Roundway Down Iron Age Hill Fort
Historical Wiltshire, England
About Roundway Down Iron Age Hill Fort
Perched on a steep chalk hill about two miles north of Devizes, this Iron Age hillfort — known locally as Oliver's Castle — has layered its history across several thousand years. The earthworks at the summit sit on ground that also shows traces of Bronze Age occupation, and the whole site now forms part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its Civil War nickname is something of an accident: on 13 July 1643, a Royalist force of around 1,800 men routed a Parliamentary army nearly three times its size here, and the fort was named after Oliver Cromwell even though he wasn't present at the battle. Below the escarpment edge lies the Bloody Ditch, where fleeing soldiers fell. The west-facing chalk grassland supports over 30 species of butterfly in summer, making that the most rewarding time to visit. Views from the top stretch across Devizes and the wider Vale of Pewsey.
Location & details
- Category
- Historical
- Region
- Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- 51.38057, -2.00121
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