Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN4158 Dixton Hill Camp, Gloucestershire

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Gloucestershire 427 (None)

NMR:  SO 93 SE 7 (117928)

SM:  1004874

NGR:  SO98583065

X:  398580  Y:  230650  (OSGB36)

Summary

Possible contour hillfort located on hilltop of Dixton Hill, Tewkesbury. Steep surrounding slopes. Possibly natural or result of quarrying, but could be medieval motte or Iron Age hillfort. Mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage/Gloucestershire CC NMP (North Cotswolds and Forest of Dean) Project 2002-06. Remains of three linear banks, possible ramparts, recorded on N flank of possible hillfort. Circular mound of possible motte and bailey castle lies in prominent position on end of hilltop ridge, measuring c. 42m diameter, possibly with ditch. Beyond to N small enclosed area 70m by 35m occupying full width of top of ridge possible bailey enclosure, and divided from rest of ridge by cross-dyke. Rough pasture and woodland. On 1st Ed. OS map (1884). Despite substantial questions site is scheduled.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Unconfirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Unconfirmed

Location

X:  -225099  Y:  6795476  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -2.0220963067287037  Latitude:  51.97427641706067  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England; None

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Gloucestershire

Historic County:  Gloucestershire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Oxenton; Alderton

Monument Condition

It is possible that three banks exist - but uncertain.

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✗

Land Use

Pasture and woodland. Wooded surrounds. Possible motte and bailey castle.

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

Possible contour hillfort located on hilltop of Dixton Hill, Tewkesbury. Steep surrounding slopes.

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:  Hill top

Aspect:
North   ✗
Northeast   ✗
East   ✗
Southeast   ✗
South   ✗
Southwest   ✗
West   ✗
Northwest   ✗
Level   ✓

Altitude:  164.0m

Boundary

Boundary Type:  Parish/Townland


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:   Possible motte and bailey castle.

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

On 1st Ed. OS map (1884). Field investigation 1971 - no details. Aerial photograph Interpretation RCHME AP Primary Recording Project 1992-6. Aerial photograph Interpretation English Heritage/Gloucestershire CC NMP (North Cotswolds and Forest of Dean) Project 2002-06.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1884):   OS map.
Other (1971):   Field investigation - no details.
Other (None):   Aerial photograph Interpretation RCHME AP Primary Recording Project
Other (None):   Aerial photograph Interpretation English Heritage/Gloucestershire CC NMP (North Cotswolds and Forest of Dean) Project.

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

None defined.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
0:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:No related records

Enclosing Works

Forest of Dean) Project 2002-06. Remains of three linear banks, possible rampart banks, recorded on N flank of possible hillfort.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   Noneha.
Total:   Noneha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   Area not defined.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   Quadrants not defined, but possibly around circuit of hilfort existed.

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   None
SE Quadrant:   None
SW Quadrant:   None
NW Quadrant:   None
Total:   None

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:
✗   None defined.

Number of Ditches:  None

Annex:
✗   None

References

Burrow, E.J. 1919. The ancient entrenchments and camps of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham: Ed. J. Burrow.

Elrington, C.R. 1965 A history of the county of Gloucester, 6, The Victoria History of the Counties of England, 189.



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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