Shoulsbury Castle

  Shoulsbury Castle, Devon is an Iron Age hillfort commanding the western approaches to Exmoor. Its single rampart and ditch enclose an area of approximately 2 hectares, while it has a further rampart and ditch on three of its sides. A Bronze Age burial mound lies towards its north-eastern corner.

Shoulsbury Castle became public access land under the CRoW 2000 Act and the Exmoor National Park heritage team needed a survey of the site to help them, in conjunction with local authority access officers, plan a route over the site which does not damage the archaeological remains. English Heritage's landscape detectives were asked to carry out the survey and investigation.

 During reconnaissance work the survey team discovered a previously unknown Neolithic stone setting approximately 300m north-west of the hillfort. The setting comprises two upright and four fallen stones set in a roughly rectangular pattern. These monuments are currently thought to be unique to Exmoor and are seen as part of the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age ceremonial landscape of the moor.

The full report on this site can be ordered online. To find out more about this project contact Elaine Jamieson in English Heritage's Exeter office, on 01392 824901 or e-mail elaine.jamieson@english-heritage.org.uk