Soudley Camp
Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Ringwork)
There are earthwork remains
| Name | Soudley Camp |
| Alternative Names | East Dean |
| Historic Country | Gloucestershire |
| Modern Authority | Gloucestershire |
| 1974 Authority | Gloucestershire |
| Civil Parish | Ruspidge And Soudley |
Soudley Camp consists of an enclosed area of not more than one-eighth of an acre situated on the end of a ridge. The defences on the north and west consist of a bank of great strength with an outer ditch. On the south side the escarpment of the hill forms a natural defence and on the east there is only a slight bank (Witts).
A small level topped projection, triangular in shape, 150 ft long with a strong bank and ditch on the west. The other sides have steep natural defence. The gap in the bank seems to be modern or at least not original.
The small area enclosed and the massive bank, maximum 13ft high from the bottom of the ditch, suggest a medieval rather than an IA origin, and I have catalogued it as a castle (Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments).
This earthwork has the appearance of a small IA promontory fort. It is roughly triangular and occupies the end of a spur. The western and wider end is protected by a very large bank and ditch which is IA in character and has an entrance in the centre, the NE and SE sides are protected by precipitous natural sloues. The site overlooks the junction of three valleys (F1 ANK 28-MAY-70).
D J C King is authoritative on castles but the identification of this earthwork as medieval is rather conjectural. The only artificial defence to be seen is the rampart cutting off the end of the spur and this is generally 2.0m high with a 1.0m deep outer ditch. It has more of an IA appearance than a medieval one, where a defensive bank or wall would normally be carried right round the perimeter irrespective of any natural defence.
The central simple gap in the rampart has been defaced by modern dumping but is almost certainly an original feature. Excavation is necessary for certain classification but on balance an IA origin seems more likely (F2 NVQ 08-JUN-70).
SO 6614 1058
Investigation of molehills at Soudley camp produced 5 pieces of Romano-British Severn Valley Ware pottery, several pieces of haematite and bloomery slag, charcoal and a flint flake (Walters). (PastScape)
Soudley Camp (SAM59), a small promontory fort of indeterminate date, Lower Soudley. Possibly an Iron Age promontory fort or defended medieval site. (Hoyle 2008)
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 Reference | SO661105 |
| Latitude | 51.792839050293 |
| Longitude | -2.49203991889954 |
| Eastings | 366160 |
| Northings | 210580 |
