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KIMSBURY CASTLE

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DESCRIPTION

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Kimsbury Castle, a sub-triangular multivallate Iron Age hillfort, is visible as earthworks on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data. Located on Painswick Hill, the monument has three earthwork banks and ditches on its NNW-SSE and SW-NE sides, with its third WSW-ENE side being a steep scarp slope with no visible bank defences. Extensive medieval and/or post-medieval quarrying has taken place within the internal enclosure and a modern footpath cuts through the defensive banks on the SW facing side. The hillfort is visible on aerial photographs taken in 2014.

DETAIL

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(SO 869120) Kimsbury or Castle Godwin (NAT) Camp (NR) (1)

A fort of about 7 acres, probably of 1st.century BC, with three
closely-set banks with two ditches on its south side and the
remains of at least one bank and ditch on its north side. On the
south east side there is an inturned entrance (2) and
another gate on the northwest entered by "an escarpment track of
early date"; a "quasi-central well (of uncertain date) survives".
(3) A rusty sword and some spearheads were found here about 1749
and Roman coins had been found at various times (4). About 1921
Iron Age pottery, a bronze harp-shaped fibula (circa 200 BC) and
some 3rd.century AD red and black pottery were found near the
fort. (5) The fort has been known as Kimsbery, Kingsbarrow
Castle and Castle Godwin (a). (2-7)

A sub-triangular IA fort, bi-vallate, with a counterscarp bank on
the south and west sides. There is a berm partway down the outer
rampart. The steep natural slopes on the north side are
augmented by a rampart, little of which now remains.

The main entrance on the SE side of the fort has been mutilated
by stone quarrying, but the inturning of the inner rampart is
still well defined. A possible entrance in the NW corner is much
damaged and is utilized by a modern track.

The interior has been extensively quarried and the conical
hollow at SO 86931213 noted by Baddeley (3) is perhaps
associated with this; it is unlikely to have been a well.

Re-surveyed at 1:2500. (8)

A Roman-British pruning hook form Kimsbury is now in Gloucester Museum, (Acc no.A440). [Illustration and further detail included]. (9)

Kimsbury Castle, a sub-triangular multivallate Iron Age hillfort, is visible as earthworks on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data and was mapped as part of the Severn Vale NMP project. Located on Painswick Hill and centred at SO 86920 12108, the monument has three earthwork banks and ditches on its NNW-SSE and SW-NE sides, with its third WSW-ENE side being a steep scarp slope with no visible bank defences. A possible entrance is at SO 87052 12118 though extensive medieval and/or post-medieval quarrying has taken place within the internal enclosure, and so alterations may have occurred for the removal of extracted quarry material. A modern footpath cuts through the defensive banks on the SW facing side. The hillfort is visible on aerial photographs taken in 2014. (10-11)

SOURCE TEXT

(11) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SO 8510 10-JUL-2014

(10) Light detection and ranging (lidar) airborne survey

410 LIDAR Cranham Local History Society Lidar Survey Project 2009

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1955

( 2) General reference

Prehistoric England 1960 122 (N Thomas)

( 3) General reference

T Bristol & Glos AS 50 1928 28 (W Baddeley)

( 4) General reference

Hist of Glos 1779 592 (S Rudder)

( 5) General reference

JBAA 27 1921 105 (W Baddeley)

( 6) General reference

Camden's Britannia 1 1806 398 (R Gough)

( 6a) General reference

Mon Brit (Aubrey)

( 7) General reference

Painswick Official Guide nd 11 Map

( 8) Field Investigators Comments

F1 MJF 10-MAR-70

(9) General reference

Brit Archaeol Rep 69 pt.2 1979 676 (S E Rees)

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