Camp on Nettlecombe Tout

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1002818
Date first listed:: 28-Jul-1958

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1002818
Date first listed:: 28-Jul-1958

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Dorset (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Melcombe Horsey
National Grid Reference:: ST 73682 03095

Summary

Part of a promontory fort 633m south-east of Spring Wood Farm.

Reasons for Designation

Promontory forts are a type of hillfort in which conspicuous naturally defended sites are adapted as enclosures by the construction of one or more earth or stone ramparts placed across the neck of a spur in order to divide it from the surrounding land. Coastal situations, using headlands defined by steep natural cliffs, are common while inland similar topographic settings defined by natural cliffs are also used. The ramparts and accompanying ditches formed the main artificial defence, but timber palisades may have been erected along the cliff edges. Access to the interior was generally provided by an entrance through the ramparts.

Promontory forts are generally Iron Age in date, most having been constructed and used between the sixth century BC and the mid-first century AD. They are broadly contemporary with other types of hillfort. Recent interpretations suggest that their construction and choice of location had as much to do with display as defence. Promontory forts are rare nationally with less than 100 recorded examples. The part of the promontory fort 633m south east of Spring Wood Farm survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, longevity, the social organisation of its builders, territorial significance and overall landscape context.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 13 January 2016. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument includes part of a promontory fort situated at the end of a very prominent and steeply sloping spur known as Nettlecombe Tout. The part of the promontory fort includes the sweeping arc of a rampart bank of up to 15m wide and 2.8m high internally with an outer ditch of up to 8m wide and 0.5m deep with a possible entrance to the south west.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: DO 360
Legacy System:: RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-201967

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.