Charlbury Hill, Wiltshire Explained

Charlbury Hill
Elevation M:253
Prominence:64m
Grid Ref Uk:SU2378582129
Range:The Ridgeway
Access:Open Access Land
Normal Route:Path from The Ridgeway

Charlbury Hill is a hill near the villages of Hinton Parva and Bishopstone in the Borough of Swindon, England.

Historically within Wiltshire, the hill lies just north of The Ridgeway. The summit is 253m (830ft) above sea level with a prominence of 64 metres (210 feet). The hill is classified as a TuMP (hill of 30m or greater prominence) on the Database of British and Irish Hills. There is an Ordnance Survey (OS) triangulation pillar (TP1392 Charlbury Hill) located 6m away from the highest point. The top of the hill is open access land with a permissive path from The Ridgeway.[1] [2]

Name

Andrews and Dury’s A Topographical Map of Wiltshire (1773) gives the name as Shelbarrow Hill and later maps give the name Shalborough Hill.[3] It has also been called Skelbarrow Hill and has been spelt Charbury Hill.[4]

The OS first edition one-inch-to-the-mile map (1829–1830) gives the current name and spelling of Charlbury Hill[5] which has been used since, including the current OS 1:25k Explorer and 1:50k Landranger maps.

History

Despite the close proximity to The Ridgeway and other ancient sites such as Liddington Castle, there have been no archaeological discoveries recorded on the hilltop. There are two mounds resembling barrows but these have been recorded as natural features.[6]  

The hill is a popular viewing point but has also been the site of antisocial behaviour.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mountain Search . 2022-06-14 . www.hill-bagging.co.uk . 2022-06-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220614193402/http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?qu=S&rf=18369 . live .
  2. Web site: Charlbury Hill Details + GPS Waypoint (#18369) . 2022-06-14 . www.haroldstreet.org.uk . en-GB . 2022-06-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220614193410/https://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/waypoints/download/?hillnumber=18369 . live .
  3. Book: Gover . J.E.B. . The place-names of Wiltshire . Mawer . Allen . Stenton . F.M. . Cambridge University Press . 1939 . Cambridge . 287 . English.
  4. Brentnall . H. C. . 1941 . Wiltshire Place-names . Antiquity . 15 . 57 . 33–44 . 10.1017/s0003598x00015507 . 163945176 . 0003-598X.
  5. Ordnance Survey (1829-1830) first edition one inch to the mile map
  6. Book: Pugh . R.B. . The Victoria County History of Wiltshire, Vol. I, part 1 . Crittall . Elizabeth . University Press . 1957 . I, part 1 . Oxford . 159 . English.
  7. Web site: Beauty spot littered with 'condoms, nitrous oxide cannisters and foils/wraps' . 2022-06-14 . Swindon Advertiser . 5 January 2022 . en . 2022-01-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220105151651/https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19822684.beauty-spot-near-wanborough-littered-condoms-nitrous-oxide-cannisters-foils-wraps/ . live .