Reasons for Designation
The north Oxfordshire Grim's Ditch is a series of discrete linear earthworks
of Iron Age date which together make up at least one segmented circuit,
situated between the valleys of the Rivers Evenlode, Glyme and Windrush in an
area of the eastern Cotswolds. In recent years evidence for an outer
concentric circuit has come to light, largely from the study of cropmarks
visible on aerial photographs. The area enclosed by the inner circuit is 12 sq
km and the outer circuit encloses between 60 and 70 sq km. The earthworks
which define this area were only built in open country leaving apparent gaps
in the areas previously forested.
Where visible, the Grim's Ditch always includes a rampart of dumped earth and
stone, a berm and outer ditch and, in places, a narrow palisade trench beyond.
It is believed that, together, these components served to enclose and divide
an area of land and provide control over access through the open country which
existed between heavily forested areas.
The ditch is Iron Age in date and provides evidence of how the landscape was
managed and divided in the period immediately prior to the Roman Conquest. The
high concentration of sites representing Iron Age ritual and agricultural
activity which occur within the area defined by the ditch confirms the view
that it served to define an area which was of particular significance to its
builders.
All sections surviving as visible earthworks, and sections identified by
aerial photography which are integral to a general understanding of the nature
and extent of Grim's Ditch, will normally merit statutory protection.
Details
The monument includes a short section of the north Oxfordshire Grim's Ditch
situated 200m west of Grimsdyke Farm. The ditch runs from west to east down
a gentle slope before forming the north eastern turn of the ditch system. Here
it probably abutted the edge of a contemporary wood.
This section of the monument includes a 5m wide rampart. This originally stood
c.1.5m high but has been reduced by cultivation to a low stone spread visible
as a slight rise in an arable field c.0.2m high. It is known from excavation
and aerial photographs that a 1.5m wide berm lies to the north of this,
separating the rampart from a 5.8m wide and 1.5m deep ditch. This ditch was
originally open but it has become infilled over the years and now survives
below the modern ploughsoil.
From evidence recovered on other sections of the Grim's Ditch, it is known
that a palisade trench 0.5m wide and c.0.2m deep is situated c.3.75m north of
the outside edge of the ditch. This would have contained a wooden fence or
palisade c.1m high which would have added to the defences and prevented cattle
and other stock from falling into the ditch.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21849
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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.
End of official list entry
