Ringsbury Camp facts for kids
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 Location in Wiltshire
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| Alternative name | The Roman Camp |
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| Location | Purton, Wiltshire |
| Region | South West England |
| Coordinates | 51°34′47″N 1°53′36″W / 51.5798°N 1.8932°W |
| Area | 8 acres |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
| Site notes | |
| Public access | yes, via rights of way |
Ringsbury Camp is an ancient Iron Age hill fort located in Purton, Wiltshire. It's thought to have been built around 50 BC, making it over 2,000 years old! This special place gives us clues about how people lived and protected themselves long ago.
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What is Ringsbury Camp Like?
Ringsbury Camp is a type of hill fort called a multivallate fort. This means it has more than one set of walls or banks around it, like a double protective barrier. About 8 acres (which is roughly the size of six football fields) are enclosed by these old walls.
The fort sits on top of a hill, giving amazing views of the land around it, especially to the south, west, and north. This high spot was perfect for spotting anyone approaching. It's believed that the builders cleared away trees, especially to the west, to make sure nothing blocked their view.
The Mystery of the "Blood Stones"
The banks of the fort are made from limestone rocks. These rocks are not found locally, which means the builders had to bring them from somewhere else!
People used to call these stones "blood stones" because they were very light. A story said that blood soaked into the stones during battles, making them lighter. However, scientists now know that a natural process called carbonation (a type of chemical weathering) makes the limestone light. So, no blood involved, just cool science!
A Look Back in Time
Historians think that Ringsbury Camp might not have been lived in all the time. Instead, it was probably used as a safe place during times of trouble or fighting.
Why Was There Unrest?
- Location: The fort was built right on the edge of two old British kingdoms. This often led to disagreements and battles between them.
- Invasions: There were two big Celtic invasions around the time the fort was built. People would have needed a strong, safe place to go.
Ringsbury Camp is also not part of the larger chain of hill forts along the Ridgeway, like Barbury Castle. This makes some experts think it was an "outpost" – a fort located away from the main group, perhaps watching over a specific area.
Earlier Discoveries
Even before the Iron Age fort was built, people lived in this area. Neolithic (New Stone Age) flint tools have been found nearby, showing that humans were here thousands of years before the fort existed!
The Battle of Mount Badon?
A historian named Andrew Breeze has suggested that Ringsbury Camp might be the site of a famous old battle called the Battle of Mount Badon. This battle is mentioned in very old texts by writers like Gildas. Breeze thinks that nearby Braydon could be the "Badon" mentioned in these ancient stories.
Ringsbury Camp Today
You can visit Ringsbury Camp today! There are several public paths that lead to it. The easiest way to get there is by walking west through fields from Battlewell and Restrop Road in Purton. The exact location is known by its grid reference: SU 075 867.
What Has Been Found?
Only one Iron Age coin has been discovered at the camp so far. You can see it displayed at the Purton Museum!
Some local people call Ringsbury Camp "The Roman Camp." However, this isn't quite right, as its main history comes from the Iron Age, long before the Romans arrived in Britain.
Today, Ringsbury Camp is mostly covered in grass, used for pasture. The southern and western banks are now covered in trees. Sadly, the middle of the camp was once ploughed, which might have accidentally destroyed other artifacts that could have told us more about its past.
Ringsbury Camp is part of Restrop Farm, which is a special place for nature called a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's protected because of its important plants and animals.
