Voley Castle

Summary

Slight univallate hillfort known as Voley 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 simple gaps in the earthwork or an inturned rampart, more elaborate outworks are limited to only a few examples. Slight univallate hillforts are important for understanding the transition between Bronze Age and Iron Age communities. They are geographically and numerically rare being largely confined to Devon.

The slight univallate hillfort known as Voley Castle is unusual for its type because it has an outwork. It survives well and will contain important archaeological information in buried layers and other deposits relating to its construction, use and occupation as well as environmental evidence concerning the surrounding landscape.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 21 October 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.

The monument includes a slight univallate hillfort with outworks situated on a small inland promontory overlooking the valley of the River Heddon. The monument survives as a subcircular enclosure measuring up to 68m in diameter internally, defined by a bank measuring up to 12m wide and 1.7m high and a partially filled outer ditch up to 5.4m wide and 0.6m deep. The entrance lies to the south. Beyond the entrance is a causeway across the ditch. To the south and west lies a second bank with outer ditch measuring up to 65m in length. This also has an entrance and causeway across the ditch in line with the main hillfort entrance.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

DV 50

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:- 34612

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