More information : (SP 25153450) INTRENCHMENTS (OE) (1)
"Great Wolford - This elevated village, well placed on a triangle
of land above the junction of two little streams, was," formerly
defended by entrenchments running all round it; they probably
enclosed an area of about 30 acres. Even within the memory of
people still living ramparts well nigh encircled the village.
But they have now been practically levelled, except upon one
side, that to the East and South East. Here too they have been
considerably mutilated in places. The extant defences show
formidable double ramparts with intervening fosse, all placed
upon the top of a steep decline which slopes down to the valley of
the Nethercote Brook; they are perhaps best preserved at the
South East corner, where water still lies in a ditch which
is 15' in width. The vallum at this point is 25' high above the
water, and the inner bank on 20' high, the enclosed village being on
level with the top of it; an inner vallum in all probability once
existed here, which has apparently been demolished at some time or
other for agricultural purposes.
A road running from south-east to north through the village was
formerly known as the Ridgeway, and in old deeds a meadow near
it on the north is called the Port meadow. An old track-way runs
through a gap in the ramparts directly east from the Ridgeway.
There are, unfortunately, no records of antiquities having been
unearthed here when the banks were demolished, to throw light
upon their age or origin." (2)
"Visited 16.5.56 with G. Webster. The main feature is a large
ditch, now 20' - 25' at the bottom; this was evidently
designed to be fed by a spring, and is still wet at the S. end and
marshy in the middle. Most of upcast has been thrown on the
outer side, making a bank approx. 8' high above the present
bottom of the ditch: the inner bank on the W. of the ditch is
very slight. The field to the E. has been ploughed with broad
rig and furrow. (3)
Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (4)
Great Wolford. The name is probably derived from 'wulf' (wolf)
and 'weard'. The latter word must have its sense of 'watching
protection' or possibly 'ambuscade'. The name would refer to a spot
where a watch was kept for wolves --- In support of its use for
watching purposes we note the existence of "relics of ancient
entrenchments" at Great Wolford. (5)
A defensive earthwork. In character the work resembles a late
medieval although I do not know of a parallel. It was possibly
erected either at the time of the Civil War (which was very active
hereabouts) or earlier, as suggested by 5, as a wolf defence.
Published survey (25") revised
There are no traces of further works to complete the village
encirclement. (6)
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