Castle Ditches

Castle Ditches is the site of an Iron Age trivallate hillfort in the south-east of Tisbury parish in Wiltshire [1]. It is probable that its ancient name was Spelsbury; it was referred to as Willburge in Tisbury's charter of 984 A.D. Its shape is roughly triangular, and follows the contours of the small hill upon which it sits [1]. The earthworks comprise a triple row of ramparts and ditches, now covered on three sides by woodland [1]. There is a large entrance towards the south-east, where there is the shallowest incline of the hill; but there is also a narrow slit on the opposite side [1]. The area within the site encompasses nearly 24 acres (9.7 ha), and the greatest height of the ramparts is about 40 feet (12 m) [1]. The hill has a summit of 193m AOD and overlooks the valley of the River Nadder to the north [1].