Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN0467 Roddenbury Hill, Somerset (Roddenbury Camp)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Somerset 24462 (None)

NMR:  ST 74 SE 2 (202867)

SM:  1008804

NGR:  ST798439

X:  379800  Y:  143900  (OSGB36)

Summary

Small univallate part contour hillfort 137m by 23m located in NE corner of Longleat Wood, at W tip of prominent Roddenbury Hill. On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900). Dense undergrowth has hampered investigation. Curvilinear in shape, defences most massive across ridge on E side, the bank 1.6m high with external ditch 1.8m deep. Elsewhere bank c. 0.4m high, with drop to outer terrace up to 10m wide. Defences disturbed on SW by sand digging. E entrance on top of ridge, with broad level causeway across ditch and rampart. Slightly inturned on S side. Small scale diggings for sand in interior, Minimal investigations, undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -254975  Y:  6655665  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -2.290477993413581  Latitude:  51.19390357676164  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Somerset

Historic County:  Somerset

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Selwood

Monument Condition

Affected by sand quarrying and digging since 19th century.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Dense undergrowth has precluded much investigation. Quarrying.

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

Partial contour fort following the contours on the SW and NW, cutting across on the NE, SE. Slight slope to SW. Located in the NE corner of Longleat Wood, at the W tip of the prominent Roddenbury Hill.

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

Topographic Position

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

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Prominent hill top.

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  175.0m

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 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900). Dense undergrowth has precluded past investigation.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   1st Ed OS

Interior Features

None

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

E entrance on top of ridge, with broad level causeway across ditch and rampart. Slightly inturned on S side.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. In-turned (East):   Level causeway. Slightly inturned on S side.

Enclosing Works

Curvilinear in shape, the defences are most massive across the ridge on E side, the bank 1.6m high with external ditch 1.8m deep. Elsewhere bank c. 0.4m high, with drop to outer terrace up to 10m wide. Defences disturbed on SW by sand digging.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.84ha.
Total:   0.84ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

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

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:
✓   External ditch.

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   None

References

Burrow, I. 1981. Hillfort and hill-top settlement in Somerset in the first to eighth centuries AD, BAR British Series 1(1974) - 91, 247.

Page, W. (ed) 1911. The Victoria County History of the County of Somerset, 2, 509-10, London: St Catherine Press.



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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