Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN0401 Odstock Copse, Wiltshire

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Wiltshire and Swindon MWI9893 (None)

NMR:  SU 12 NW 3 (217694)

SM:  1004775

NGR:  SU14462517

X:  414463  Y:  125173  (OSGB36)

Summary

Wooded, polygonal-shaped, hillfort sited on N-facing downland spur edge at 110m O.D. overlooking the Ebble Valley to N and confluence of River Ebble with River Avon, just S of Salisbury. Bank stands c. 0.9m high internally and to 2.3m above external ditch. Polygonal shaped with sides c. 70m in length, enclosing 4ha. Two additional banks with ditches to E - relationship to other banks and function unknown. They could be hollow ways, remnants of a multivallation attempt or a more lightly defended late Iron Age settlement. Immediately to E broad level area or berm associated with bank and external ditch. This second ditch curves to meet that associated with the polygon and appears to cut through course of latter; however both constructions appear parts of same system. N part ploughed away before 1894. Earthworks now lie in plantations and coppiced woodlands and light coppice bank extends across site. Possible annexe to SE and ditches E of annexe fade on flat ground. The single gap towards the W end may not be original. Few investigations, no dating evidence. On Ist Ed. OS map (1871-81).

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -199837  Y:  6625839  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -1.7951675001020966  Latitude:  51.02568670095302  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Wiltshire

Historic County:  Wiltshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Odstock

Monument Condition

N part ploughed away before 1894.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Earthworks now lie in plantations and coppiced woodlands and light coppice bank extends across site.

Current Use:
Woodland  
Commercial Forestry Plantation  
Parkland  
Pasture (Grazing)  
Arable  
Scrub/Bracken  
Bare Outcrop  
Heather/Moorland  
Heath  
Built-up  
Coastal Grassland  
Other  

Landscape

Hillfort Type

Wooded, polygonal-shaped, univallate hillfort sited on N-facing downland spur edge at 110m O.D. overlooking the Ebble Valley to N and confluence of River Ebble with River Avon, just S of Salisbury.

Type:
Contour Fort  
Partial Contour Fort  
Promontory Fort  
Hillslope Fort  
Level Terrain Fort  
Marsh Fort  
Multiple Enclosure Fort  

Topographic Position

Located above the River Ebble to the north and the River Avon to the east at their confluence, on the escarpment of a downland spur. Formerly part-lying downslope to the north from the crest, now ploughed away.

Position:
Hilltop  
Coastal Promontory  
Inland Promontory  
Valley Bottom  
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop  
Ridge  
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp  
Hillslope  
Lowland  
Spur  

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Downland spur edge

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  110.0m

Boundary

N/A


Dating Evidence

None.

Reliability:  D - None

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC  
1200BC - 800BC  
800BC - 400BC  
400BC - AD50  
AD50 - AD400  
AD400 - AD 800  
Post AD800  
Unknown  

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

On Ist Ed. OS map (1871-81). RCHME measured survey South Wiltshire Project, ref. no. 831573.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   OS map
Earthwork Survey (None):   RCHME measured survey South Wiltshire Project.

Interior Features

No evidence for internal features.

Water Source

None

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

None

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features  
Round Stone Structures  
Rectangular Stone Structures  
Curvilinear Platforms  
Other Roundhouse Evidence  
Pits  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics  
Pits  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Finds

None

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds  
Pottery  
Metal  
Metalworking  
Human Bones  
Animal Bones  
Lithics  
Environmental  
Other  

Aerial

None

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked  
None  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roads/Tracks  
Other  

Entrances

The single gap towards the W end may not be original.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   The single gap towards the W end may not be original.

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (West):   Possibly not original.

Enclosing Works

Bank stands c. 0.9m high internally and to 2.3m above external ditch. Polygonal shaped with sides c. 70m in length. Two additional banks with ditches to E - relationship to other banks and function unknown. They could be hollow ways, remnants of a multivallation attempt or a more lightly defended late Iron Age settlement. Immediately to E broad level area or berm associated with bank and external ditch. This second ditch curves to meet that associated with the polygon and appears to cut through course of latter; however both constructions appear parts of same system.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   4.0ha.
Total:   4.0ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   N rampart destroyed before 1894.

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   0
SE Quadrant:   3
SW Quadrant:   1
NW Quadrant:   0
Total:   3

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  
Unknown  

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  

Surface Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Rubble  
Wall-walk  
Evidence of Timber  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
Other  

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Murus Duplex  
Timber-framed  
Timber-laced  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
No Known Excavation  
Other  

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✓   Two additional banks with ditches to E - relationship to other banks and function unknown.

Number of Ditches:  3

Annex:
✓   Possible annexe to SE and ditches E of annexe fade on flat ground.

References

Pugh, R.B. and Crittall, E. eds 1957. A history of Wiltshire, 1.1, The Victoria history of the counties of England, Oxford: OUP 268.

Sumner H. 1913. Ancient Earthworks of Cranborne Chase, 33.



Terms of Use

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and should be cited as:

Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk


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