Mount Caburn Camp, Glynde

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Other/Unknown), and also as a Questionable Urban Defence

There are earthwork remains

NameMount Caburn Camp, Glynde
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySussex
Modern AuthorityEast Sussex
1974 AuthorityEast Sussex
Civil ParishGlynde

The earthworks and interior of a small multivallate hillfort situated on The Caburn. Part excavation in 1937-8 revealed the hilltop to have undergone a complex history of development from the Iron Age to the medieval period. Initially, to 100 BC the settlement comprised an Iron Age open village, followed by a more complex fortified proto- "town" settlement from about 100 BC to the Roman conquest. There was evidence of further fortification at the time of the Roman conquest. Later phases of use included local reconstruction at an unknown date (probably Saxon) and a mid-C12 phase of refortification as an Adulterine castle. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

King calls this a possible site and writes' too large and weak for a likely castle; probably a fortified village' In King's terms 'possible' meant suspect. Reportedly capped with medieval palisade of no great strength. This prominent hill top site can never have an easy residential site since there is no comfortable water supply. Certainly for a high status residence of a horse riding elite the lack of water would have been prohibitive. The suggestion this was an 'adulterine' castle site seems to be one of received wisdom rather than something based on consideration of evidence. Even the idea that this was any sort of medieval fortification seems weak and the supposed weak palisade may well be a fence for stock control.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTQ444089
Latitude50.8616714477539
Longitude0.0508799999952316
Eastings544430
Northings108910
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Sussex (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 56
  • Guy, John, 1984, Castles in Sussex (Phillimore) p. 126-7
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 474 (possible)
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 126

Journals

  • Drewett, Peter L. and Hamilton, Sue, 1999, 'Marking time and making space: Excavations and Landscape Studies at the Caburn Hillfort, East Sussex, 1996 - 98' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol. 137 p. 7-38 online copy
  • Wilson, Arthur E, 1939, 'Excavations at the Caburn, 1938' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol. 80 p. 193-213
  • Wilson, Arthur E, 1938, 'Excavations in the Ramparts and Gateway of the Caburn, August - October 1937' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol. 79 p. 169-194

Other

  • English Heritage, 2013, Heritage at Risk Register 2013 South East (London: English Heritage) p. 14 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 South East (London: English Heritage) p. 31 online copy
  • English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 South East (London: English Heritage) p. 29 online copy