Summary

Part of a promontory fort 633m south-east of Spring Wood Farm.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 13 January 2016. 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 part of a promontory fort situated at the end of a very prominent and steeply sloping spur known as Nettlecombe Tout. The part of the promontory fort includes the sweeping arc of a rampart bank of up to 15m wide and 2.8m high internally with an outer ditch of up to 8m wide and 0.5m deep with a possible entrance to the south west.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Promontory forts are a type of hillfort in which conspicuous naturally defended sites are adapted as enclosures by the construction of one or more earth or stone ramparts placed across the neck of a spur in order to divide it from the surrounding land. Coastal situations, using headlands defined by steep natural cliffs, are common while inland similar topographic settings defined by natural cliffs are also used. The ramparts and accompanying ditches formed the main artificial defence, but timber palisades may have been erected along the cliff edges. Access to the interior was generally provided by an entrance through the ramparts.

Promontory forts are generally Iron Age in date, most having been constructed and used between the sixth century BC and the mid-first century AD. They are broadly contemporary with other types of hillfort. Recent interpretations suggest that their construction and choice of location had as much to do with display as defence. Promontory forts are rare nationally with less than 100 recorded examples. The part of the promontory fort 633m south east of Spring Wood Farm survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, longevity, the social organisation of its builders, territorial significance and overall landscape context.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-201967

Source: Historic England