Oldbury Camp

1 A ‘quadrangular’ fort, ‘whose height and largeness do still shew the strength it was of’.
2 The camp crowns a rocky elevation 180m high. In the centre lay a Georgian mansion (PRN 258). The site has a commanding position, overlooking the vale of Leicestershire. The camp is oblong and of about 3 ha. The ramparts are well preserved on three sides and consist of a single bank about 6.5m broad at base and 2m high. Outside this is a ditch, well-marked to the NW and also evident to the SW. There are now three entrances.
3 In 1949 trenching was conducted in advance of construction of reservoir. Trenching to NW of site of Oldbury Hall produced no archaeological traces. To the NE a trench was cut through the rampart revealing construction of diorite rubble held on inside by a line of heavy packing. Also possible internal quarry hollows and a small ditch. A trench was also dug on the SW. One side of the camp is missing. Two mid-side entrances are evident. The NW entrance is not original, but the E may be. In the two cuttings the ditch was steep-sided with a narrow flat bottom. A flint chip came from a ditch near the N corner. Photographs from the excavation are in the FI file.
4 1973. Trial holes in advance of further reservoir construction produced no features or finds.
5 A deep diorite quarry has been dug to the N and NW of the monument and the NW bank and ditch have been badly damaged.
6 Early scheduling record.
7 Parallel to the SW and NE sides, with the ground falling away, there are indications of scarping to form outer defences.
10 An archaeological watching brief, and trenching, carried out by BUFAU during the construction of a waterfeed pipeline, failed to reveal any archaeological data.
11 SMC application.
12 Archival material from 1987
13 Archival material from 1949.
14 Archival material from 1971.
15 Schedule revised, 1999.
16 Photographs of the 1949 excavation.