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.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

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.

Source: Historic England

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)

Source: Historic England