roman practice camp. {Source Work 470.} Rectangular enclosure at SP20383296, on the parish boundary, half a mile SSW of HER 361, undated, covers half an acre. It lies on the flat valley floor and is partly destroyed by the road which crosses it and by buildings on the S. No original entrance survives. The NE angle, in pasture, is rounded. The bank, some 20 foot across, stands 1 foot 6 inches above the interior and 4 foot above the ditch, which is about 20 foot across with a bottom 9 foot wide. The interior of the enclosure lies about 6 inches above the ground outside. The ditch is wet where it coincides with the parish boundary to the S; the bank in this part is very spread and overgrown. Roman finds are reported, but without corroboration. {Source Work 403.} AREA ASSESSMENT :- No plough damage. {Source Work 470.} 2008 - Gloucestershire NMP (Cotswold & Forest of Dean) (SP 20373296) Roman Camp (R) Batsford Camp measures 165 feet by 135 feet and is almost rectangular. It lies on flat ground and has been partly destroyed by a road which crosses it, in which a bump still marks the position of the rampart. To the south the bank is broad and low with a well marked ditch, but the western side has almost been obliterated by a house. North of the road the rampart stands prominently above the interior and about three feet above the ditch. "I ... am informed that British and Roman coins, Roman pottery, fibulae., have been found within its (the camp) area". Undated rectangular enclosure with a rounded NE angle. No original entrance survives. Roman finds are reported, but without corroboration. A probable Iron Age defensive settlement, horsehoe in plan, measuring about 65.0m E-W by 60.0m transversely and situated upon a slight rise. The sides of the work are slightly curved and the corners rounded. The inner bank is 7.0m in width, 0.5m high internally, and 1.0m externally; the outer ditch is 5.0m in width and 0.3m in depth. The entrance would have been in the W side, which is either destroyed or never existed. The roughly rectangular enclosure described by authorities 1-6 is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and has been mapped by English Heritage's Gloucestershire NMP. {Source Work 4249.} |