Enclosure in Cuilly

In pasture, located on the summit of a steep-sided ENE–WSW ridge. Slightly raised, oval area (44.8m N–S; 56.5m E–W) defined by a scarp, and enclosed at WSW–E by a fosse with remnants of an external bank. The enclosure encompasses almost the full N-S width of the ridge top. The enclosing scarp (H 0.5- 0.7m at W–E, 1-1.4m at SE–SW) has a slightly raised internal lip (Wth 1.5-2m) at N–NE, but this is not evident elsewhere around the circuit. At WSW-NW, the fosse is clearly defined and relatively narrow (Wth 1.8-2m), and is bordered externally by a low external bank (Wth 1.8m; int. H 0.3-0.4m; ext. H 0.2-0.3m). At NW-E the fosse appears as a broad, flat, very slightly sunken band (Wth c. 4m) of wet, rush-grown ground, and the outer bank is reduced to a low scarp (ext. H 0.3m) with a hint of an internal lip/cropmark (Wth 1-2m). The outer bank appears to be truncated at E by a later N–S field fence. At SE–SW the enclosure scarp is more pronounced, broadly splayed and merges with the steep, natural ridge slope, and there is no evidence of the fosse and external bank. The S third of the interior slope down to S, and in the SE quadrant there is a gentle slope down towards a gap (Wth 2-2.5m) which may be the location of the original entrance. A roughly E-W tractor track traverses the centre of the interior from this gap to an eroded break in the scarp at W. Slight remnants of cultivation ridges are evident traversing the interior on an ENE–WSW axis. Attached images: DG100-019----_01.JPG enclosure viewed from W DG100-019----_02.JPG fosse at W Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 15 April 2015

A local fairy fort (ringfort/rath); wider significance not recorded.