Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN0466 Westbury Camp, Somerset

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Somerset 24269 (None)

NMR:  ST 45 SE 31 (194654)

SM:  1015500

NGR:  ST4920051100

X:  349200  Y:  151100  (OSGB36)

Summary

Slight univallate hillslope fort located at the edge of a limestone plateau on W side of Mendip. Very steep slopes to SW, level to modertate to E. Rocky outcrops in interior. On 2nd Ed OS map (1937-1961). Very narrow-topped bank some 0.7m-1m high, with external ditch 0.5m deep extends around higher N part of site, degenerating to a scarp on SW. Berm between bank and ditch on E side. Site much damaged by small quarries around perimeter and the narrow top to the bank suggests a dry-stone surrounding wall, possibly robbed for local field walls and limekiln outside entrance. E simple gap and causeway entrance c. 5m wide. This faces the plateau with its level/moderate approach. Small mounds in interior, one suggested as a round barrow, however all could be quarry spoil. Possible building platforms in interior. Linear banks outside and in interior are remnants of medieval field system; mistaken for an annexe in the past. The site has been suggested as unfinished, but there is insufficient evidence for this because of the recent quarry damage. Measured survey (Jamieson 2007). Undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -303834  Y:  6666833  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -2.7293846839834646  Latitude:  51.25673487797308  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Somerset

Historic County:  Somerset

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Rodney Stoke

Monument Condition

Damaged by limestone quarries.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Upland pasture. Bare rock outcrops.

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

Slight univallate hillslope fort located at the edge of a limestone plateau on the W side of Mendip.

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

Topographic Position

Prominent hilltop position

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

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Limestone plateau

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  260.0m

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 2nd Ed OS map (1937-1961). English Heritage Measured Survey 2007.

Investigations:
Earthwork Survey (2007):   English Heritage Measured Survey 2007.
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   2nd Ed OS

Interior Features

Quarry scoops in interior; possible hut platforms.

Water Source

None

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

Quarry scoops in interior; possible hut platforms.

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

Simple gap entrance with causeway c. 5m wide.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (East):   Gap with causeway.

Enclosing Works

Very narrow-topped bank some 0.7m-1m high, with external ditch 0.5m deep extends around the higher N part of the site, degenerating to a scarp on the SW. A berm between the bank and ditch on E side. The site has been much damaged by small quarries around the perimeter and the narrow top to the bank suggests a dry-stone surrounding wall, possibly robbed for local field walls and limekiln outside entrance.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   2.4ha.
Total:   2.4ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   S side degenerates to scarp.

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   1
SE Quadrant:   0
SW Quadrant:   0
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

Site has been suggested as unfinished, but there is insufficient evidence for this because of the recent quarry damage.

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:
✓   Very narrow-topped bank some 0.7-1m high, with external ditch 0.5m deep extends around the higher N part of the site, degenerating to a scarp on the SW.

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   Medieval field system linear banks mistaken for annexe.

References

Jamieson, E. 2007. Westbury Camp, Somerset: a late -prehistoric hillfort on the Mendip Hills, Centre for Archaeology Report series Jamieson E/2007/ archaeological survey/Report No 71-2007, Swindon: English Heritage.



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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