Castle Goff facts for kids
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Location | Near Camelford, Cornwall |
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Coordinates | 50°36′42″N 4°42′39″W / 50.61167°N 4.71083°W |
Type | Enclosure |
Diameter | 60 metres (66 yd) |
History | |
Periods | Iron Age |
Designated | 10 January 1972 |
Reference no. | 1004274 |
Castle Goff is an ancient site located in Cornwall, England. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-west of the town of Camelford. This special place is a type of old settlement called a "round." Today, Castle Goff is protected as a scheduled monument. This means it is an important historical site that needs to be preserved.
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What is Castle Goff?
Castle Goff is known as a "round." Rounds are small, circular areas of land. They are surrounded by earth banks or walls. They usually have only one entrance. These sites were built a very long time ago. They date from the late Iron Age to the early post-Roman period. This means they were used between about 800 BC and 600 AD. Rounds are most commonly found in Cornwall.
Where is Castle Goff Located?
This ancient site sits on the southern edge of a ridge. A ridge is a long, narrow raised part of land. It is found between two smaller rivers. These rivers are branches of the River Allen.
What Does Castle Goff Look Like?
The main part of Castle Goff is about 60 metres (66 yd) across. This is like the length of a large swimming pool. It has a large earth bank, called a rampart. This rampart is about 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) higher than the inside ground. It is also about 3.5 metres (11 ft) higher than the ditch outside.
The ditch around the site is quite wide. It measures about 8 metres (26 ft) across. The ditch is also about 0.8 metres (2.6 ft) deep.
The Extra Part (Annexe)
Originally, there was an entrance on the western side of Castle Goff. This entrance is now blocked. From this entrance, a raised path, called a causeway, leads to an extra area. This extra area is called an annexe. The annexe is about 106 metres (116 yd) long from north to south. It also has its own rampart and outer ditch.
The ends of the annexe's ditch do not touch the main site's ditch. This suggests that the annexe was built later. It was added after the main part of Castle Goff was finished. Part of the annexe's rampart is now part of a modern field boundary.
Nearby Ancient Sites
Another similar "round" site is located nearby. It is called Delinuth Camp. Delinuth Camp is about 400 metres (440 yd) to the north-west of Castle Goff.