More information : (SY 12849134) Sidbury Castle (NAT) Camp (NR) (1)
Sidbury Castle: A kite-shaped hill-fort enclosed within a double rampart separated by a ditch of 8ft maximum depth. The inner rampart is 4ft high, with a 22ft escarpment, the outer one falls of on the natural hill slope. Small semi-circular platforms project from about the centre of each of the outer vallums on the long sides. Paths cross the southwest and east ramparts. A narrow elongated entrance formed by a 200 feet long extension of the ramparts at the northwest end of the fort confines a sunken road on a steep slope. The fort is the largest in the district being 1 300 feet long exclusive of the narrow entrance and up to 400 feet wide. A natural ditch over 600 feet in length has been formed by high ground within the south corner. Two perennial ponds one at each side, exist within the interior. (2)
In 1864 over a barrow load of sling stones were found in a cavity on the outside slope, of the southwest flank inner rampart. (3)
Sling stones from Sidbury castle are in Exeter Museum: Accession No A361. (4)
SY 128913. Schedule; Devon 254. (5)
This well preserved Iron Age defended settlement comprises a contour - following rampart, ditch and counter-scarp bank, with an east entrance. There is a pronounced quarry ditch around most of the interior. The outer slope of the ramparts averages 4.8m high, the inner slope has been cut back for part of its length to form a nearly vertical 1.2m high earth wall or hedge. The 1.2m deep ditch is well defined although silted up in places (SY 12999133 and SY 12979116); its counter-scarp bank merges with the steep natural hill-slope. The "small semi-circular platforms" (2) were not identified. Published survey 1:2500 revised. (6)
A rapid examination of air photography (7a) shows the earthworks of this hillfort/defended settlement. (7)
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