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Summary

Remains of univallate hillfort overlooking the River Otter.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017774: Belbury Castle
• SHINE: Belbury Castle Camp. Iron Age hillfort on east side of West Hill

Other References/Statuses

• MPP Archaeological Item Dataset: 144390
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09SE/5
• Old SAM Ref: 29639
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY09SE10

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HILLFORT (Lower Palaeolithic to Saxon - 698000 BC to 1065 AD (Between))

Full description

Woollcombe, H., 1839-1850, Woollcombe Manuscript, 28-29 (Un-published). SDV16214.

Abstract from Woollcombe Manuscript on Worksheet in Parish File. Woollcombe visited Belbury Fort on 17th June 1843. Oval shaped with single ditch. Remains of bank on north and east sides. Hill planted "about 40 years ago, and road diverted to below the hill".

Hutchinson, P. O., 1848-1894, Diaries (Un-published). SDV339321.

Abstract from Hutchinson Diaries on Worksheet in Parish File. Hutchinson visited the site on 31st May 1861 and 2nd June 1874. Oval enclosure 160 metres by 100 metres. Banks mainly destroyed on north and west sides, inner bank on west. Record of excavation by farmer of rectangular stone later incorporated in Castle Farm. Other details: Sketch plans.

Hutchinson, P. O., 1862, On the Hill Fortresses, Tumuli, and some other Antiquities of Eastern Devon, 59-60 (Article in Serial). SDV338169.

Other details: Pl.3,5.

Cornish, S. M., 1869, Summaries of P. O. Hutchinson's Papers in Archaeological Society of Exeter (1861), 48 (Article in Monograph). SDV338170.

Visited by Hutchinson 31st May 1861. Former camp had occupied crown of hill 2.4 kilometres south west of Ottery St Mary. Levelled and oliterated 70 years previously. There had been a surrounding ditch. Field now standing in its place is called 'Castle Field'.

Kirwan, R., 1871, The Prehistoric Archaeology of East Devon, 648 (Article in Serial). SDV135842.

On right bank of River Otter, oval, formed by a single entrenchment about 130 metres long and 70 metres wide.

Heineken, N. S., 1874, Archaeological Memoranda, 774 (Article in Serial). SDV338174.

A small flint thumb scraper found within Belbury Camp.

Wall, J. C., 1906, Ancient Earthworks, 585 (Article in Monograph). SDV341465.

Belbury Castle, crowning eminence on the West Hills. Fragmentary remains of what was once a formidable stronghold. Partially destroyed circa 1792. Described as having formerly had a ditch around the outside and present road occupies site of this on south and east sides. Entrance was on south east side but now impossible to ascertain the nature of its defence. Road or sunken track mentioned running north-south on west side. Other details: Plan.

Worth, R. H., 1927, Proceedings at the 66th Annual Meeting, 27-28 (Article in Serial). SDV338184.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1932, The Place-Names of Devon: Part Two, 603 (Monograph). SDV337894.

Documentary reference to 'Bigulfesburgh' in a charter of 1061.

Rose-Troup, F., 1939, The Anglo-Saxon Charter of Ottery St Mary, 217 (Article in Serial). SDV99025.

Radford, C., 1945, Interim Report of the Inclusion of Areas of Archaeological Importance in Nature Reserves, 142 (Article in Serial). SDV338183.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953 - 1980, SY09SE10 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV338172.

Site visit 17th November 1953. Site is now known as Castle Field and forms an irregular rectangle with an apparent entrance on the south east earthbank. Mutilated and in poor condition. It was considered for scheduling as Ancient Monument County No 58. Other details: Plan.

Stone, 1977, Archaeological Parish Surveys (Worksheet). SDV338171.

The fort was univallate, levelled according to the first reference in 1789. In winter or early morning sunlight indications of an entrance facing east can be made out. It is periodically ploughed. Field number 3324 on Tithe Map, called 'Belbury Castle'. Other details: Sketch plan.

Unknown, 1977, Iron Age Fort, Sketch (Worksheet). SDV358720.

Timms, S. C., 1980, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV338173.

Recent disturbance through creation of new access track reported by Professor Todd in May 1980. Works involved are permitted development. No further action taken.

Wilde, L. A., 1990, Flint Arrowhead (Correspondence). SDV338178.

Flint arrowhead found on site.

Rigby, D. L., 1993, Hill Fort (Worksheet). SDV338181.

Site visit 2nd August 1993. Very little evidence of original structure due to removal of surrounding hedges and regular ploughing since 1980. Original shape of enclosure can be recognised on west side by hedgerow which followed outer edge of ditch. On east side, green vegetation and nettles mark the line of the filled-in ditch. Impossible to confirm position of entrance in south east side. Other details: Sketch map.

Morris, M., 1993, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV338182.

Site visit 22nd October 1993. Field newly poloughed and seeded. Worked flint found. Along inside edge of ditch on east side, plough has bitten into subsoil. Lighter coloured soil now indicates position of ditch. Linear earthwork, which runs north down hill, has been used as access track and in places has been much enlarged but position can still be traced.

Wilde, L. A., 1996, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV338180.

Flint arrowhead, tanged. Possibly Beer flint. Greyish flint with dotted white flint inclusions. Found on ploughed surface. Other details: Drawing.

Salvatore, J. P., 1997, Untitled Source (Un-published). SDV338179.

A slight univallate hillfort which includes a roughly oval defended area of nearly 1ha The site is located on the relatively flat top of a hill overlooking the valley and flood plain of the river Otter on its west side; the steep contours of the hill provided natural defences on all sides but the east. The defended elongated oval of the interior of the hillfort is about 150 metres north-south with a maximum width of 60 metres east-west although various dimensions have put forward by antiquarian investigators of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The rampart of the defences survives on the south and part of the west side where the artificial defences complemented the hill slope, but it has been completely levelled on the east. The height of the rampart on its s section is about 5.5 metres which represents the highest survival of the circuit. This section is fronted by a ditch 7 metres wide which is partly infilled but which retains a depth of 0.9 metres. The ditch, mostly infilled, may be traced fronting the west rampart but it is no longer visible on the north and east sides where deliberate slighting of the rampart and levelling of the ground is reported to have taken place in the late 18th century. An entrance on the east side, on the only level approach, is reported to have been visible in early morning lighting conditions. The immediate area has attracted the place-names of Belbury Castle, Castle Copse and Castle fFeld and the monument is recorded on a charter of AD1061. The hollow way to the west of the monument is mentioned in the Victoria County History of 1906. Other details: MPP 144390.

Exeter Archaeology, 1998, Archaeological Assessment of a Proposed Supermarket Development at Hind Street, Ottery St Mary, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV336582.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1998, Belbury Castle (Schedule Document). SDV346684.

The monument includes a prehistoric hillfort known as Belbury Castle which has a roughly oval defended area of nearly 1 hectare. See schedule document for details.

Caulfield, T., 1999, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV338185.

Abstracts from Woollcombe, 1839 and Hutchinson, 1861.

Wessex Archaeology, 2007, Historic Environment Audit of Devon County Farms. Pilot Project. Results of Cotley Farm, Fluxton, 7 (Report - Assessment). SDV338158.

Archaeology and Planning Solutions, 2008, Ottery Town Mill, Ottery St Mary, Devon. Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, 9 (Report - Assessment). SDV346685.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 92 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Unknown condition and trend. Principal vulnerability scrub/tree growth.

Hughes, S., 2011, Land at Tilebarn, West Hill, Ottery St Mary, Devon: Results of an Archaeological Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV347463.

An archaeological trench evaluation was undertaken in advance of construction of three dwellings at Tilebarn, immediately to the south-west, and on the slopes, of Belbury Castle hillfort. Approximately 40 metres to the north-east of Tilebarn a linear dyke earthwork is present, which is probably also prehistoric in date and likely to be associated with the adjacent hillfort. However there was no evidence of features associated with the hillfort or dyke, and no pre-modern finds were recovered. The two ditch features present were dated to the 19th or 20th century and are likely to represent former agricultural boundaries. Other details: Plans, sections and photos.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Tilley, C., 2017, Landscape in the Longue Durée, 299-319, tables 9.1-9.5, figs 9.7-9.17 (Monograph). SDV361032.

Discussion of Woodbury Castle and the other hillforts in the locality, making reference to the East Devon pebblebeds.

Caulfield, T., Undated, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV358665.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV873 - ARROWHEAD (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV5118 - Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Tilebarn, West Hill

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