Roman camp 250m west of Hill Top Farm

Reasons for Designation

Roman camps are rectangular or sub-rectangular enclosures which were constructed and used by Roman soldiers either when out on campaign or as practice camps; most campaign camps were only temporary overnight bases and few were used for longer periods. They were bounded by a single earthen rampart and outer ditch and in plan are always straight-sided with rounded corners. Normally they have between one and four entrances, although as many as eleven have been recorded. Such entrances were usually centrally placed in the sides of the camp and were often protected by additional defensive outworks. Roman camps are found throughout much of England, although most known examples lie in the midlands and north. Around 140 examples have been identified and, as one of the various types of defensive enclosure built by the Roman Army, particularly in hostile upland and frontier areas, they provide an important insight into Roman military strategy and organisation. All well-preserved examples are identified as being of national importance.

The earthworks at Grewelthorpe survive well and significant evidence of their original form and the function of the enclosure will be preserved.

Details

The monument includes the remains of a rectangular earthwork enclosure situated on the top of a hill 1.5km north west of Grewelthorpe. It lies on the top of a gentle south facing slope with a steep scarp slope falling away immediately to the north. The enclosure has been identified as being a Roman camp. The enclosure has a substantial earthwork bank and an outer ditch enclosing three sides of a rectangular area of about 1ha in extent. The fourth (north) side is formed by the steep natural slope and was probably never enclosed by an earthwork. A modern stone revetment wall runs along this north edge. The earthwork bank ranges in width from 6m to 8m and survives to a height of up to 2m. The corners of the enclosure are rounded in shape. There are the remains of a ditch 4m wide and 0.5m deep along the east side. However, the ditches which originally followed the south and west sides have been filled in and are no longer visible as earthworks. There is an entrance into the enclosure on the east side. The wall running along the top of the bank, the fences, gates and trig point are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

29529

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Allcroft, A H, Earthworks of England, (1908), 306-7

Other
NMR record sheet, (1995)
Waight E, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, (1963)

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