Grimsbury Castle

About three miles to the south of Hampstead Norris, and near to the hamlet of Wellhouse, is a large encampment called Grimsbury castle; it is of a circular form and was once undoubtedly a place of great strength.

Although situated on a high hill, yet it has within the ramparts a most beautiful spring of water which has never been known to be dry.

The entrenchment seems to have been extended on the south side of the hill for the purpose of enclosing this spring. This rampart appears to have had only two entrances, one on the north and the other on the south side; just within the entrenchment, at the entrance on the north, is a small tumulus, which was thrown up either as a mount of observation or defence, or for the purpose of interment.

Below the main entrenchment and near to the bottom of the hill, is another entrenchment which extends all round the north side: a ditch also crosses the high ground on the south side of the hill, which was most likely intended as a sort of outwork, it being a considerable distance from the main rampart..