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Blackbury Camp

Hillfort

Fieldnotes

Blackbury Castle / Camp - 27.9.2003

Located just to the North side of A3052 between Seaton and Sidmouth. A relatively simple way to get this English Heritage administered site is via a side road close to the junction with the B3176. However it is not actually signposted from this main road which is a pain if you don't have an OS map. If you do find this lane heading north from the main road, the site is then signposted at the next (left turn), and about 1.5 kms along this road the hillfort lies just south of this narrow lane. At the site itself it is signposted from the westerly direction, but not the easterly so you could miss it! The 1:25,000 OS map calls it Blackbury Camp. The 1:50,000 map calls it Blackbury Castle.

A small car park is located just off the easterly entrance through the large and very impressive ramparts. A board gives the following info, '"An Iron Age hillfort defended by a single bank and ditch forming a rough D-shaped enclosure. A triangular outwork or barbican was added to the South but never completed. The fort was probably occupied between the second and first centuries BC by a cattle farming community".

This is a fantastic and interesting 'hill fort' with impressive defences, and an interesting annexe on the south side. Trees also surround it, and it isn't on the actual top of the hill, but surely would have been quite an imposing structure. Despite being around 185 metres above sea level you cannot see the sea, which is blocked by one more hill to the south. Well worth a visit.
pure joy Posted by pure joy
5th October 2003ce
Edited 5th October 2003ce

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