Stonea Camp
Stonea Camp is an Iron Age multivallate hill fort located at Stonea near March in the Cambridgeshire Fens. Situated on a gravel bank just 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) above sea-level, it is the lowest hill fort in Britain. Around 500 BC, when fortification is thought to have begun at this site, this "hill" would have provided a significant area of habitable land amidst the flooded marshes of the fens. The site exhibits at least two phases of development over several hundred years of settlement, with a D-shaped set of earth banks surrounded by a larger, more formal set of banks and ditches.[1]
Roman control
The fort is a possible site of the battle of 47 AD mentioned by Tacitus, between the Iceni tribe and a Roman auxiliary force under governor Ostorius Scapula. It has also been speculated that the remains relate to the campaign to subdue the Iceni after the Boudiccan Revolt. Human remains have been found around the site including sword-marked adult bones and the cleaved skull of a child, indicating that the inhabitants were trapped and attacked within the settlement.
The remains of a multi-storey Roman tower have also been excavated within sight to the north of the Stonea Camp fortifications.[2] The building was possibly constructed to suppress further tribal rebellion or settlement at this site.
Excavation and restoration
Excavation work was carried out in 1980 by the British Museum, and restoration work followed in 1991 to recover the outer bank system and ditches which have been worn away by agriculture. The Cambridgeshire County Council Archaeology department has continued to carry out restoration work at the site. To prevent further damage by agriculture, the area is now designated as a pocket park[2] and scheduled ancient monument.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b Historic England. "Stonea Camp: a multivallate hillfort at Latches Fen (1012439)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ a b Stonea Camp Archived 21 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Cambridgeshire County Council, accessed 20 September 2013
External links
- 21 images of the site
- v
- t
- e
- Mowsbury Hill
- Maiden Bower
- Stonea Camp
- Wandlebury Ring
- Black Head
- Cadson Bury
- Caer Bran
- Castallack Round
- Castle an Dinas
- Castle Dore
- Castle Goff
- Chûn Castle
- Dodman Point
- Giant's Castle
- Kelly Rounds
- Kelsey Head
- Lescudjack
- Lesingey Round
- Maen Castle
- Padderbury Top
- Prideaux Castle
- Rame Head
- The Rumps
- Trencrom Hill
- Trereen Dinas
- Treryn Dinas
- Trevelgue Head
- Warbstow Bury
- Ashleys Copse
- Buckland Rings
- Bury Hill
- Caesar's Camp
- Castle Hill
- Chilworth Ring
- Danebury
- Dunwood Camp
- Frankenbury Camp
- The Frith
- Gorley Hill
- Hamble Common Camp
- King John's Hill
- Knoll Camp
- Ladle Hill
- Lockerley Camp
- Norsebury Ring
- Old Winchester Hill
- Oram's Arbour
- Quarley Hill
- St. Catherine's Hill
- Tidbury Ring
- Toothill Fort
- Whitsbury Castle
- Woolbury
- Bayston Hill
- Bury Ditches
- Bury Walls
- Caer Caradoc, Church Stretton
- Caer Caradog, Chapel Lawn
- Caus Castle
- Coxall Knoll
- Nordy Bank
- Old Oswestry
- The Wrekin
- Carl Wark
- Wincobank
- Ashleys Copse
- Barbury Castle
- Battlesbury Camp
- Bratton Castle
- Bury Camp
- Castle Ditches
- Casterley Camp
- Castle Rings
- Chisbury
- Chiselbury
- Chisenbury Camp
- Clearbury Ring
- Cley Hill
- Fosbury Camp
- Grovely Castle
- Knook Castle
- Liddington Castle
- Membury Camp
- Old Sarum
- Ringsbury Camp
- Roundway Down
- Scratchbury Camp
- Sidbury Hill
- Vespasian's Camp
- Winkelbury Camp
- Yarnbury Castle
52°30′59″N 0°07′57″E / 52.5165°N 0.1324°E / 52.5165; 0.1324