Out & About November 2017

OA feature

PERBOROUGH CASTLE COMPTON

highest chalk hill in the UK – maybe even Europe, although this has not been verified. it is also the largest hill fort in Berkshire. Situated between Inkpen and Combe Hill, the fort covers more than 80 acres and the markings show it was kite-shaped. It had a single bank and ditch and two entrances. The fort is univallate and the top of the edge is about 16ft above the ditch. Walbury Camp is the starting point for the Test Way and the Wayfarers Walks and there is a footpath across the middle of the camp. It is popular with both walkers and cyclists. ( see Jonathan Hopson p5 ) The Berkshire-Hampshire border used to run through Walbury Camp and along the top of the Combe Gibbet long barrow – Combe parish became part of Berkshire in 1895. MEMBURY CAMP Situated on the high valleys between the Kennet and Lambourn, this hill fort lies for the most part within Wiltshire, but the north-east part is in Berkshire. The eastern part is wooded and is known as Walls Copse and used to extend about 250m eastwards, until Membury airfield was built. Beginners to Intermediates new Art Class 45"354 400/! Bring out your inner artist Beginners to Intermediates

Thought to be one of the earlier Iron Age forts, Perborough Castle is difficult to spot because agricultural erosion, particularly through extensive ploughing after the Second World War, has worn its shape away. A circular fort, it is recorded as having included deep pits and ponds. Several ‘cellars’ were said to have been found, containing burnt corn, while a number of Roman coins have also been dug – including 500 found in an earthenware jar.

Aerial view showing the shape of Membury Camp

On private land BOROUGH HILL CAMP NEWBURY



One of the smaller forts, covering a little more than half-an-acre, there is still some debate over whether or not this was actually a hill fort. Archaeologist Dr S Palmer mentioned the discovery of Iron Age pottery, but nobody knows where those finds are. In 1837, Alwyn Cotton states that the banks and ditches are clearly defined, but in 1963 an Ordnance Survey investigator was of the opinion that the field boundary and some sand diggings did not necessarily indicate a hill fort. It disappeared from OS maps after 1974

Aerial view showing the shape of Burrough Hill Camp

Ŕ "CTPMVUF #FHJOOFST UP *NQSPWFST +VTU -JLF :PV Ŕ XFFL DPVSTF Ŕ 5ISFF IPVST PODF B XFFL NPSOJOHT PS BGUFSOPPOT Ŕ 4UFQ CZ TUFQ HVJEBODF Ŕ 4VJUBCMF GPS CFHJOOFST SFGSFTIFS BOE BEWBODFE Ŕ .FFU /FX 'SJFOET -FBSO /FX 4LJMMT Ŕ %FWFMPQ ZPVS TLJMMT BOE DSFBUF ZPVS PXO PSJHJOBM BSU UP FOKPZ GPSFWFS

I]Z KmcZ BVWa 1V`Wab[Oa X]W\ ]c` PcWZRS`a ![ OP]dS U`]c\R ZSdSZ Oa bVSg `SaQcS O BcR]` `]]T K\Yb mci j]g]h XcbUhY jc`ibhYYf cf ^c]b h\Y BUh]cbU` Hfigh mcif giddcfh \Y`dg ig hc `cc_ UZhYf gdYW]U` d`UWYg ]b @cbXcb UbX h\Y Gcih\ 9Ugh giW\ Ug H\Y JmbY GUbX\Ua AYacf]U` 7\UdY` UbX H\Y 7\UgY Zcf YjYf Zcf YjYfmcbY" cVh^ʩcVahfigh#ʩf\#i`$h]Z"jmcZ

Gönnen Sie sich das! – Beginn in Kürze – Begrenzte Plätze STARTS SOON • LIMITED SPACES • CALL NOW FOR DETAILS St Marys Church Hall, Newbury 01256 810 933

BUh]cbU`Hfigh&$%+"H\YBUh]cbU`Hfigh]gUb]bXYdYbXYbhfY[]ghYfYXW\Uf]hm biaVYf&$),(*" D\chc[fUd\mBUh]cbU`Hfigh=aU[YgP?UfYb@Y[["

cVh^ʩcVahfigh

17