Holne Chase Castle

Summary

Slight univallate hillfort called Holne Chase Castle.

Reasons for Designation

Slight univallate hillforts are defined as enclosures of various shapes, generally between 1ha and 10ha in size, situated on or close to hilltops and defined by a single line of earthworks, the scale of which is relatively small. They date to between the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (eighth - fifth centuries BC), the majority being used for 150 to 200 years prior to their abandonment or reconstruction. Slight univallate hillforts have generally been interpreted as stock enclosures, redistribution centres, places of refuge and permanent settlements. The earthworks generally include a rampart, narrow level berm, external ditch and counterscarp bank, while access to the interior is usually provided by two entrances comprising either simple gaps in the earthwork or an inturned rampart. Slight univallate hillforts are rare nationally, although in Devon they comprise one of the major classes of hillfort. Slight univallate hillforts are important for understanding the transition between Bronze Age and Iron Age communities. Despite stone quarrying, mineral extraction and charcoal burning in and around the hillfort, Holne Chase Castle survives comparatively well and will contain important archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, use and landscape context.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 4 November 2015. 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 a slight univallate hillfort situated on the north facing side of a prominent hill called Holne Chase overlooking the valley of the River Dart. The hillfort survives as an oval enclosure measuring 120m long by 96m wide internally, defined by a single rampart and ditch with a counterscarp bank present to the north east, west and south west. It has two entrances, a simple gap to the south east and an inturned entrance to the south west. Within the enclosure are four circular cairns and two rectangular depressions thought to be a result of stone quarrying and excavation trenches. Finds of a partial excavation in 1905 produced pottery and Iron Age currency bars.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

DV 251

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No: 445282
Riley, H, Holne Chase Castle, Holne, Devon: a new survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, Devon Archaeological Society Proceedings, No.53, (1995), 91 - 95

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