| Maiden Castle | |
| Location Town: | Grinton, North Yorkshire |
| Location Country: | England |
| Map Type: | North Yorkshire |
| Coordinates: | 54.3783°N -1.9679°W |
| Size: | 7000m2 |
Maiden Castle is a settlement in Grinton, North Yorkshire which probably dates from the Iron Age. It is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[1] The name Maiden Castle is not unique to the site and occurs in several other places in Britain and probably means a "fortification that looks impregnable" or one that has never been taken in battle.[2]
The site measures 108mby88mm (354feetby289feetm), covering about 7000m2, and is pear-shaped. An avenue leading to the entrance of the settlement is a unique feature. Maiden Castle has been described as a banjo enclosure due to its shape, however this description has been disputed.[1] If it is a banjo enclosure, it would be one of just two in northern England, the other being Fremington Dykes.[1]
The only dating evidence recovered from Maiden Castle is a "post-and-panel building" which is typologically similar to a structure discovered in Healaugh that has been dated to the late Iron Age or Romano-British periods.[1]