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Summary

A possible hillfort or tor enclosure of prehistoric date is visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 under the dense tree cover of Knowle Wood, Bickleigh. Thought to potentially be Neolithic in date, a topographic survey in early 2019 has accurately plotted the features and indicates a probably Iron Age date for the fort.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TOR ENCLOSURE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC? (Between))
• HILLFORT (Iron Age - 700 BC to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

Berry, N., 2005, Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey of Lower Cadworthy Farm, Meavy, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV360144.

Holley, S., 2006, A Survey of the Charcoal-burning Platforms at Goodameavy, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV360386.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5363-SX5364 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

A bank or scarp is visible as an earthwork.

Bray, L., 2017, Images of possible hillfort in Knowle Wood (Photograph). SDV363053.

Site visited 12/12/2017 in order to assess potential identification. Possible Neolithic tor enclosure. Earthwork survey recommended.

Derry, C., 2017, Possible hillfort in Knowle Wood (Personal Comment). SDV363052.

During assessment of lidar data for Dartmoor, a possible hillfort in Knowle Wood was identified.

Newman, P., 2019, Knowle Wood, Bickleigh Dartmoor National Park, Devon An archaeological survey (Report - Survey). SDV362920.

Topographical survey carried out in early 2019 recorded this possible tor enclosure. The feature consists of tumbled stony ramparts, which partly encircle the summit of the hill, and a short section of an apparent inner rampart on the summit. A possible entrance on the west side was also noted during the survey. The evidence is evaluated in the context of other stony, hilltop enclosures on Dartmoor, the Westcountry and mainland Britain as a whole, considering the evidence for either a Neolithic or Iron Age origin. Evidence of a medieval or post-medieval woodland industry, in the form of charcoal burning hearths was also recorded as part of this survey.
This survey has accurately planned all the archaeological features on the hilltop at Knowle Wood for the first time, confirming the existence of two layers of defences in the form of stony ramparts. Although bearing some similarity with a group of west country sites believed to have Neolithic (5th / 4th millennium BC) origins, the results from the survey strongly suggest that the stony ramparts, as surviving, are more likely to have origins in the 1st millennium BC, and may be added to a group of Iron Age defended hilltop sites, or hillforts, that are located around the peripheries of Dartmoor National Park. Although having an appearance of incompleteness, suggesting premature abandonment of the site before the defences were effective, it seems more likely that only those parts visible from the approaches were ever fortified with masonry ramparts to offer a facade of strength. Timber palisades alone may have sufficed for other parts of the defensive circuit. However, a lack of earthwork evidence for domestic structures on the interior could infer the site was never permanently occupied, although remains of non-enduring structures with no surface evidence may remain beneath the surface. Geophysical survey of the cleared areas may be helpful in establishing this as a future aim. The survey has also contributed to the knowledge of the more recent woodland charcoal industry located in Dartmoor’s wooded landscape, which is known to exist in other areas of the national park and despite several localised studies (Berry, 2005; Holley 2006), has never been quantified or researched in detail.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

A possible bank or scarp is identifiable as an earthwork on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017, forming a near-complete circuit around the summit of the hill under Knowle Wood, Bickleigh. The earthworks are tentatively interpreted as evidence of a tor enclosure of Neolithic date or a hillfort or of Iron Age origin.
The earthwork varies in width from circa 4 to 6m wide and is visible traversing the north-west, south-west and south-east sides of the hill for circa 330m, enclosing an area of just over 1ha.
The bank or scarp closely follows the 140m contour on the north-west side of the hill. To the south-west it crests the hill dropping to the 135m contour, before turning to the north-east and dropping further to an elevation of circa 125m.
A length of bank or scarp circa 40m long is visible on the north-east side of the hill, again closely following the 140m contour.
A possible entrance is identifiable on the western side of the enclosure, a second outer bank potentially forming an annexe or elaborated façade flanking the entrance.
L-shaped banks or scarps are identifiable within the enclosed area, possibly defining an inner compound or enclosure, possibly enclosing two circular hollows circa 5 and 8m across, centred on circa SX53306407 and SX53356407. These may be the remains of hut circles contemporary with the enclosure or simply the remains of charcoal burning platforms.
Probable charcoal burning platforms are identifiable on the north-west side of the enclosure but are outside the survey area and have not been transcribed or recorded.
Earthwork survey is recommended to further clarify the character of the earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)
• EDV8310 - Earthwork survey at Knowle Wood, Bickleigh

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