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Summary

Stanborough Camp a univallate Iron Age hillfort includes an earlier bowl barrow.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019314: Stanborough Camp Iron Age hillfort and bowl barrow
• SHINE: Stanborough Camp. Iron Age hillfort adjacent to Stanborough Hundred Hotel

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 444660
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX75SE/2
• Old SAM County Ref: 31
• Old SAM Ref: 33746
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX75SE5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Risdon, T., 1811, Choreographical Description of Devon, 1580-1640, 180 (Monograph). SDV20653.

Described circa 1630 as "an old fort now no better than a heap of stones called by the name of Stanborough from whence the Hundred hath name".

Hawkins, A., 1819, Untitled Source, 111-3 (Monograph). SDV144702.

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

Oval shaped and complete. Rampart with entrances in north and east sides. Extra rampart on south side. Height of rampart:- inner side 18 feet, outer side 20 feet - 30 feet. Plan in manuscript.

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

'Stanborough Camp (Remains of)' shown on 19th century map.

Worth, R. N., 1885, The ancient recorded topography of Devon, 359-60 (Article in Serial). SDV339279.

Wall, J. C., 1906, Ancient Earthworks, 605,607 (Article in Monograph). SDV341465.

Stanborough Camp is a stone camp on very high ground with a ditch outside the vallum. An Iron Age castle but mutilated. Within the enclosure was once a large cairn, and near it are tumuli and the site of a menhir called the 'Old Man' now destroyed. Other details: Plan.

Reichel, O. J., 1913, The Hundred of Stanborough or Dippeforda in the Time of 'Testa de Nevil' AD 1243, 198 (Article in Serial). SDV336180.

Stanborough became, after Diptford, the meeting-place of the Hundred Court.

Ancient Monuments, 1923, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV143347.

Small simple but strong earthwork classed as a simple defensive enclosure gave the name to the old Hundred now Coleridge and Stanborough. Holds a large farmhouse and yard, the house probably standing on the original chief entry, therefore in great danger of being mutilated. Our local correspondent could see no signs of 'Old Man' the site of a standing stone nor of a second camp which should be within 100 yards of the present surviving monument.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952 - 1953, SX75SE5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV339208.

The bank on each side of the entrance on the western side has been mutilated slightly and is below average height. From there to the southern corner the bank averages 6.0 meters in width and 1.5 meters in height. No trace of outer ditch on the west side probably due to quarrying. From the south round to the north the ditch gradually deepens and the bank has been stone revetted in recent times. On the southeast side a modern break occurs of 5.0 meters. Other details: Plan.

Copeland, G. W., 1965, Proceedings at the 103rd Annual Meeting, 30 (Article in Serial). SDV145408.

Hill, D., 1969, The Burghal Hidage, 90-1 (Article in Serial). SDV339210.

Possible site of Halwell Saxon burh, mentioned in the Burghal Hidage of circa 900 AD.

Grinsell, L. V., 1970, Discovering Regional Archaeology: South Western England, 25 (Monograph). SDV304192.

'Stene' may have been Stanborough Camp. Visited on 10th December 1977 when the roughly circular earthwork was under grass. It has a well preserved rampart and outer ditch. Either Stanborough or Halwell may have been the 'Burh' before it was moved to Totnes. Iron Age or early Christian.

Timms, S. C., 1978, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV339209.

Site visited on 2nd August 1978. Interior under grass except for western quadrant which contains stables and other farm buildings. Bank is suffering erosion in parts and some of the stone revetment has been displaced. There is a proposal to site a farm bungalow in field to south of Stanborough Camp.

Department of Environment, 1981, Stanborough Camp (Schedule Document). SDV346519.

Stanborough Camp was first Scheduled in June 1923. Small earthwork classed as a Simple Defensive Enclosure. It gave the name to the old Hundred which is now 'Coleridge and Stanborough'. It holds a large farmhouse and yard with the house probably standing on the original entrance. Other details: Monument 31.

Timms, S. C., 1981, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV339274.

Other details: Map.

Timms, S. C., 1981, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV339215.

Other details: Map.

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

Field Monument Warden visit on 1st July 1982.

Grinsell, L. V., 1983, The Barrows of South and East Devon, 37 (Article in Serial). SDV337013.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/CQ, 11-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV339218.

Robinson, R., 1984, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1984 (Un-published). SDV343082.

Field Monument Warden visit on 13th April 1984.

1984, Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV339217.

Pye, A. R. + Gardner, W. M., 1989, An Archaeological Watching Brief on the Stanborough Gate to Totnes Cross Gas Pipeline, Halwell, South Devon., 1 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV336547.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/LJ, 10,13, 15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV339223.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/LK, 2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV339224.

Robinson, R. + Griffith, F. M., 1989, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV339213.

A watching brief was maintained during emergency repairs to a gas pipe running across the site. No disturbance to archaeological deposits was apparent Other details: Note in Parish File.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/QH, 1-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV339225.

Hooke, D., 1990, Studies on Devon Charter Boundaries, 199 (Article in Serial). SDV140514.

Turton, S. D., 1991, Archaeological Assessment of SWW Crabadon Cross to Stanborough Water Pipeline (Report - Assessment). SDV339219.

Reed, S. J. + Turton, S. D., 1991, Archaeological Recording on the SWW Crabadon to Stanborough Water Pipeline, 2 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV339220.

Slater, T. R., 1991, Controlling the South Hams: The Anglo-Saxon burh at Halwell, 57-8 (Article in Serial). SDV155659.

Other details: Figures 1-5.

Horner, B., 1992, DAP/VQ, 37 (Aerial Photograph). SDV292050.

Horner, B., 1992, DAP/VR, 00-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDV339222.

1992, Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV339221.

Fox, A., 1996, Prehistoric Hillforts in Devon, 52 (Monograph). SDV7958.

Fletcher, M., 2001, Halwell Camp, Bickleigh, Brake Barrow Group and the Boreston Catchwater System: Survey Report (Report - Survey). SDV339227.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, Stanborough Camp Iron Age Hillfort and Bowl Barrow (Schedule Document). SDV339214.

Stanborough Camp Iron Age hillfort and bowl barrow. This monument includes a slight univallate hillfort of sub-circular plan and an earlier bowl barrow on a level hilltop with wide local views to the south and west. The ramparts are covered with large mature beech trees, which make the site a landmark for many miles around. The fort is roughly oval, enclosing about 2 acres and has maximum dimensions across the visible earthworks of 145 metres from east to west by 130 meters from north to south. The rampart is 6 meters wide, rising between 1.5 meters and 2 meters from the interior and falling about 3 meters to the ditch. The ditch varies between 8 meters wide on the south side and 12 meters on the north and is an average of 1.5 meters deep. Traces of a counterscarp bank in the garden on the west side are 7 meters wide and 0.7 meters high. The ground falls away steeply to the west, where an entrance climbs abruptly up into the fort, with the rampart falling in height to about 1 meter on either side. On the east side, a later narrow entrance has been blocked with a stone faced bank. These are both later entrances however, the original entrance being on the s side where a causeway crosses the ditch. The ramparts vary considerably in their profile and areas of rebuilding are evident in places, especially on the south and east sides. A stretch of bank in the southeast quadrant has been rebuilt about 2 meters inside the original outer face. The fort's interior is virtually level. There is a possibility that this hillfort represents the site of the Anglo Saxon burh of Healghwille. It is known to have been the meeting place of the Hundred of Stanborough. A large bowl barrow with a central stone chamber was enclosed by the later hillfort and remains of it survive to the southeast of the hillfort's centre. The barrow appears as a low mound 17 meters in diameter and up to 0.1 meters high. It has an encircling quarry ditch about 3 meters wide which is 0.1 meters deep on the south side but is not visible to the north. The 20th century agricultural buildings, associated fences and track surfaces occupying the site are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all these features is included. Other details: Monument 33746.

Cottrell, T. + Sutherland, T., 2003, Archaeological Observations during the Construction of a Natural Gas Pipeline near East Allington, 2 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV339228.

Steinmetzer, M., 2007, Archaeological Watching Brief at Stanborough Hundred Hotel, Moreleigh (Report - Watching Brief). SDV339229.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 100 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

Generally satisfactory but with significant localised problems. Principal vulneralbility scrub and tree growth.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 444660 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346518.

Stanborough Camp is an Early Iron Age hill fort with single bank and ditch. Entrance from the west through the present farmyard.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4285 - Stanborough Hundred Hotel Access Drive

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