Walton-in-Gordano Banjo Enclosure Misc. Earthwork : The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map:

<< Our Photo Pages >> Walton-in-Gordano Banjo Enclosure - Misc. Earthwork in England in Somerset

Submitted by 4clydesdale7 on Wednesday, 01 August 2012 Page Views: 6279

Multi-periodSite Name: Walton-in-Gordano Banjo Enclosure
Country: England County: Somerset Type: Misc. Earthwork
Nearest Town: Clevedon Nearest Village: Walton-in-Gordano
Map Ref: ST42847373
Latitude: 51.459645N Longitude: 2.824126W
Condition:

5	Perfect
4	Almost Perfect
3	Reasonable but with some damage
2	Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1	Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0	No data.
-1	Completely destroyed

2 Ambience:

5	Superb
4	Good
3	Ordinary
2	Not Good
1	Awful
0	No data.

3 Access:

5	Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4	Short walk on a footpath
3	Requiring a bit more of a walk
2	A long walk
1	In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0	No data.

3 Accuracy:

5	co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4	co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3	co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2	co-ordinates of the nearest village
1	co-ordinates of the nearest town
0	no data

5

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h_fenton visited on 27th Oct 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4

4clydesdale7 visited on 30th Jul 2012 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 3 Access: 3 Most Banjo Enclosures are only seen from the air as cropmarks - this can be seen on the ground

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3

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**Walton-in-Gordano Banjo Enclosure** submitted by 4clydesdale7 : The southern Cross Bank (Vote or comment on this photo)

Banjo Enclosures are probably the most distinctive type of enclosure found in the British Countryside but have only been recognised as a separate type of enclosure since the advent of sustained archaeological aerial surveys, which became more commonplace in the 1960s as a reliable form of analysis.

The earthworks consist of a circular ditch and bank entered from one direction by a banked passageway which often has splayed ends at the opposite end to the circle - the earthworks are often so slight that they are difficult to trace on the ground O==<

Very little archaeology has produced evidence of settlement but somewhat strangely most BEs seem to be accompanied by hut circles - originally they were reputed to be places of ritual but these days they are thought to be remnants of stock enclosures defined by banks surmounted by primitive timber fencing.

Somerset is not the usual place to find such enclosures there being just four noted by English Heritage in the County - the example at Walton-in-Gordano is one of those that is more easily seen on the ground for the land has remained unused (even though commoners grazing rights still adhere) for centuries.

The earthworks are said to date to the middle to late Iron Age - the 70m circle is formed by limestone blocks up to 0.5m high with an outer ditch just 0.25m deep - gorse, scrub, small bushes, a medieval rabbit warren, brambles and ant hills (often found on old pasture) have left their mark but a lot of evidence remains - the passageway or avenue travels from the circle in a ENE direction only to be interrupted after about 100m by a cross bank and ditch of slightly larger proportions beyond which there seem to be more ancient field markings (some covered by bracken) - the works are interrupted by a medieval path way which you use to gain access (easier from the west) - the works seem to provide a strange form of fascination and certainly give cause for thought - no superb views - difficult uneven ground to cover but a worthwhile experience .

Mentioned on pastscape: North Somerset: Walton in Gordano: 195425 and
(as a general treatise on Banjo Enclosures) at English Heritage.
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