Rybury

Nearest town:
Devizes (8km WSW)
OS reference:
SU083639
OS sheet:
173
Latitude:
51° 22' 24.78 N
Longitude:
1° 52' 50.68 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by thesweetcheat

Looking east from the earthwork on Clifford's Hill, towards Milk Hill, the highest point in Wiltshire. Over to the right of centre, Adam's Grave long barrow is prominent on its own hilltop.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.6.2023)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 1, 2024
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by thesweetcheat

Clifford's Hill, Rybury and Tan Hill from the ENE. There is an Iron Age cross dyke and Bronze Age barrows (very ploughed-down) on the facing slopes of Tan Hill. The linear earthwork is the later Wansdyke.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.12.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 9, 2016
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by thesweetcheat

The view west from Milk Hill – Rybury is the flat topped hill to the left of centre. Clifford's Hill is further to the left of that, while the bigger hill on the right is Tan Hill.

Image credit: A. Brookes (21.2.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 22, 2010
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by Chance

Western side of Rybury showing the depth of the surviving ditch

Excavation of the main site has shown ditch segments 2 m deep and flat bottomed.

Image credit: Chance - May 2008
Chance
Chance Jun 19, 2008
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by Chance

This mysterious megalith seems to have a seat built-in.

The inscription on the back reads

Molly William Daw 1916 – 2002

Image credit: Chance - May 2008
Chance
Chance Jun 19, 2008
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by Chance

This mysterious megalith sits on the Western side of Rybury. Probably not natural but may easily have come from a part of the ancient Avebury landscape.

The inscription reads

Herbert William Daw 14 April 1915 – 1 November 1993

Image credit: Chance - May 2008
Chance
Chance Jun 19, 2008
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by Chance

Looking North towards Tan Hill.

This section of the earth work has been flattened by the 18c. chalk diggings.

Image credit: Chance - May 2008
Chance
Chance Jun 19, 2008
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by Chance

Overall view of the Neolithic and Iron age outworks as seen from Tan Hill

The site's eastern side shows the Neolithic ditches the best.

The outer ditch being Neolithic, the inner being Iron Age.

Image credit: Chance - May 2008
Chance
Chance Jun 19, 2008
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Image of Rybury (Causewayed Enclosure) by Chance

The outwork of Clifford’s Hill as seen from Rybury.

This is on another smaller knoll, and is an arc with a chord of about 250 ft. with 7 segments of ditch.

Image credit: Chance - May 2008
Chance
Chance Jun 19, 2008
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Articles

Rybury

tjj
tjj Mar 16, 2011
comment 1 Comment

Visited Rybury hillfort today, walking through the mid-day mist from the village of Allington. Taking the hard surface track uphill towards the Wansdyke, it was easy walking; initially seemed to be a gentle incline but became progressively steeper, reaching 294 metres at it highest point. Earthworks visible to our left (near some sheep holding pens) as we reached the top of the hill . Amazing views of the rolling downs overlooking the Pewsey Vale; almost treeless apart from a few low lying thorn bushes, there was something beautifully bleak about the mist rolling across them.

Clifford's Hill was to our left as we walked across the high flat hill top. A walk downhill, then a surprisingly easy scramble up Clifford's Hill to the hill fort surrounding the summit. As with all of Wiltshire's hillfort's, fantastic views, in this case, towards Milk Hill. And a sense of the solitary. A windy walk along a ridge back down to the Pewsey-Marlborough road crossing over to Cannings Cross Farm where the footpath is clearly marked towards the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Misty, windy and thoroughly invigorating.

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Miscellaneous

Rybury
Causewayed Enclosure
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Aug 4, 2004
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Rybury began as Neolithic causewayed camp, like nearby Knap Hill, and is thought to date from about 2500BC. The hilltop is encircled by ditches crossed by causeways. It seems an excellent site to choose: a naturally isolated flattish spot, surrounded by steep slopes on a spur of the downs, with wide views of the vale below.

Later an Iron Age enclosure was built here – this is the period the bank comes from. Dyer (in 'Southern England, an Archaeological Guide') suggests that the site's eastern side shows the Neolithic ditches the best (the outer ditch being Neolithic, the inner being Iron Age?).

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Sites within 20km of Rybury

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