Monument record MDO5180 - Enclosure on Ringmoor, Turnworth

Iron Age and Romano British settlement consisting of enclosures, ditches and trackways.

PREHISTORIC OR ROMANO-BRITISH SETTLEMENT (809095), on Ringmoor, lies between 700 ft. and 800 ft. above O.D. on a broad spur which slopes gently downwards from Bell Hill in the W. to the dry valley N. of the village in the E. The settlement is associated with trackways and with 'Celtic' fields (ST 80 NW 18). The top of the spur is largely covered by a layer of Clay-with-flints. The settlement site comprises a small oval enclosure with the entrance on the E. The enclosure measures 150 ft. by 110 ft. internally and is defined by a bank about 12 ft. across and up to 4 ft. high, with an external ditch 10 ft. across and 1 ft. deep. Traces of a second bank outside the ditch occur on the N. and N.E. Occupation features, chiefly in the form of levelled areas, occur within the enclosure, particularly along the W. side and also, in association with a small outwork, on the S. side of the entrance. A track 10 ft. to 15 ft. wide and flanked by low banks or lynchets of 'Celtic' fields runs from W. to E. down the spur, passing along the N. side of the enclosure; it is joined immediately W. of the enclosure by similar track running up from the S. Towards its S. end the second track enters an open area, widening to the S. and flanked on each side by 'Celtic' fields (cf. settlement at Meriden Wood (ST 80 SW 1); the track runs along the E. side of the area and disappears in a belt of thick scrub, to the S. of which the ground has been levelled by heavy ploughing. Air photographs show no sign that the track continued further southward, but they clearly indicate a second enclosure immediately W. of the open area; it measures about 200 ft. in diameter and retains traces of interior features. (2)

Record last edited

Aug 8 2023 9:32AM