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Barbury Castle

Wiltshire, England · Atlas EN0387

Barbury Castle is a contour fort in Ogbourne St Andrew, Wiltshire, England.

It is recorded as extant, with a bivallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank, rubble, and counterscarp bank, and an enclosed area of 4.5 hectares.

Banks or ramparts are the remains most likely to be visible.

The topographic record places it on an inland promontory and at 265 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes pasture.

Dating evidence is recorded for 800–400 BC and 400 BC–AD 50 (Artefactual). Reliability is recorded as B - Medium.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (1014557).

Location

Atlas number
EN0387 (387)
Country
England
Current county or unitary authority
Wiltshire
Historic county
Wiltshire
Parish, community, or townland
Ogbourne St Andrew
National Grid reference
SU14937628
Latitude
51.48527
Longitude
-1.78635
Altitude
265 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
bivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
2
Number of ditches
2
Possible original entrances
2
Breaks through the ramparts
2
Enclosed area
4.5 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank, rubble, and counterscarp bank
Also recorded
multi-period enclosure system and ditches
Entrance forms
Outworks (East); Passage-way/Corridor (West)

Landscape

Topographic position
inland promontory
Aspect
level
Land use
pasture

Dating

Dating
800–400 BC and 400 BC–AD 50
Dating evidence
Artefactual
Dating reliability
B - Medium

Interior and investigation

Interior surface
curvilinear platforms
Finds
pottery and metal
Investigations
1st Identified Map Depiction (1886); Excavation (1933); Geophysical Survey (1996); Earthwork Survey (1998); Other (2003); Other (2009); 1st Identified Written Reference (1665-1693); Excavation (1870-1875); Excavation (1939-1945)

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
1014557
HER
Wiltshire and Swindon MWI15208
National record
record SU 17 NW 8; monument 221369
Wikidata
Q807881

Sources

References

  1. Bowden M. 2005. The middle Iron Age on the Marlborough Downs, in eds G. Brown, D. Field and D. McOmish, The Avebury landscape, Oxford: Oxbow Books, 156-63.
  2. McQueen, M. 2009. Barbury Castle Environs: air photo survey and analysis: special project report, Archaeology Report No 81-2009.
  3. MacGregor, M. and and Simpson, D.D.A. 1963. A group of iron objects from Barbury Castle, Wilts, Wiltshire Archaeol Natur Hist Mag, 58, 394-402.
  4. Payne, A., Corney, M. and Cunliffe, B. 2006. The Wessex Hillforts Project. Extensive survey of hillfort interiors in Cenral Southern England, London: English Heritage, 98-103.
  5. Pugh, R.B. and Crittall, E. 1957. A history of Wiltshire, 1.1, The Victoria History of the Counties of England, London: OUP, 94, 268.