More information : [Centred at SU 419 987] Camp [O.E.] (1) [Centred at SZ 4195 9873] A promontory fort with a single bank well preserved on N & NE (where the entrance appears to have been) but largely destroyed to the south. The bank is broad and much spread, with ditch to the east. The hollow marking the course of the ditch is visible but has been mutilated by later operations in the area. (2) There are no earthworks now evident at Exbury - though the name is suggestive. (3) [Centred at SZ 4192 9872] A promontory fort defended on the West by the River Beaulieu and on the East by a bank and outer ditch. From 'A' to 'B' the bank is low-spread, about 22m across and 1m high, with slight traces of the ditch to either side of a fairly old track at 'C'. South of 'B' the only trace of the rampart is a slight inner scarp which merges into a large bulge. 'D'. This bulge - 16m across & 0.9m high - may be part of the rampart but it has a very natural appearance. South of 'D' any continuation of the bank has been destroyed by salterns SZ 49 NW 2. There is no obvious gap in the NE part of the defences but this part of the bank, and most of the interior of the fort, has been much mutilated by (? gravel) digging. (4) A survey of this earthwork has been made. It is as described in 4. except in two particulars. Firstly there are no clearly identifiable remains of an outer ditch, only an unrelated scarp, (possibly a result of field-bank construction). Secondly the bank is continuous, in whole or in part, between C and D, though it has been very much spread. The bank extends from SZ 41909885 to SZ 41959868 (5) No change. AM retained at FSG Lymington. (6)
Survey by RCHME in 1996 identified a 7m wide breach in the rampart, c40m S of embanked track (SZ 49 NW 31) which may be an original entrance. S of the possible entrance the bank becomes much more denuded, although its course was traced for a further c80m, curving towards the SW. To the N of the trackway, a poorly preserved outer ditch, up to 7m wide and 0.2m deep is visible running contiguous with the bank and is undoubtedly contemporary. Traces of ridge and furrow were observed within the interior, to the S of the embanked track. Also remains of a post-medieval field boundary and the possible sites of two buildings. A full survey report is available in the NMR Archives. (7) |