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HER Number:MDV1221
Name:Well at Cadbury Castle

Summary

Well shaft at Cadbury Castle which yielded many Roman artefacts

Location

Grid Reference:SS 913 052
Map Sheet:SS90NW
Admin AreaDevon
Civil ParishCadbury
DistrictMid Devon
Ecclesiastical ParishCADBURY

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses

  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SS90NW/9/8

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • WELL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS90NW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV340579.


Tucker, C., 1848, Untitled Source, 193 (Article in Serial). SDV340570.

Over 100 years ago, an excavation at Cadbury Castle discovered a well shaft in the centre of the fort from which a collection of small Roman objects was recovered.


Fox, A., 1952, Roman objects from Cadbury Castle, 105-114 (Article in Serial). SDV340586.

Cadbury Castle is a small contour hill fort of Iron Age type, near Bickleigh Bridge. Defences consist of a single bank and ditch on the north side, and on the south an outer semi-circular enclosure, 35-40 feet away from the first. The outer rampart measures about 10 metres. The Roman well is in the centre. It is lined with puddled clay. Other details: Figures 1-4.


Wilkes, E., 2010, Cadbury Castle, Devon: Report and Technical Summary of Geophysical Survey by Magnetic Gradiometry and Earth Resistance Techniques 2009-2010 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV349871.

One of the purposes of the geophysical survey carried out at Cadbury Castle over a period of 15 days in 2009-2010 was to determine the location of the well/shaft. Three anomalies N, O and P within the central area of the hillfort all present strong responses and could all be potential candidates for the site of the well. The fact that anomaly N coincides with a slight circular depression on the ground suggests that this is the most likely location, although this was also the site of the Millennium bonfire and the responses detected are highly indicative of burnt ground. However, it is possible that the bonfire was positioned over and contained within the depression masking any response that may have been derived from the shaft.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV340570Article in Serial: Tucker, C.. 1848. Archaeological Journal. 5. Unknown. 193.
SDV340579Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. SS90NW1. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV340586Article in Serial: Fox, A.. 1952. Roman objects from Cadbury Castle. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 84. A5 Hardback. 105-114.
SDV349871Report - Geophysical Survey: Wilkes, E.. 2010. Cadbury Castle, Devon: Report and Technical Summary of Geophysical Survey by Magnetic Gradiometry and Earth Resistance Techniques 2009-2010. Bournemouth University Report. A4 Grip Bound + Digital. [Mapped feature: #4281 ]

Associated Monuments

MDV1213Part of: Cadbury Castle (Monument)

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV5935 - Geophysical Survey at Cadbury Castle, Devon

Date Last Edited:Mar 10 2016 10:07AM