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Summary

The prehistoric hillfort of Bury Castle is visible as a series of earthwork, cropmark and soilmark bank and ditched features on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards and on digital images derived from Lidar data captured in 2005.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Bury Castle. Earthworks and cropmarks of Iron age hillfort and prehistoric irregular, single ditched enclosure north of Flesterhaies Cottage
• SHINE: Bury Castle. Earthworks and cropmarks of Iron age hillfort and prehistoric irregular, single ditched enclosure north of Flesterhaies Cottage

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 36327
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS90NE/9

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HILLFORT (Early Neolithic to Roman - 4000 BC to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV148.

Bury castle, bradninch. First recorded by the woolners in 1960. Hillfort sited on high ground between exe and culm valleys. The land has beenb cultivated for a long time but the line of the ramparts is revealed in the massive hedgebanks, the steep drop between fields and by broad undulations within the fields. Site consists of inner sub-rectangular enclosure of c.2.2 hectares, defended by single bank and ditch measuring about 18m across where they have been ploughed. Entrance on north. Traces of an outer enclosure can be seen as earthworks on the se side and the line of the outer enclosure on the north side is visible on the raf ap. Associated castle and bury field names. Plan of site and field names given (fox). Bury and castle field names and fields in arable in 1840 (ta). Fox's description summarised (os).

DPRFP, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV262469.

Vis=13/5/1996(robinson) +12/6/1996 (griffith) s + e sides show as low broad scarp (dprfp).

MAJOR, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV301644.

Vis=-/12/1980 (major) most of the banks are now totally ploughed away. Present condition recorded.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34270.

Osa=ss90ne2/plan.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV34271.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1995 2125-2127 13/4/1947.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34272.

Des=plan and section in parish file(1980).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34274.

Fox, a. /tda/93(1961)69-71,fig 6/25th report on the archaeology and early history of devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34275.

Ta/(c.1840)field nos 465-467/in dro.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV34276.

Aph=dap/np7-9/(4/7/1989).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV34277.

Des=dprfp 1996 (+ photos bg 4-12).

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

The hillfort is partly defined by a series of field boundaries first depicted on the Bradninch parish tithe map of approximately 1838-48.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4312-13 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356902.

The hillfort is visible as a series of earthwork and cropmark ditches and banks. Map object based on this source.

Major/Silvester, 1980, Bury Castle, Bradninch (Plan - measured). SDV358577.

Timms, S., 1982, Hillfort, Plan (Worksheet). SDV358576.

Vis=5/10/1982 (timms) site seen from east, recently ploughed. Three fields are said to have "castle" names and post-medieval material has been found on the site. Duchy of cornwall ownership.

Devon County Council, 1989, DAP 6763, DAP 6763/09 04-JUL-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356897.

The hillfort is visible as a series of cropmark ditches and banks. Map object based on this source.

Geonex UK, 1992, /49/92, Devon County Council Geonex/49/92 14-15 13-MAY-1992 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356903.

The hillfort is visible as a series of soilmark ditches and banks. Map object based on this source.

Environment Agency, 1998-2012, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution), LIDAR SS9806 Environment Agency DSM 19-DEC-2005 (Cartographic). SDV357034.

The hillfort is visible as a series of earthwork ditches and banks on digital images derived from Lidar data captured during 2005. Map object based on this source.

Wilkes, E. M. + Griffith, F.M., 2012, Cadbury Castle, Devon, Reconsidered (Article in Serial). SDV354394.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

The prehistoric hillfort of Bury Castle is visible as a series of earthwork, cropmark and soilmark bank and ditched features on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards. The extent and layout of the hillfort is partly defined as a series of curvilinear field boundaries first depicted on the Bradninch parish tithe map of approximately 1838-48. The hillfort is broadly sub-oval in shape and is defined by two sets of ramparts. The outer ramparts encompass a total area of approximately 12 hectares and are visible as a surviving earthwork ditch and inner bank to the north, with possible entrance, and as a soilmark/cropmark of a levelled bank to the southeast. There was no clear evidence of the continuation of this outer rampart to the northeast and to the west and south west, clearly having been subject to levelling through sustained ploughing. The inner rampart encloses an area of approximately 2 hectares and is visible as a cropmark/soilmark ditch and inner bank. Traces of an additional outer bank or possible ditch upcast material were also visible along the outer edge of this ditch to the south. A possible but slightly dubious L-Shaped cropmark ditch was recorded within the inner enclosure, towards its northwest corner. The hillfort remains clearly visible as a series of earthworks on digital images derived from Lidar data captured during 2005. Further field survey is recommended to help clarify and enhance the results from the NMP survey and to possibly asses the site for scheduling.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV148	Migrated Record:
SDV262469	Migrated Record: DPRFP.
SDV301644	Migrated Record: MAJOR.
SDV34270	Migrated Record:
SDV34271	Aerial Photograph:
SDV34272	Migrated Record:
SDV34274	Migrated Record:
SDV34275	Migrated Record:
SDV34276	Aerial Photograph:
SDV34277	Migrated Record:
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
SDV354394	Article in Serial: Wilkes, E. M. + Griffith, F.M.. 2012. Cadbury Castle, Devon, Reconsidered. Archaeological Journal. 169. Offprint + Digital.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV356897	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1989. DAP 6763. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 6763/09 04-JUL-1989.
SDV356902	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4312-13 04-NOV-1946.
SDV356903	Aerial Photograph: Geonex UK. 1992. /49/92. Geonex Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council Geonex/49/92 14-15 13-MAY-1992.
SDV357034	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2012. LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SS9806 Environment Agency DSM 19-DEC-2005.
SDV358576	Worksheet: Timms, S.. 1982. Hillfort. Worksheet + Digital. Plan.
SDV358577	Plan - measured: Major/Silvester. 1980. Bury Castle, Bradninch. A4 Single Sheet + Digital.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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