Hardwell Castle
Encyclopedia
Hardwell Castle or Hardwell Camp is classed as an Iron Age
valley fort
, although, like nearby Cherbury Camp
, it is not clearly in a strategic or easily defended position. It lies halfway down the scarp
slope of the White Horse Hills and is tucked away in a curve, invisible from most angles. This particular positioning suggests its builders had a specialist purpose in mind, although exactly what that may have been remains a mystery. It is 'multi-vallate', like Cherbury Camp. It is unexcavated and therefore very little is known about it.
of Compton Beauchamp
in the Vale of White Horse
, very close to the small settlements of both Compton Beauchamp and Knighton, 2 miles from Uffington
and 1 mile from the hilltop Uffington Castle
.
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
valley fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
, although, like nearby Cherbury Camp
Cherbury Camp
Cherbury Camp is the name given to the 'multi-vallate' hill-fort-like earthworks, situated at , 1 mile to the north of Charney Bassett, in the Vale of White Horse district of Oxfordshire, England. It is joined to the village by a footpath....
, it is not clearly in a strategic or easily defended position. It lies halfway down the scarp
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
slope of the White Horse Hills and is tucked away in a curve, invisible from most angles. This particular positioning suggests its builders had a specialist purpose in mind, although exactly what that may have been remains a mystery. It is 'multi-vallate', like Cherbury Camp. It is unexcavated and therefore very little is known about it.
Location
The site can be found at . It is situated in the civil parishCivil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Compton Beauchamp
Compton Beauchamp
Compton Beauchamp is a hamlet and civil parish southeast of Shrivenham in the Vale of White Horse. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Location:...
in the Vale of White Horse
Vale of White Horse
The Vale of White Horse is a local government district of Oxfordshire in England. The main town is Abingdon, other places include Faringdon and Wantage. There are 68 parishes within the district...
, very close to the small settlements of both Compton Beauchamp and Knighton, 2 miles from Uffington
Uffington, Oxfordshire
Uffington is a village and civil parish about south of Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire. Uffington is most commonly known as the location of the Uffington White Horse hill figure....
and 1 mile from the hilltop Uffington Castle
Uffington Castle
Uffington Castle is all that remains of an early Iron Age hill fort in Oxfordshire, England. It covers about 32,000 square metres and is surrounded by two earth banks separated by a ditch with an entrance in the eastern end...
.