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WESTBURY CAMP

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DESCRIPTION

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A slight univallate hillfort with earthworks enclosing an area of high ground on the edge of a plateau. The area enclosed is about 2.3 hectares, and of irregular shape. The enclosing earthworks consist of a bank and external ditch around the higher part, becoming a simple scarp curving down around the south west sides. The bank is no more then 0.7 metres high internally, and the ditch 0.5 metres deep. In the interior of the hillfort there are small mounds near the centre, and one of these has been identified as a possible prehistoric round barrow, but all may be spoil heaps from surface quarrying.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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[ST 4920 5112] Camp [G.T.]. (1)

Westbury Camp: sited on a hill slope. On the N.E., the defences,
consisting of mound with outer ditch, has been largely destroyed
by small quarries. As the defences go down the hill they become
weaker. (2)

A.P's suggest an annexe to the N.E. (3)

This appears to be non-defensive Iron Age earthwork of the
"hill-slope enclosure" type. It consists of a weak bank and
ditch, degenerating into little more than a scarp on the lower
southern side, with a simple entrance at the north end of the east
side. The very narrow top to the bank suggests that it may have
been surmounted by a dry stone wall. The stone from such a wall
would probably have been robbed for the modern field walls, or as
material for the old limekiln at ST 49355115 with which the small
quarries in the northern bank are obviously associated.
A field system, apparently associated with small Medieval farms
at ST 48885160 and ST 49755071, overlies the earthwork and part
of it has been mis-identified as an annexe.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. (4)

Along part of the east side there are traces of a berm between the
bank and the outer ditch and at the western angle shallow quarry
its occur internally and externally set back from the 'rampart'. Any
enclosure would have to be considerably stronger whether or not its
purpose was defensive, but the situation at the end of a spur
strongly suggests that this is an unfinished hillfort. (5)

Westbury Camp contains slight evidence of possible building
platforms (the shallow quarry pits referred to in 5 ?). (6)

ST 492512. Earthwork north of Stoke Woods. Scheduled. (7)

ST 492511. Westbury Camp, on west side of Mendip carboniferous
limestone plateau at circa 260m. A hillslope enclosure damaged
by surface quarrying. The main enclosure is surrounded by a
small narrow-topped bank about 1m high, possibly a dry stone wall
(reference to OS record). The interior slopes to the south west.
Apparently associated with the enclosure are two linear banks, one
running towards it from the north and the second from the east north
east. Both have been ploughed at their farther ends and are damaged.
The first appears to continue into the interior of the main enclosure, while the second approaches it at an acute angle and terminates just before the main enclosure is reached. Earthworks to the west of the site may be the remains of an early field system (ST 45 SE 65). The site is under pasture. Visited by Burrow 20-02-73. (8)

(ST 49205112) Settlement (NR). (9)

ST 492 511. Westbury. Listed in gazetteer as a univallate hillfort covering 2.4ha. (10)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) General reference

Ordnace Survey 6" 1960

( 2) University of Bristol Spelaeological Society proceedings

2 Page(s)284-5

( 3a) General reference

Aerial Photograph (3G/TUD/UK 19 Nos 5187 8 Jan 46)

( 3) General reference

Information from Hampton 06/05/1963

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

First OS Archaeology Field Investigator 01/04/1966

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

Second OS Archaeology Field Investigator 15/07/1966

( 6) Bristol Archaeological Research Group (B.A.R.G.) bulletin

1970 Page(s)21

( 7) General reference

English Heritage SAM List Somerset 31/12/1987

( 8) Bristol Archaeological Research Group review

1981 Page(s)229-30

( 9) General reference

Ordnance Survey 1:10000 1981

(10) by A H A Hogg 1979 British hillforts : an index

BAR British series1 (1974) - 62 Page(s)201

(11) General reference

English Heritage Schedule Entry 31/01/1997

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