Monument record 0010600000 - BRILL

Dimensions - Length 120m, Height 2m.
Plan Form - Linear.
SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT. STRUCTURE C 50M N OF CHURCH BETWEEN NGR'S. VARIOUSLY DATED TO IRON AGE, SAXON, MEDIEVAL & CIVIL WAR PERIODS. IN 1972 120M OF BANK SURVIVED, UP TO 2M HIGH; PART OF DITCH WAS VISIBLE & HOLDING WATER (B6).
IN 1973 PART OF VISIBLE DITCH FILLED WITH MATERIAL FROM E END OF BANK (B7).
VISIT TO NEARBY GARDEN BY MICHAEL FARLEY ESTABLISHED A CLEAR SLOPE FROM HIGHER LAND FORMING MOST OF THE EAST OF THE GARDEN. LOOKS VERY PROBABLE THAT THIS WAS THE FORMER COURSE OF THE DITCH AND ALSO MATCHES THE CURVE OF THE HIGH STREET (B17).
Ground penetrating radar survey of 26 transverses on public access land in the centre carried out in April 2014 by Stratascan as part of a research project to locate the course and extent of the earthworks. See report for detail (B20).
Geophysical surveys carried out by Bartlett-Clark Consultancy in July 2012 in King's Field and the garden of The Old Rectory confirm that the earthworks extend across the King’s Field from the extant embankment at the east of the field, and continue into the Rectory garden. Various linear and rectilinear resistance anomalies suggest that buried wall footings may also be present, particularly in the south and west of the King’s Field. The most convincing of these is the outline of a possible large rectangular structure in the south of King's Field, with four other possible rectangular structures to the east, north east and west, and another outside the earthworks to the north. Se report for detail (B21).



(SP 656139) "A line of entrenchments comprising a strong rampart and ditch is situated just N. of Brill Church and forms part of defensive earthworks probably constructed at the time of the Civil War. Some distance towards the N. further down the hill are traces of a second line." Main earthworks visible on AP's (B3 and B22).

Edward the Confessor had a house (Hunting lodge) at Brill which continued in royal hands until 1337. The chamber was surrounded by a bank and ditch, perhaps a part is that visible near the church. In Henry IIIs reign there were separate apartments for the King and Queen, a chapel and a drwbridge across the ditch. The estate was granted to John de Moleyns in fee in 1337 (B23).

Pottery collected from footings when the cricket pavilion was extended in 1976 has been classified at the Ashmolean as Saxon or EIA. It is now in Bucks Co Museum (B24).

The earthwork is situated on level ground north of Brill Church, well back from the crest of the hill and therefore not in a naturally defensive position. It consists of an earthen rampart cut into two parts by the entrance to the playing fields, with traces of a ditch on the north side. The bank averages 2.5m in height and 12.0m to 14.0m in width. The bank on the west side of the entrance is inturned. The west end of the western part is cut off and spread; it is not clear whether the bank extended further in the same direction or turned at right angles. The field is covered with minor pits and undulations, interspersed with level areas. The suggested line of earthworks further to the north are hollow-ways leading to and beyond a pond. It is impossible to determine the date or original purpose of the earthwork by visual inspection: it may be associated with the early hunting lodge.

Surveyed at 1:2500 on PFD (B25).

NRHE Insert 1997, Update 2004 and 2011 (B26).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.