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Vespasian's Camp

Wiltshire, England · Atlas EN0407

Vespasian's Camp is a contour fort in Amesbury, Wiltshire, England.

It is recorded as extant, with a univallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank, stone wall, and counterscarp bank, and an enclosed area of 16 hectares.

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

The topographic record places it on a spur and at 90 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes woodland and built-up land.

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

A scheduled monument number is recorded (219627).

Location

Atlas number
EN0407 (407)
Country
England
Current county or unitary authority
Wiltshire
Historic county
Wiltshire
Parish, community, or townland
Amesbury
National Grid reference
SU14704166
Latitude
51.17399
Longitude
-1.79108
Altitude
90 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
univallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
1
Number of ditches
1
Possible original entrances
3
Breaks through the ramparts
3
Enclosed area
16 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank, stone wall, and counterscarp bank
Enclosing works, excavated
earthen bank
Also recorded
multi-period enclosure system and ditches
Entrance forms
Simple Gap (North); Simple Gap (South east)

Landscape

Topographic position
spur
Aspect
level
Land use
woodland and built-up land

Dating

Dating
800–400 BC
Dating evidence
Artefactual
Dating reliability
B - Medium

Interior and investigation

Interior excavation
pits and postholes
Finds
pottery and lithics
Investigations
1st Identified Map Depiction (1812); Excavation (1968); Other (1984); Excavation (1987); Geophysical Survey (1995); Other (2001); Earthwork Survey (2016); 1st Identified Written Reference (1665-1693); Other (1878-1879); Other (1994-1995); Other (1996-2000

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
219627
HER
Wiltshire and Swindon MWI12551
National record
record SU 14 SW69; monument 1012126
Wikidata
Q31116825

Sources

References

  1. Anon 1998. Excavation and fieldwork in Wiltshire 1996, Wiltshire Archaeol Natur Hist Mag, 91, 152-66.
  2. Bowden, M. 2016. Stonehenge Southern WHS Survey: Vespasians Camp, Amesbury, Wiltshire:
  3. interim report on analytical earthwork survey. Historic England.
  4. Bowden, MCB, Soutar, S, Field, DJ and Barber, M. 2015. The Stonehenge Landscape: analysing the Stonehenge World Heritage Site. Historic England: Swindon
  5. Canham, R 1996. Wiltshire News _ Wiltshire County Council: Libraries, Museums and Art. CBA Wessex Newsletter April 1996. 18-19
  6. Cole, M. A. 1995. VESPASIAN'S CAMP, AMESBURY, WILTSHIRE, REPORT ON GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY, AUGUST 1995, AM LAB REPORT 44/95.
  7. Hoare, R.C. 1812. The ancient history of South Wiltshire, Vol 1, London: William Miller, 219-20, (re-published 1975, Wakefield: EP publishing).
  8. Hunter-Mann, K. 1999. Excavations at Vespasian's Camp Iron Age hillfort, Wiltshire Archaeol Natur Hist Mag, 92, 39-52.
  9. Jacques, D, Phillips, T and Lyons, T 2012 Vespasians Camp: the cradle of Stonehenge? Current Archaeol, 271, 28-33
  10. RCHME, 1979. The Stonehenge Environs: monuments and land use. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England/Edinburgh University Press: Edinburgh