Details of the Hillfort on Pastscape
Hembury Castle is a small 5 acre plateau, now cultivated. The south and east sides of the hill have very steep natural slopes; on the north wide is a 10 ft deep bank and ditch. In the ditches were quantities of charred wood, and a mound, formerly southwest of the interior, was found to contain numerous skeletons, supposedly from the Civil War. (2-3)
Hembury Castle (name confirmed) is situated on a north-east spur at approximately 132.9.0m OD. The sub-oval univallate enclosure is 210.0m by 125.0m overall with no obvious entrance. The rampart has been almost entirely levelled and the most prominent feature is the ditch, 1.2m deep, with a counter scarp bank 0.8 high, in places replaced by a hedge. It is being gradually destroyed by ploughing, though currently under pasture; the southern part is now encroached upon by farm buildings.
The earthwork is typical of the larger Iron Age defended settlements.
