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Summary

Holbury or Oldbury Camp is a Prehistoric univallate hill fort on top of Castle Hill Park. The banks are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from 1946 and on images derived from Lidar data captured between 2001 and 2010.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Holbury Camp. Iron Age hillfort east of Holbeton
• Scheduled Monument 1019782: Slight univallate hillfort known as Holbury Camp, 750m east of Holwell Lodge

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 441335
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65SW/8
• Old SAM County Ref: 415
• Old SAM Ref: 33768
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX65SW3

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HILLFORT (Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 900 BC to 500 BC (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, CPE/UK 2105, 4076-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337028.

Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV167031.

Print of unknown date provided by Mr Thomas.

Woollcombe, H., 1839-1850, Woollcombe Manuscript (Un-published). SDV16214.

Rectangular with rounded corners. Rampart greater on east (circa 20 feet). Plan in manuscript.

Unknown, 1840, Ermington (Cartographic). SDV167017.

'Castle Park' (arable) in circa 1840, when line of ditch/bank is complete except on north-west side and separately named as 'Tumuli'.

Davidson, J. B., 1861, Untitled Source, 50 (Monograph). SDV123842.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 2106-2107 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

The external banks are visible as tree-covered earthworks.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1954, SX65SW3 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV337024.

Holbury or Oldbury Camp is an entrenchment on a high hill commanding extensive views of the country. It is of oval form, nearly square and is formed by a single rampart with a ditch. On the eastern side, where the defence is strongest, the ditch and vallum measure 8.53 metres from top to bottom. This camp has also borne the name 'Castle Paise'. It has been assigned to the Romans but is evidently of British construction. The whole of Castle Park is raised up above the surrounding fields in a most impressive manner and in the north-east and south-west corners the ditch and counterscarp bank can be seen quite plainly. Other details: Plan.

Fox, A., 1955, Twenty-Third Report on the Archaeology and Early History of Devon, 323-4 (Article in Serial). SDV337025.

Small hillfort on top of Castle Hill Park recorded and described by Mrs Woolner. Originally the entrance appears to have been at the north-east. The defences are marked as 'Tumuli' on the 19th century Tithe Map. No apparent structures in the interior. Previously recorded by Davidson.

Ministry of Works, 1959, "Castle Park" north-east of Venges Brake (Schedule Document). SDV167012.

'Castle Park' to the north-east of Venges Brake. Contour hill fort in good defensive position, partially (south side) on slope of hill. A univallate fort with 3/4 of the circuit defined by a hedge which is in fact the bank, scarped out of slope on south and east. Clear signs of ditch on north and west. On north a length of bank and ditch not reformed for hedge circa 1.80 meters high. Interior arable. Part of bank on north-west cut away in 1957. Other details: Monument 415.

Cambridge University, 1962, CUC/AFG, 27 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337030.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV345608.

Department of Environment Field Monument Warden site visit on 2nd November 1982.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/HS, 4-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV337032.

Robinson, R. + Griffith, F. M., 1986, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV337027.

Condition as described in 1958. Under cultivation. While it has excellent views it is not on the highest or furthest point of the spur, and therefore is not optimally sited for pure defence.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/TK, 14-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV149537.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, Slight Univallate Hillfort known as Holbury Camp, 750 metres east of Holwell Lodge (Schedule Document). SDV167018.

Slight univallate hillfort known as Holbury Camp, 750 metres east of Holwell Lodge. Including two outworks, the hillfort has an ovoid central enclosure with a single rampart, and measures 280 metres by 220 metres across the outer limits of the visible earthworks. It straddles the 80 metre and 90 metre contours, with its highest point of 96 metres on the north side. The rampart includes a bank, outer ditch and counterscarp. The bank survives best on the north side, rising from the interior between 0.8 metres at its west end and 2.3 metres at its east. It averages 7 metres wide but is from 10 metres to 12 metres wide by 2.6 metres high at the northeast corner. The east, south and west rampart banks are fossilised into later hedgebanks but survive mainly as scarps about 5 metres wide, falling to the outer ditch from 0.4 metres on the north side to 1.6 metres on the south. The ditch has largely been filled in and is now on average 15 metres wide and 0.2 metres deep on the south, west and east sides. On the north side, a modern track follows the ditch which is 0.4 metres deep and 10 metres wide at its west end and 0.8 metres at its east, where it is only 6 metres wide. A counterscarp bank here is up to 8 metres wide and 0.4 metres high, but has been reduced by ploughing elsewhere. There are four entrances, of which one is modern. This is on the south side and directly enters the fort interior. Of the original entrances, one is at the northeast corner, where a causeway crosses the ditch and passes through a gap in the rampart. The ramparts are staggered here, the bank to the west being 8 metres forward of the other. A second entrance to the northwest has a curving hornwork outside, forming a semi-circle 41 metres wide and projecting up to 30 metres from the rampart. Its bank is 10 metres wide and survives up to 0.6 metres high. An outer ditch up to 15 metres wide and 0.2 metres deep is visible on the east side of this hornwork. A third entrance, now blocked, lies on the west side. At this point traces of a causeway 6 metres wide are visible, crossing the outer ditch. A hollow way descends the field to the west. Two outworks are preserved in later field boundaries to the north and west of the hillfort. That to the west survives as a scarped bank 200 metres long and 3 metres wide, falling steeply up to 3.5 metres to a largely infilled outer ditch which is 10 metres wide and 0.4 metres deep. It curves sharply to follow the contour at its south end but then disappears. A farm track climbs up the rampart here at an angle. It gradually disappears at its north end, a later hedgebank continuing around the contour. This boundary follows the rampart line to a point north of the hillfort, where a second section of outwork survives. This section is 210 metres long and 3 metres wide, falling steeply up to 2.5 metres from the field into a ditch 2 metres wide and 1 metre deep. The hedgebank follows the outer edge of this ditch, appearing to form a counterscarp bank in places 2 metres wide and up to 1.2 metres high. This falls steeply up to 5 metres and a woodland track follows its lower edge. At its east end the rampart disappears but the track continues along the contour to the east into Yarninknowle Wood. Slight univallate hillforts are defined as enclosures of various shapes and date to between the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (eighth-fifth centuries BC). Despite some damage to its ramparts, the Iron Age hillfort known as Holbury Camp is well-preserved. Its ramparts, surrounding ditch, hornwork and interior will contain archaeological and environmental information relating to the hillfort and the landscape in which it was built. Despite partial reduction, the outer ramparts remain of importance in understanding the development of the site. Other details: Monument 33768.

Environment Agency, 2001-2010, Lidar data JPEG SX65SW DTM, LIDAR SX65SW DTM Environment Agency 2001-2010 (Cartographic). SDV351451.

The external banks are visible as earthworks.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory sx6250nw_20091008ortho.ecw 09-SEP-2009 © CCO (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Possible cropmark features are visible inside the main enclosure, but they are too indistinct to interpret.

Wilkes, E., 2007, Geophysical Survey and Targeted Excavation at Holbury Camp (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV339528.

A geophysical survey undertaken in 2007 recorded several anomolies of archaeological potential within Holbury Camp including a large ditched enclosure with internal features. The excavation examined a 1.6 metre length of the encircling earthwork bank at the western terminal at the northern entrance. The bank was up to 0.44 metres high by up to 4.9 metres wide.The terminal had been damaged by vehicle access, earlier fencing and the deposition of modern debris including broken farm implements. The simple earthen bank was shown to have been constructed in a single phase.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 441335 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346058.

Iron Age slight univallate hillfort also known as 'Oldbury Camp' and 'Castle Paise' located 750 metres east of Holwell Lodge and including two outworks to north and west of the hillfort.

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

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

The banks of Holbury Camp are clearly visible on images derived from Lidar data captured between 2001 and 2010, as more substantial earthworks than the surrounding hedgebanks. The banks are visible, with varying amounts of tree cover, on aerial photographs from 1946 onwards, although the section of bank at SX6249750561 is not clear, and the transcription of this area, taken from the Lidar but not possible to verify from aerial photographs, may not be accurate. No definite internal features were observed within the main enclosed area; a very slight indication of possible cropmarks are visible on aerial photographs taken in 2009, but these were not clear enough to transcribe. Unfortunately the grey literature relating to this site was not available to view at the time of the survey. However cropmarks visible outside the enclosure may have formed over associated archaeological features (MDV104220; MDV104222).

Sources / Further Reading

SDV123842	Monograph: Davidson, J. B.. 1861. Antiquities of Devon. Unknown. 50.
SDV149537	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/TK. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 14-15.
SDV16214	Un-published: Woollcombe, H.. 1839-1850. Woollcombe Manuscript. Manuscript.
SDV167012	Schedule Document: Ministry of Works. 1959. "Castle Park" north-east of Venges Brake. The Schedule of Monuments. Foolscap.
SDV167017	Cartographic: Unknown. 1840. Ermington. Tithe Map and Apportionment. Map (Paper).
SDV167018	Schedule Document: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2001. Slight Univallate Hillfort known as Holbury Camp, 750 metres east of Holwell Lodge. The Schedule of Monuments. A4 Stapled.
SDV167031	Photograph: Photograph (Paper).
SDV337024	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1954. SX65SW3. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV337025	Article in Serial: Fox, A.. 1955. Twenty-Third Report on the Archaeology and Early History of Devon. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 87. A5 Hardback. 323-4.
SDV337027	Personal Comment: Robinson, R. + Griffith, F. M.. 1986. Not Applicable.
SDV337028	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. CPE/UK 2105. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4076-7.
SDV337030	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1962. CUC/AFG. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper). 27.
SDV337032	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1986. DAP/HS. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4-5.
SDV339528	Report - Geophysical Survey: Wilkes, E.. 2007. Geophysical Survey and Targeted Excavation at Holbury Camp. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV345608	Un-published: Robinson, R.. 1982. List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982. Lists of Field Monument Warden Visits. Printout.
SDV346058	National Monuments Record Database: National Monuments Record. 2010. 441335. National Monuments Record Database. Website.
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 2106-2107 10-DEC-1946.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory sx6250nw_20091008ortho.ecw 09-SEP-2009 © CCO.
SDV351451	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2001-2010. Lidar data JPEG SX65SW DTM. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX65SW DTM Environment Agency 2001-2010.
SDV361500	Article in Serial: Griffith, F. M. + Wilkes, E. M.. 2011. In the Footsteps of Pioneering Women; Some Recent Work on Devon Hillforts. British Archaeological Reports. 548. Paperback Volume.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4313 - Geophysical Survey at Holbury Camp
• EDV4314 - Targeted Excavation at Holbury Camp
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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