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Summary

Sub-oval enclosure, possibly partly natural, with 1st century BC late Iron Age occupation of uncertain nature

Monument Types

• CURVILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age - 100 BC to 49 AD)

Associated Events

• Watching brief at the Devil's Dyke, Dyke Lane, Wheathampstead, 2008

Protected Status

• Scheduled Ancient Monument 24ab:16469/70
• SHINE: Iron Age Occupation site, Wheathampstead
• Scheduled Ancient Monument HT24: WHEATHAMPSTEAD EARTHWORK INCORPORATING DEVILS DYKE AND THE SLAD
• Area of Archaeological Significance 6

Full description

The suggestion that the area between Devils Dyke and the Slad was a 'Belgic oppidum' was first advanced by Wheeler, who carried out some limited excavation <1, 5>. Recent consensus is that this status is not proven. Cunliffe accepted it as an 'enclosed oppidum' <4>, but not enough work has been carried out to reveal much information on the date and nature of the earthworks or associated activity. The limited amount of pottery found by Wheeler dates to the earlier 1st century BC <5>, and is earlier than the vast majority of late Iron Age sites in the county. Some authorities even doubt the artificial nature of the earthworks <6>. See [6511] for flints. Cropmarks of internal enclosures, of unknown date, have been recorded <9>.

Minor works for better access through the western bank in 2008 did not reveal any archaeology <10>. This bank and ditch was the historic parish boundary between Wheathampstead and Sandridge, but has long been known as 'Devil's Dyke' <11>, which suggests the boundary was defined by an existing earthwork. The water-filled eastern earthwork, The Slad, is marked on the 1879 OS map <11> as 'Moat'. Both earthworks follow low-lying ground demarcating a low plateau, but are overlooked on three sides by higher ground.

Whatever its nature, this is one of the few late Iron Age sites which appear to be forerunners of the enormous expansion which distinguishes Hertfordshire in the century before the Roman conquest, and in addition has suggestions [7959] of a much older focus.

CUCAP, Devil's Dyke and the Slad, Wheathampstead, PNO 3264 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14441.

Verulamium Museum PRN, PRN 161 (Index). SHT4663.

Prosser, Lee, 2002, A 'Belgic' oppidum at Wheathampstead, Herts: an archaeological desk-based assessment, RNO 1103 (Report). SHT9040.

<1> Wheeler, R E M, 1933, Belgic cities of Britain; Antiquity 7, 1-15, - p4 (Article in serial). SHT5045.

<2> Wheeler, R E M, & Wheeler, T V, 1936, Verulamium, a Belgic and two Roman cities (Monograph). SHT2495.

<3> Wheeler, R E M, 1937, The Devil's Dyke, Wheathampstead; Trans St Albans Archit & Archaeol Soc 5/2, 95-8 (Article in serial). SHT1447.

<4> Saunders, C, 1980-2, Some thoughts on the oppida at Wheathampstead and Verulamium; Hertfordshire Archaeology 8, 31-9 (Article in serial). SHT2268.

<5> Thompson, Isobel, 1979, Wheathampstead revisited; Bulletin of the Institute of Archaeology 16, 159-85 (Article in serial). SHT4946.

<6> Hunn, Jonathan, 1994, Reconstruction & measurement of landscape change. A study of six parishes in the St Albans area, - p22, 25 (Bibliographic reference). SHT5412.

<7> Newman, Paul, 1986, Material collected for information board (Unpublished document). SHT4619.

<8> Bryant, Stewart, 2007, Central places or special places? The origins and development of 'oppida' in Hertfordshire; IN The later Iron Age in Britain & beyond, eds Colin Haselgrove & Tom Moore, p62-80 (Article in monograph). SHT9784.

<9> CUCAP, 1976, Cropmark associated with the Devil's Dyke, Wheathampstead, PNO 3845 (Aerial Photograph). SHT15117.

<10> Richards, J, 2008, Watching brief: Devils Dyke, Wheathampstead, Herts, RNO 2047 (Report). SHT8107.

<11> OS 25 inch map, 1st edition, 1879 (Cartographic material). SHT8116.

Sources and further reading

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