More information : SN 03043613 East Castle (NAT) Enclosure (NR) (1)
An irregular circular univallate earthwork, enclosing 3/4 acre, with
an outer ditch. (2)
Considered by P F Ewence and S Piggott to be a farm enclosure of
Little Woodbury type (2). Within it is a bowl barrow (Steeple Langford 10), diameter 10 paces, height 1ft, excavated by Colt Hoare who found sherds of "British pottery" and a bone pin but no interment. (3)
Surveyed at 1:2500, utilising RCHM 1:1250 plan. (4)
East Castle occupies slightly sloping ground on the N crest of a
dominant E-W ridge overlooking the Nadder valley.
It comprises a sub circular enclosure of bank with outer ditch,
measuring some 50.0m in diameter internally, and with a single,
simple, entrance of causeway and gap in the east side. Where best
preserved (on the South side) the ditch is 0.5m in depth with the
bank rising 1.0m above the bottom and 0.5m above the interior. On this side there is a faint suggestion of a narrow berm between ditch and bank.
The interior is covered in tall hummocky grass and so far as can be
judged is featureless except for the supposed tumulus. It is
inconceivable that a barrow could survive in such a small occupation
area and in view of the nature of Colt Hoare's finds and the absence
of a burial it is best treated with reserve.
The work is accepted as a homestead/settlement site by RCHM and is
apparently to be the subject of a phosphate survey by the BM in 1975.
(5) |