Malmesbury Cams Hill

Has been described as a Certain Siege Work

There are earthwork remains

NameMalmesbury Cams Hill
Alternative Names
Historic CountryWiltshire
Modern AuthorityWiltshire
1974 AuthorityWiltshire
Civil ParishSt Paul Malmesbury Without

The ringwork on Cam's Hill is a particularly fine example of this type of comparatively rare medieval earthwork. It survives in excellent condition and offers considerable potential for the survival of primary archaeological deposits and of environmental material. The strategic significance of the site and its relationship to other contemporary monuments within the vicinity, offers considerable scope for the study and interpretation of the medieval settlement pattern and social organisation in this area of the landscape.

The monument includes a ringwork on Cam's Hill, set in a good strategic position on the westerly crest of a north-south spur. This siting would seem to have been designed to overlook the valley of the River Avon, believed to have been an important routeway during the medieval period. The earthwork remains comprise a strong circular enclosure bank, up to 18m wide at base and averaging 1.8m high. This is surrounded by a substantial ditch averaging 4m wide and 1.5m deep, giving a total diameter for the site of some 50m. The ditch survives as an earthwork around the south and east sides only, but is also believed to exist as a buried feature around the north and west also.

The central area enclosed within the defences is characteristically small, having a diameter of only 20m, an area of some 0.03ha. This interior is raised slightly above the surrounding natural ground level to a height of some 0.5m. The internal scarp of the enclosing bank is lowered approximately midway along the south east quarter, representing the position of the original entrance. There are no traces of any structures in the interior of the enclosure. (Scheduling Report)

The earthwork remains of a small ringwork on Cam's Hill. It survives as a circular enclosure bank surrounded by a substantial ditch, now visible on the south and east sides only. The enclosed central area has a diameter of only 20m and is raised slightly above the natural ground level

There is evidence of an entrance roughly midway along the south east quarter. Possibly built circa 1144 as one of three siege castles built to besiege Malmesbury. The location of the other two siege castles is not known. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Behind a long bank, which has been suggested as a siege line but is probably a field boundary or park pale. If this line is a park pale then the enclosure may be connected to the park rather than being a military structure. However, this site is morphologically similar to known siege castles of the period such as Danes Castle, Exeter and The Rings at Corfe however, unlike these examples, in does not have a direct line of site of Malmesbury Castle, being on the reverse side of the hill.

- 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 ReferenceST940857
Latitude51.5707702636719
Longitude-2.08722996711731
Eastings394050
Northings185770
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • < >Duncan Wright, Michael Fradley and Oliver Creighton, 2016, 'Malmebury, 'Cams's Hill', Wiltshire' in Duncan Wright and Oliver Creighton (eds), Castles, Siegeworks and Settlements Surveying the Archaeology of the Twelfth Century (Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd) p. 96-104 < >
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of Wessex (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 94
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 499
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 239
  • Pugh, R.B. and Crittall, Elizabeth (ed), 1957, VCH Wiltshire Vol. 1 Part 1 p. 269
  • MacDonald, E., 1920, Castles of England and Wales Vol. 1 p. 228
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 1 p. 288 online copy
  • Britten, John, 1814, Beauties of England and Wales Vol. 15 Part 2 p. 622

Journals

  • Wright, D.W., Fradley, M. And Creighton, O., 2015, 'The ringwork at Cam's Hill, near Malmesbury: archaeological investigation and landscape assessment' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol. 108 p. 105-18
  • Creighton, O.H., 2000, 'Early Castles in the Medieval Landscape of Wiltshire' Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Vol. 93 p. 108 online copy
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127

Primary Sources

  • Sewell, R.C. (ed), 1846, Gesta Stephani, Regis Anglorum et Ducis Normannorum p. 59 online copy (The newer edition and translation by Potter, K.R. (ed), 1976 (2edn), Gesta Stephani (Oxford University Press) should be consulted for serious study. See also Speight, S., 2000, 'Castle Warfare in the Gesta Stephani' , Château Gaillard Vol. 19 [see online transcription > http://web.archive.org/web/20101229213751/http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/articles/speight.htm])