MONUMENT NO. 205085

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DESCRIPTION

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Earthwork remains of a Saxo-Norman-14th century ringwork which has now been largely destroyed. The rampart was rebuilt between the 12th and 14th centuries. There are foundations of four possible buildings on the site.

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(Area centred ST 76778960) A supposed ringwork in the field called 'Very' or 'Berry' Croft adjoining Hillsley church was levelled in 1979 to make a playing field. It had been surveyed earlier and excavation took place during its almost total destruction, see plan (1).

The earthworks almost certainly represented a fortified Saxo-Norman manorial complex or burgeat, the initial defence being a 7m. wide horseshoe-shaped earthen rampart. It was revetted with unmortared stone inside and probably with timber outside.

The rampart was rebuilt between the 12th and 14th centuries with an unmortared stone revetting wall on its outer edge, the rampart being heightened with soil dumped against the wall's inner face. A defensive ditch was dug during this period which resulted in the formation of a counterscarp bank (earthwork 2).

The ringwork had lost its defensive use by the end of the 14th century; the stone revetment was then demolished and the site completely covered with re-deposited material.

Subsequently four buildings with stone foundations were built on the north part of the site but no dating evidence could be found for them. On a small mound SE of earthwork 1 the stone foundations of a building, which probably had a wattle and daub superstructure, were revealed which had been demolished by the 15th century.
Finds from the excavation are now in Bristol City Museum. (1-2)

Additional bibliography-as above (3) ST 767896:The earthwork site at Hillesley was levelled in 1979 and the salvage excavation undertaken by Bristol City Museum directed by Bruce Williams. The site had been cut by a sewerage pipe in 1977 and a watching brief carried out. The results of this and historical research by John Ainslie will be published with the 1979 excavation. The site probably represented a ringwork and an earlier phase with stone ramparts was noted (See Illustration Card for plan). (3-4)

Taking the limited excavation into account, the site appears to have originated as a defended Saxo-Norman ringwork. The finds were poorly stratified in all the areas examined, so interpretation of the later phases is tenuous, although it appears that the site had become disused in the 14th century. The strengthening of the defences may have occurred during the uprising against William Rufus in the late 11th century, and the construction of the 4 buildings on the North rampart, although not closely dated, was subsequent to the siduse of the site. (5)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

(eds L E Webster & J Cherry) 24 - 1980 Page(s)247

( 2) Bristol Archaeological Research Group (B.A.R.G.) bulletin

(B Williams) 6 - 1979 Page(s)204-6

( 3) Bristol & Avon Archaeological Society Bristol & Avon archaeology

(R Iles) 2 - 1983 Page(s)55

( 4) Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society

(P Ellis) 102 - 1984 Page(s)206-7

(5) Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society

105 Page(s)147-163

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