Battledown Camp Hillfort View all content for Battledown Camp

Visited 5.5.12 Saw this on the map and just had to try to check it out. The Hillfort is in the eastern suburbs of Cheltenham in the Charlton Kings district. This is another of those Hillfort which is slowly but surely being swallowed up by housing. Taking the minor road north off the very busy A40 we tried to access the site from the north. However we were met by private housing with various ‘Private Road – no access’ signs. At least the Hillfort is being recognised in some of the road signs – ‘The Camp’ and ‘Battledown’. No way in from this direction. We then drove around to the south of the site which is more rural and looks a more likely access point. There is no public access across the fields but from the road I could see a row of trees in the distance which I suspect is where you would find what remains of the defences? We were heading home as Karen had to get to work so I didn’t have time to try to cross the field for a closer look – maybe next time? E.H. has nothing to report on this site.

Posted by CARL 14th May 2012ce

Comments (5)
I didn't know this was a hillfort! Where did you find the info about it? According to the Battledown Estate website the earliest inhabitants were Saxon: http://www.battledown.co.uk/history.asp Pastscape has it as a natural feature: http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=117691&sort=4&search=all&criteria=battledown&rational=q&recordsperpage=10#aRt	Posted by thesweetcheat 14th May 2012ce
It is shown as a hillfort on an old map i came across - perhaps it was wrong? I checked the E.H. website but could find no information. As I said I couldn't get close enough to see if anything survives on the ground. The site is on a low hill in an otherwise flat surrounding.	Posted by CARL 15th May 2012ce
Interesting. It does look (from Pastscape) as though it was previously considered as a hillfort but has now been assigned to being natural. Perhaps the map you saw was before that change of view point. I'll have a look at some of the older large scale OS maps when I get a chance. There's no mention of it any of the Cotswold archaeology books I have. As the surroundings have been fairly thoroughly developed, I guess Iron Age finds would have showed up at the time? I know here were IA finds at Arle Court in Cheltenham. As a hillfort it would be rather dominated by Cleeve Hill above, especially with the Cleeve Cloud fort practically hanging over it. Could be a settlement site though. [Eds, perhaps a "disputed antiquity"?]	Posted by thesweetcheat 15th May 2012ce
'Disputed Antiquity' sounds fair to me. Thanks for the info TSC.	Posted by CARL 16th May 2012ce
I've had a quick look at historical OS. The last large scale (1:2500) map that shows it as an antiquity was in the 60s, prior to the building of various houses within the perimeter. Be interesting to know what archaeological evaluation was carried out. Also, some of the older maps labelled it as "Hewlett's Camp".	Posted by thesweetcheat 17th May 2012ce
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