Details

The monument comprises an area of intensive prehistoric and Romano-British
activity. The area includes a hillfort, settlements, extensive field systems,
a trackway/boundary feature and a barrow. The central area of field system has
been ploughed.
1 - A sub-rectangular bivallate hillfort enclosing c.1.75h. There are slight
signs of ridge and furrow within the enclosure. The area has suffered from
heavy cattle grazing.
2 - A well preserved Romano/British settlement to the north of "Knook Castle".
Most of the site is now under permanent pasture, but some land to the west of
the farm track is ploughed. Partial excavations took place in the 19th and
early 20th centuries.
3 - A bowl barrow c.10m diameter with slight traces of a ditch. The barrow has
a flattened top with disturbance as a result of military activity or
excavation. Partial excavation took place in the early 20th century.
(ST96124480)
4 - A field system associated with Knook Castle hillfort and Romano/British
settlements.
5 - A track/fieldway flanking settlement areas and field systems to the north
of "Knook Castle". It is in good condition and remains unploughed.
6 - A well preserved Romano/British settlement site to the north-east of
"Knook Castle". Most of the site remains under permanent pasture. Partial
excavation took place in the 19th century.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The most complete and extensive survival of chalk downland
archaeological remains in central southern England occurs on Salisbury
Plain, particularly in those areas lying within the Salisbury Plain
Training Area. These remains represent one of the few extant
archaeological "landscapes" in Britain and are considered to be of
special significance because they differ in character from those in
other areas with comparable levels of preservation. Individual sites on
Salisbury Plain are seen as being additionally important because the
evidence of their direct association with each other survives so well.

The close association of a hillfort, two Romano-British settlements and
related trackways and field systems within the Knook monument offers
considerable potential for the understanding of the nature and
evolution of downland settlement during the Iron Age and Romano-British
periods. Hillforts represent a major settlement form for the Iron Age
and, unless severely damaged, are considered worthy of protection.
Seven hillforts are recorded in the Salisbury Plain Training Area, five
examples of which are considered to be of national importance on the
basis of present evidence. Romano-British settlements surviving as
earthworks are a rare archaeological resource nationally particularly
when they survive in conjunction with their associated field systems.
Five examples are recorded in the Salisbury Plain Training Area, all of
which are regarded as nationally important.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Trust for Wessex Archaeology, (1987)
Wiltshire Library & Museum Service, (1987)

Source: Historic England