| Print | More

VESPASIANS CAMP

ABOUT THIS MONUMENT

+ / -

EH Visitor Information
Related Monuments
Related Text
Investigation History

More Pictures
Modern Map
Old Map
Aerial Photograph

Monument Types
Sources
Thesaurus
Description

DESCRIPTION

+ / -

A univallate hillfort of probable Iron Age date, enclosing an area of circa 15 hectares situated on the southern end of a narrow spur within a meander of the River Avon. The hillfort has an entrance to the north and another probable entrance in the south. Road widening in 1964 showed the rampart to have two phases of construction, with pottery recovered from both phases (the first phase was associated with sherds described as Iron Age "A/B", the second with Iron Age "C"). The rampart survives to a maximum height of 2 metres on the west, north and south-east sides. Elsewhere it is present as a scarp with no surmounting bank. Part of the eastern rampart has been modified by 18th century landscaping, and a grotto (SU 14 SW 217) is incorporated within it. The interior was also landscaped during the 18th century when the hillfort was incorporated within the park of Amesbury House (SU 14 SW 261). The southernmost part of the hillfort is separated from the remainder by Stonehenge Road and has been built on.

DETAIL

+ / -

MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

+ / -

(SU 14641) Camp (AT) (1)

'Vespasian's Camp', an IA univallate hillfort enclosing an area
of 37 acres. There is an entrance in the north and probably
another in the south. (2-3)

This is an IA univallate hillfort with a strong counterscarp
along much of the western side and original entrances in the
N and SE, the latter where the present roadway cuts through the
camp. A gap about halfway along the eastern side is probably
modern. A cutting for a modern trackway at SU14494155 shows a two
phase construction of the rampart. During investigation sherds
of IA "A/B" pottery were recovered from the 1st phase and IA "C"
from the 2nd. These have been passed to the R C H M Salisbury.

Published 1:2500 survey revised. (4)

Vespasian's Camp covers an area of 15ha (37 acres) and is situated on the southern end of a narrow spur within a meander of the River Avon. The rampart survives to a maximum height of 2m on the west, north and south-east sides, elsewhere it is present as a scarp with no surmounting bank. Part of the eastern defences have been modified by 18th century landscaping with a grotto (SU 14 SW 217) being incorporated within the rampart. The defences south of Stonehenge Road are less well preserved, damaged by tracks and quarrying. The interior has also been landscaped during the 18th century when the monument was incorporated into the park of Amesbury House (SU 14 SW 261). By 1773 the interior was laid out with a pattern of trees and rides. (5)

The hillfort falls within the area mapped from aerial photographs by both RCHME's Salisbury Plain Training Area NMP and EH's Stonehenge WHS Mapping Project. It has been included on the survey maps, but is covered by trees, and no further information could be added from aerial photographic evidence. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1961

( 2) edited by R B Pugh and Elizabeth Crittall 1957 A history of Wiltshire: volume 1, part 1

The Victoria history of the counties of England LV Grinsell: Archaeological Gazetteer Page(s)261

(3) by Sir Richard Colt Hoare; introduction by Jack Simmons and D D A Simpson 1975 The ancient history of Wiltshire

Page(s)160, 170

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ANK 15-JUL-69

(5) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1979 Stonehenge and its environs: monuments and land use

Page(s)20-22

(6) by Frances Blore, et al. 1995 Archaeological assessment of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site and its surrounding landscape

Record number 950 Page(s)320

(7) Rosamund M J Cleal, K E Walker and R Montague ... [et al] 1995 Stonehenge in its landscape : twentieth-century excavations

English Heritage archaeological reports [new series]1 (1994) - 10

(8) Council for British Archaeology Group 12: Newsletter

R Canham. [proposed revision of scheduled area] Page(s)18-19

(9) RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment

English Heritage: Stonehenge WHS Mapping Project

RELATED MONUMENTS

+ / -

Monument Name/No

Resources

Description

MONUMENT NO. 219621
AMESBURY

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

Bronze Age bowl barrow situated within Vespasian's Camp (SU 14 SW 69), and listed by Grinsell as Amesbury 25. It was excavated in 1770, probably durin...

MONUMENT NO. 219624
AMESBURY

Monument Pictures
Monument Maps
Monument Investigation
Monument Sources
EH Visitor Information

Probable Bronze Age round barrow, listed by Grinsell as Amesbury 24 and located within Vespasian's Camp (SU 14 SW 69). Excavation in 1770, which recov...

MONUMENT TYPES

+ / -

COMMENTS

+ / -

Please help us keep our information accurate let us know if you see any errors on this page.

Further information about monuments may be obtained by contacting NMR Enquiry and Research Services , through the English Heritage website.

EH Archives
EH Prints
English Heritage
Heritage Explorer
Heritage Gateway
Images of England
National Heritage List for England
English Heritage Archive
ViewFinder