<< Our Photo Pages >> Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) - Hillfort in England in Wiltshire

Submitted by JimChampion on Tuesday, 30 December 2003  Page Views: 15069

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) Alternative Name: Spelsbury
Country: England County: Wiltshire Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Tisbury  Nearest Village: Swallowcliffe
Map Ref: ST963283  Landranger Map Number: 184
Latitude: 51.054031N  Longitude: 2.054165W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 3 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 3

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Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : The approach to the southeast side of Castle Ditches is flat, and the earthwork defences on this side are multiplied. This photo is a view along one of the ditches, from the eastern corner, with the hillfort interior towards the right. The earthworks are all densely wooded and at this time of year the ground is thick with bluebells. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Hillfort in Wiltshire

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Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : A profusion of bluebells, growing on the outer earthworks at the eastern corner of Castle Ditches. There are an additional two outer banks at the eastern corner, presumably to provide extra defences on the least-steep approach from the southeast. These may have continued along the southeast edge, beyond the original entrance, but any obvious evidence has been ploughed away in the intervening centu... (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : This is the end of the central bank on the southeastern side of the hillfort, where the original entrance cuts through it. It is now overgrown with hazel, birch and beech. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : This track winds its way through the multiple earthwork defences on Castle Ditches' southeast side, headed for the interior of the hillfort. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : The original entrance to Castle Ditches hillfort winds its way through the many banks and ditches on the southeastern side. This view is on the way out of the hillfort, with the butt end of one of the huge banks to the left. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : Bluebells and beech trees growing on the steep inner face of the outer bank, viewed from the track through the original entrance to the hillfort on the souteastern side. There is a deep ditch between the outer bank and the middle bank.

Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : Looking southwest along the outer bank and ditch from the original entrance on the southeastern side of the hillfort. Rights of way pass by the hillfort, but the interior is privately owned.

Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : View northwest towards Castle Ditches hillfort, with a field of bright yellow blooming rape in the foreground. On this side the hillfort is approached up a long gentle greensand hill from the foot of the chalk escarpment at Buxbury Hill and Swallowcliffe Down. The earthworks are multiplied on this side where it does not have a naturally steep scarps to protect it. The banks and ditches are now hea... (3 comments)

Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)
Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) submitted by JimChampion : Approaching the interior of Castle Ditches hillfort through the original entrance on the southeastern side. Along this side there is an additional inner bank, which can be seen here on the right and left where the track cuts through it. The interior is now used to rear game birds (hence the shelter on the left).

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 2.0km NW 323° Tisbury Circle* Stone Circle (ST951299)
 2.5km ESE 124° Buxbury Hill* Round Barrow(s) (ST984269)
 2.8km SE 134° Sutton Down long barrow* Long Barrow (ST983264)
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 8.0km SE 135° Marleycombe Hill, earthworks* Misc. Earthwork (SU020226)
 8.4km NNW 338° Grim's Ditch 3 (Wiltshire) Misc. Earthwork (ST931361)
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 10.1km SE 135° Vernditch Chase (North)* Long Barrow (SU03402113)
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 10.7km SE 138° Vernditch Chase (South)* Long Barrow (SU035204)
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 11.5km SE 136° Martin Down Enclosure* Ancient Village or Settlement (SU043200)
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"Castle Ditches (Wiltshire)" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Re: Castle Ditches (Wiltshire) by JimChampion on Friday, 11 May 2007
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From The Ancient History of Wiltshire by Sir Richard Colt Hoare (published 1812) Chapter No. 11 - Station 8: Fovant.


CASTLE DITCHES; but probably its ancient name was SPELSBURY, as a village immediately beneath it, still retains that appellation. It is so surrounded by corn fields and wood, that I perceived no signs of it until I found myself almost within the area of the camp. Its situation is very commanding, and many beautiful points of view are caught from its summit. This earthen work is strengthened by a triple row of ramparts, which are covered on three sides with wood. I can only speak with certainty respecting one entrance, which was towards the south-east; but there is a narrow adit on the opposite side. The area within the entrenchment, contains twenty-three acres and three quarters; the circuit of the outward vallum is seven furlongs, eighty-eight yards; and the height of the ramparts is about forty feet. The entire area of this camp is under tillage, and the greater part of the ramparts is so concealed by thick copse wood, that no adequate idea of their strength and boldness can possibly be formed.
The northern side and western sides of this Station, which are bounded by the river Nadder, have been for many years in a state of successive cultivation In vain therefore we may search for those antiquities which come peculiarly within the scope of our inquiry. From the name of Tisbury, I should have concluded there had been some earthen work or bury in its immediate neighbourhood, but I have never gained intelligence of any that is nearer to it than the strong camp of CASTLE DITCHES which has already been described.


Engraving of the camp's plan on Wiltshire County Council's website.
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