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Summary

Raddon top. Possible triple ditched enclosure on hill top. First recorded as earthwork by f. Griffith june 1984, and at that time regarded as possibly geological (aph).

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016259: Raddon Hill: a Neolithic causewayed enclosure and later hillfort
• Scheduled Monument 1016259: Raddon Hill: a Neolithic causewayed enclosure and later hillfort
• Scheduled Monument 1016259: Raddon Hill: a Neolithic causewayed enclosure and later hillfort

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS80SE/46/2
• Old SAM Ref: 24854

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HILLFORT (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC to 42 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

GENT + QUINNELL, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45124.

A palisaded enclosure of c.1ha appears to have been the earliest evidence of the hill fort with a radiocarbon date of 810-410 cal bc + a possible entrance to the s. The palisade slot contained both pottery + iron slag. This was later enclosed with a timber box rampart with a similar enclosure appended to the w with entrances to the w and ne. A possible date of 790-390 cal bc was obtained for this phase of construction. There is evidence of continued activity at the site through the middle + late iron age but the ramparts were not remodelled. Dates obtained from post holes range from 490-50 cal bc (gent + quinnell).

APH, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45159.

Raddon top. Possible triple ditched enclosure on hill top. First recorded as earthwork by f. Griffith june 1984, and at that time regarded as possibly geological (aph).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45160.

Aerial reconnaissance by fmg in 1985 revealed cropmarks of complex multiple enclosures.

Ancient Monuments, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV45163.

Vis=estimated -/-/1997 (ancient monuments) the later prehistoric hillfort which succeeded the causewayed enclosure is irregular in plan being about 155m e-w by 100m n-s, enclosing an area of approximately 1ha within a ditch. It is located on the w side of the hillcrest, extending down the hillslope and overlying the w parts of the areas enclosed by both the inner and outer ditches of the causewayed enclosure. The defensive ditch had a v-shaped profile, 2m wide and 0.9m deep. Originally an earth rampart stood on the inner side of the circuit of the ditch and within the excavated area the position of the rampart was defined by the foundation trench for the wooden palisade, 0.5m wide and 0.3m deep, that revetted the face of the rampart. No entrances into the enclosure have been clearly identified although an entrance is thought to exist on the w side. Within the hillfort a number of features were identified by excavation including pits and postholes. The artefacts recovered included pottery fragments that are typical of the period from the bronze age to early iron age (2000-500bc). A large amount of metal working residue was recovered at the w end of the hillfort.

AM, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45164.

Within the area where the causewayed enclosure and the hillfort overlap, features have been identified which may be associated with either of them. These include a discontinuous circle of stakeholes of about 3m diam which may be part of a dwelling; 2 elongated pits containing some burnt bone and charcoal which may be graves; and a substantial vertical shaft, 5.9m in diam and excavated to a depth of 2.2m, which appears to have been the upper part of a well. Excluded from the scheduling are all modern fences + road surfaces although the ground beneath them is included (am).

NMR CITING MILLER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45166.

Rapid examination of ap suggests the presence of a univallate hillfort, of prehistoric date, visible as cropmarks (s half) and low earthworks (n half) around the 214m hill c.400m w of raddon top. The hillfort measures c.300m x 100m and comprises an elongated ovoid shape with an inner division (or external annexe) at its sw end and a smaller oval enclosure within the main enclosure. The extreme sw end appears to have a palisade trench within, while other parts of the main enclosure circuit have indications of a rampart behind the ditch. The main enclosure ditch is apparently double at ss88580308, possibly indicating a protected entrance (a double ditch approaching this point may be a trackway but seems more likely to be an old hedgeline) (nmr citing miller).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45168.

Aph=dap/am 5,6(29/6/1984).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45169.

Des=dprfp (14/1/1993) (and photos dprfp/v 29-34).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45170.

Aph=dap/kz 3 (30/10/1988).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45171.

Aph=dap/kz 6a (16/6/1989).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45172.

Aph=raf/cep/uk/1823/4186/(4/11/1946).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45173.

Des=horner, b.(dcc)/(14/3/1994)/filenote + plan in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45174.

Turton, s. D. + weddell, p. J. /archaeological assessment of sww crediton water supply/(1993)7/(emafu report 93.79).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45175.

Des=ancient monuments/(-/-/1997)/as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45176.

Des=quinnell, h. /later prehistoric pottery survey/(1998)dbid:2215/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45177.

Des=gent, t. H. + quinnell, h. /pdas/57(1999)1-75/excavation of a causewayed enclosure and hillfort on raddon hill, stockleigh pomeroy.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45178.

Nmr=ss80se53.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45179.

Des=miller, a. /(6/2/1996)/rchme ap primary recording project.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45180.

Aph=nmr/ss8803/1-8.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45181.

Aph=dap/wg 1-10/(27/5/1994).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45182.

Aph=dap/wh 1-6/(31/5/1994).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45183.

Aph=dap/zh 12,13/(18/7/1996).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45184.

Aph=dap/fm 8,9/(26/7/1985).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45185.

Aph=dap/we 13-15,20/(28/4/1994).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45186.

Des=slides/(14/3/1994)/in smr.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV45187.

Aph=dap/rn 3-6/(7/6/1990).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45188.

Gent, t. H. + knight, m.(ea)/excavation & survey of a multi period enclosure at raddon hill, stockleigh pomeroy: interim report/(1995)/ea report 95.68.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV45189.

Oxford archaeotechnics/raddon hill, stockleigh pomeroy: geophysical & topographic surveys: interim report/(1995)/survey ref:0420594/rad/exm/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV2244.

Vis=10/3/1994 (timms + horner) earthworks of hillfort visible as pronounced scarp on e and ne of site. This is also visible on 1946 raf ap. The western defences are visible as less pronounced undulations in the ground surface and hedge bank on the shobrooke side of the hedge. The natural defences are steepest on this northern side of the hillfort, and the 'apron' on the w side blocks the western approach to the fort over a narrow neck of ridge (horner).

DPRFP, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV262469.

Vis=14/1/1993 (robinson) classic situation for hill fort, a steep sided oval hill top. The cropmark ditches encircling the south side are visible as very ploughed out but massive scarps, enclosing an area about 190m ew and with an `apron' enclosure at the west c 50m wide. These defences show particularly well at the se, at the point where the present ns hedge crosses them, and where the apron enclosure ditch meets the present ew hedge. There is a slight kink in this hedge where the apron enclosure bank meets it. The curving lane east of the main enclosure may mark an outer defence, being sunken and with a steep drop above it. Field names on shobrooke side are 'castle close' and 'beacon down' (dprfp).

Quinnell, H., 1982, Prestonbury Castle (Report - Survey). SDV1356.

150 sherds of late bronze/early iron age pot recovered during rescue excavation. Now with exeter archaeology - final location ram museum, exeter (quinnell).

Young, A., 2005, Transcriptions from Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Cartographic). SDV321540.

The transcriptions correspond to the grid reference for PRN166460.

Young, A. & Turner, S., 2005-2006, North Devon/Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme (NMP) project database records, PRN166460 (Interpretation). SDV358473.

Oval hilltop enclosure of probable Iron Age date, visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (p1) and digitally plotted during the National Mapping Programme. The enclosure is 255m by 118m in size and overlies a probable Neolithic enclosure described in CIN 29728. Internal features including a second smaller enclosure are visible although it is uncertain as to which phase of activity on the site these belong.
Photograph references:
1. DCC DAP RN 03-5 (NMR SS8803/5-8 (DAP 6878)) 07-JUN-1990
2. DCC DAP KZ2 03- 06A (NMR SS8803/3-4 (DAP 13591)) 16-JUN-1989

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 90 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Unknown condition and trend. Principal vulnerability arable ploughing.

Griffith, F. M. + Wilkes, E. M., 2011, In the Footsteps of Pioneering Women; Some Recent Work on Devon Hillforts (Article in Serial). SDV361500.

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

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.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7455 - Winkleigh Biomass Plant National Mapping Programme

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