| Summary : A sub-rectangular, univallate Iron Age fort covering an area of about 230 metres square, situated on a gentle south facing slope above the steep river cliff of the Thames. The interior is occupied by Danesfield House (SU 88 SW 44) and during the Second World War was extensively ccupied by the military. Field investigations in 1974 found the hillfort to be bounded on the north and east sides by a rampart and ditch and outer bank. This was best preserved in the northeast corner. The southern side was bounded by a river cliff where there were no traces of artificial scarping. The western defences were destroyed by building and landscaping and only an inner bank and ditch at the extreme southwest corner remained and even this was obscured by a rock garden. No entrance was seen. In 1983, a shallow pipe trench was dug through the southern part of the hillfort. This produced Neolithic-Bronze Age flint flakes, but no features. Excavations in 1990 found a length of ditch of probable Neolithic date, plus a number of features of Middle Iron Age date including a possible sub-circular post-hole structure. It has been suggested that this hillfort was also the site of Bolebec's Castle (SU 88 SW 17). |
More information : (SU 81808435) Camp (NR) (1)
Dane's Ditches. The remains of an Iron Age camp of some twenty acres naturally defended by the Thames on its south side. The NE defences are bivallate with a medial ditch, while those of the E side have the outer rampart reduced to a slight counterscarp bank. Little remains of the W side and no original entrance can be detected. Langley (5) records the traditional proper name of Dane's Ditches and suggests that the site of Bolebec's Castle (SU 88 SW 17) lay here. (2-5)
Iron Age fort. Surveyed at 1:2500. (6)
Remains of a sub-rectangular, univallate Iron Age fort measuring internally about 230.0 m square, situated on a gentle south facing slope above the steep river cliff of the Thames, and now occupied by an RAF station. It is bounded on the north and east sides by a rampart and ditch and outer bank, best preserved in the NE corner and in the south by the river cliff where there are no traces of artificial scarping. The western defences are destroyed by building and landscaping and only an inner bank and ditch at the extreme southwest corner remain and even this is obscured by a rock garden. No entrance can be seen. The proper name, Dane's Ditches, is unknown locally.
Published 25" survey revised. (7)
In 1983, a shallow pipe trench was dug through the southern part of Danesfield Camp, from SU 8168/8428 to 8171/8441. This produced 3 Neolithic-Bronze Age flint flakes, but no features. The flakes are now in Bucks County Museum, accession no. 206.1983. (8)
There are no remaining traces of RAF occupation within Danesfield Camp. The name derives from mistaken attribution to the Danes, and appears to have first been used in the late 18th century. The farm occupying the site was known as Medlicotts prior to the erroneous Danish attribution. Small-scale excavations in 1990, associated with plans to turn Danesfield House into a luxury hotel, found features relating to military use of the area in World War 2 (Danesfield House was home to the Allied Central Interpretation Unit, headquarters of air photo intelligence), plus a single length of ditch circa 11 metres long and given a probable Neolithic date; and a number of pits and postholes of probable Middle Iron Age date (the dating based on pottery evidence). One possible sub-circular feature was identified among the postholes. (9) |