| Summary : A Roman settlement comprising two compact foci of earthworks with banked and ditched enclosures and scooped platforms. It is situated to the north of Knook Down Castle, an Iron Age hillfort. The earthworks, which cover circa 11 hectares, have been surveyed by RCHME as part of the Salisbury Plain Training Area project. Occupation seems to have been present throughout the Roman period, with finds including a corn drying oven, painted wall plaster, brick flues, door hinges, locks, nails, glass, pottery and coins. A length of hollow way connects this settlement with Knook Down East. |
More information : ST 96104460; Roman settlement, noted by Colt Hoare who located a corn drying oven and finds including painted stucco, brick flues, door hinges, locks, nails, glass and personal ornaments. (1)
Roman pottery was recovered by Grinsell (2-3).
Coins of Allectus and Constantine (Salisbury Museum acc. No. 120/01) have been sited to ST 9604457 by Shortt. (4)
(ST 95904425, 96034450) Knook Down West consists of two, not necessarily contemporaneous, settlement areas; that to the south at ST 95904425 is under permanent pasture. A half dozen rectangular scoops can be traced within low, banked and ditched enclosures. `Old Ditch' boundary work is utilized as the western side of the settlement. The northern area of habitation is centred at ST 96034450 where hollow ways and the construction of deeply scooped platforms have almost destroyed `Old Ditch. The area would seem to be approximately 300m across and although well preserved identification of the shallower hut circles is rendered difficult by the denseness and depth of the rough pasture. (5)
No change under permanent pasture; report of 9-3-69 correct. (6)
ST960445: Knook Down West, settlement earthworks of 11 ha. The northern part of the settlement comprises of a central, open area from which, five trackways service a number of compounds, each containing well preserved structures. The southern area consists of three compounds containing structures. These two areas are separated by a field system but are linked by a trackway which follows the line of a pre-Roman linear ditch. Finds indicate occupation spanning the Roman period. (7-8)
No change. Surveyed at 1:1000 by RCHME field staff as part of the SPTA Project. For further details see archive report. (9)
The site is also noted in a gazetteer of villas. (10)
Knook Down West is situated circa 400 metres to the north of Knook Down Castle, an Iron Age hillfort. It has a compact pattern. It is connected to a similar settlement at Knook Down East, 600 metres to the east, by a length of hollow way. Knook Down West may have re-used a previous linear earthwork as a street giving access to the Wylye Valley to the south-west. (11) |