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Summary

Castle Close is a univallate Iron Age hillfort between the River Exe and Parkhouse Water

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020037: Castle Close
• SHINE: Castle Close. Iron Age hillfort east of Barehills Wood

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 36427
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS91NW/3
• Old SAM County Ref: 525
• Old SAM Ref: 34257
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS91NW1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HILLFORT (Iron Age - 700 BC to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Castle Close Supposed Camp' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Castle Close Camp' shown on early 20th century map with an entrance on the west side.

Wall, J. C., 1906, Ancient Earthworks, 612 (Article in Monograph). SDV341465.

Cambridge University, 1962, CUC/AFH, 22 (Aerial Photograph). SDV345471.

Other details: Copy in HER.

Ministry of Public Building and Works, 1964, Castle Close Hill Fort (Schedule Document). SDV345466.

Castle Close is a univallate hillfort of the Iron Age on crest of hill between the River Exe and the Parkhouse Water. The rampart is visible on the line of the field hedge throughout the circuit and the ditch has a hollow outside it. On the north-west and north the internal slope of the rampart is also preserved. There is an inturned entrance on the west which has been blocked, and the south side reduced. Gaps on the east are recent. The interior is grass, but has been ploughed.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1967, SS91NW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345467.

Univallate hillfort occupies summit of a rounded hill and relies solely on its rampart and ditch for defence. There is minimal natural defence. Details of current state of monument given with drawing.

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, The Archaeology of Exmoor, 79,202 (Monograph). SDV1641.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/CN, 8 (Aerial Photograph). SDV35302.

Robinson, R., 1987 - 2000, Devon Post-Reconnaissance Fieldwork Project (Un-published). SDV342165.

Site visited on 2nd January 1995. Subsidiary enclosure occupies a natural ledge in a moderate south-west slope. No visible earthworks. Traces of second 'annexe' at north-west visible.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/QC, 10-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV35793.

Subsidiary enclosure attached to the south side recorded from the air as a cropmark 1990.

Plummer, M. + Plummer, A., 1993, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV345469.

Rampart in good condition. Entrance overgrown. Slight hollow outside north-west rampart suggests line of the ditch.

Miller, A., 1995, Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph Primary Recording Project (Interpretation). SDV343322.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, Castle Close (Schedule Document). SDV345470.

Castle Close is a slight univallate hillfort surviving as sub-circular enclosure defined by a single rampart, integrated into existing field pattern and surrounded by an outer ditch. Enclosed area approximately 170 metres diameter, surrounded by rampart up to 2.4 metres high externally and 1.1 metres high internally, being slightly higher to north. Rampart shows signs of having been revetted with stone walling in several places to effect repairs. Two gateways have been cut through rampart for access, one on north-east side and one to the south. The original entrance was on the west side where two banks define an inturned entrance, which is most impressive on the north side, measuring up to 1.2 metres high This entrance has been blocked. The surrounding ditch survives as buried feature up to 5 metres wide. Field boundaries forming the rampart are included in the scheduling. Stock-proof fencing and gatepost are excluded, although the ground beneath them is included.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 36427 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV345468.

Probable Iron Age univallate hillfort or enclosed settlement, seen as an earthwork.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

'Castle Close Enclosure' shown on modern mapping as a sub-circular feature reflected in the surrounding field boundaries.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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