Castle Ditches is the site of an Iron Age trivallate hillfort in the south-east of Tisbury parish in Wiltshire, England.
 Woods around Castle Ditches | |
  Shown within Wiltshire | |
| Alternative name | Spelsbury |
|---|---|
| Location | Wiltshire |
| Coordinates | 51°03′14″N 2°03′15″W / 51.0540°N 2.0542°W |
| Area | 24 acres |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
| Site notes | |
| Public access | no |
| Identifiers | |
| NHLE | 1005701 |
It is probable that its ancient name was Spelsbury; it was referred to as Willburge in Tisbury's charter of 984 A.D.[1] Its shape is roughly triangular, and follows the contours of the small hill upon which it sits. The earthworks comprise a triple row of ramparts and ditches, now covered on three sides by woodland. There is a large entrance towards the south-east, where there is the shallowest incline of the hill; but there is also a narrow slit on the opposite side. The area within the site encompasses nearly 24 acres (9.7 ha), and the greatest height of the ramparts is about 40 feet (12 m).[2][3]
Castle Ditches was recorded as a Scheduled Monument in 1932.[4]
Location edit
The site is at grid reference ST964282, about 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) south-east of Tisbury village. The hill has a summit of 193m AOD and overlooks the valley of the River Nadder to the north. Public footpaths surround the site, but the land is privately owned.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Tisbury Local History Society (1984). Looking Around Tisbury. Castle Cary, Somerset: Inkwell Design & Print.
- ^ The Ancient History of Wiltshire, by Sir Richard Colt Hoare, published 1812, Chapter No. 11 - Station 8: Fovant
- ^ "Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)". The Megalithic Portal. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
- ^ Historic England. "Castle Ditches camp (1005701)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 April 2020.