Hardwell Castle

Hardwell Castle or Hardwell Camp is an Iron Age valley fort in the civil parish of Compton Beauchamp in Oxfordshire (previously Berkshire).

Site nature

Like nearby Cherbury Camp, it is not clearly in a strategic or easily defended position. It lies halfway down the scarp slope of the White Horse Hills and is tucked away in a curve, invisible from most angles. This particular positioning suggests its builders had a specialist purpose in mind, although exactly what that may have been remains a mystery. It is 'multi-vallate', like Cherbury Camp. It is unexcavated and therefore very little is known about it.

Location

The site can be found at grid reference SU287867. It is situated in the Vale of White Horse, very close to the small settlements of both Compton Beauchamp and Knighton, 2 miles from Uffington and 1 mile from the hilltop Uffington Castle.

Coordinates: 51°34′42″N 1°35′14″W / 51.57844°N 1.58723°W