| Summary : A univallate hillfort enclosing 6.4 hectares at the west end of a broad spur. There are two original, opposed entrances on the west and east. The latter is flanked by a simple outwork, while the former is a simple gap between the rampart terminals. Within the enclosed area is another, partially concentric, ditched enclosure. Irregular in form, and subject to recent quarrying, it also features two opposed entrances on the same alignment as those of the hillfort. Excavations in 1924 by the Cunningtons recovered Iron Age sherds, although the inner ditch produced Grooved Ware and Beaker sherds, seeming to support more recent interpretations that notwhithstanding the absence of a bank, it may represent a henge. A Late Bronze Age sword was found during ploughing in 1704, and is now in the Ashmolean Museum. |
More information : (SU 188 338) Figsbury Ring (NAT) Hill Fort (NR). (1)
A univallate hillfort covering 15 1/2 acres with entrances on the east and west (2) and an irregular internal ditch, without bank, but with causeways corresponding to the two entrances (see plan (3) and air-photographs (4)).
Excavation by Capt B H and Mrs M E Cunnington (3) in 1924 revealed traces of a horn-work defence at the eastern entrance, evidence that the bank had been strengthened on two occasions, but no evidence of permanent settlement.
Finds included a few beaker sherds and Iron Age 'A' sherds of All Cannings Cross type, including haematite-coated ware (Phase 2), some earlier than the last addition to the SW rampart (2).
The Cunningtons conclude that although the evidence is scanty, the hillfort was constructed during the Iron Age 'A' period. The finds went to Devizes Museum (3).
A Bronze Age sword, probably of a type which survived into the Iron Age, found during ploughing in 1704 went to the Ashmolean Museum (3). (2-4)
The name of the fort has been incorrectly shown as Figsbury Rings on S Brit in the IA (1962). This presumably on the authority of VCH (2) Crawford (5) and Grinsell (6) who quote from Cunnington (3). She titles her excavation report "Figsbury Rings" without any apparent authority. Examination of the article would seem to suggest that the word "Rings" was used to indicate the excavation of two ditches and not as a proper name.
All these authorities (7, 8, 9 and 10) show the name as Figsbury Ring, including the National Trust, the owners of the land. (5-10)
An oval hillfort situated in a prominent position overlooking the valley of the River Bourne to the west. The defences comprise a single rampart 3.4m high above the interior of the fort and 6.0m high above the bottom of an outer ditch 0.9m deep. Outside this ditch is a counterscarp bank 0.5m high and up to 10.0m wide. Some 40.0m inside the rampart and parallel to it is a ditch averaging 14.0m wide and up to 4.5m deep. Many irregular pits inside the ditch suggest that this part of the work may be incomplete. There are entrances in the main rampart and the internal ditch in the east and south west. A 30.0m break in the rampart in the south may be either original or modern quarrying, as the amount of soil missing cannot be accounted for by infilling of the ditch.
Published survey 25" revised. (11)
SU 188 338. Figsbury Rings (Chlorus' Camp). Listed in gazetteer as a univallate hillfort covering 6.3 ha. (12)
Figsbury Rings was surveyed by staff of RCHME Salisbury office as part of a project focussing on the earthworks of South Wiltshire. The following is a summary of the detailed archive report:
Figsbury Rings lies at c147m OD on the W end of a broad spur and commands extensive views across the Avon valley to the W. It is a univallate hillfort enclosing 6.4ha in area. Causeways across the ditch give access to the interior through two original entrances on the E and W. The E entrance is flanked by a simple outwork consisting of a counterscarp bank c1,5m high above a short outer ditch now only c 0.4m deep. The W entrance is a simple gap of 10m between rampart terminals. The remaining interruption in the circuit of the rampart was created in order to allow the shortest and most gradual access to and from the former turnpike road 350m away.
Within the interior is another, partially concentric, ditched enclosure. This is very irregular, and has been subject to recent quarrying. There are two opposed entrances which share the same alignment as those of the hillfort. The recovery of Grooved Ware and Beaker sherds from excavation of the inner ditch have led to suggestions that it may have originally formed part of a henge whose external bank had subsequently been destroyed. (13)
Sub-oval enclosure broken by two opposed entrances defined by a ditch, lying within the ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort. Listed as a possible henge, although the absence of any sign of a bank is considered to make this less likely. (14)
The inner enclosure of the hillfort is reconsidered with reference to the Cunnington excavation, and the published account is considered to be inaccurate. The earlier prehistoric finds are also reappraised. (15)
Iron Age burials have been found at Figsbury Rings. (16)
Rectangular flints found in the inner ditch excavation are considred to be gun flints. (17)
An undergraduate dissertation completed in 2004 includes a geophysical survey of Figsbury Ring, and evaluates the site in the wider context of its surrounding landscape. The disseration reinforces the need to reappraise the site with possible explanations of pre-Iron Age, i.e. Bronze Age or Neolithic origins, although it notes that the current state of research is such that these cannot be conclusively proven. Dunn also evaluates possible parallels at Scratchbury Camp and Yarnbury Castle. (18)
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