Asheldham Camp

Asheldham Camp was an iron age hill fort sited at Ashledham, Essex which is a small village about 2 miles north east of Southminster.

The Camp was partly excavated in 1985 by a team led by Owen Bedwin and identified a late bronze age/early iron age fort dating from 1000bc to 400bc.

Usually these forts are on hilltops but as the Dengie Hundred was comparatively flat, this fort was constructed on a plateau at a comparatively high point midway between the Rivers Crouch and Blackwater with good views in all directions.

A settlement area is believed to have been contracted close to the boundary wall. This probably was a round house typical of the time.

The camp was in use for a long period suggesting that the area was seen is important and provided good living conditions.

The immediate area has been inhabited for a long period as excavations at Asheldham have found flint work from the neolithic/bronze age although the most valuable finds to date are a pottery vessel that has been dated to  between 4000BC to 2351BC and a Saxon Burial Urn. Perhaps more surprisingly Roman and early medieval pottery remains have also been found on this site. Excavated material is held at Colchester Castle Museum.

Today all that remains to been seen are parts of the earthworks in the western corner.