Wheathampstead earthwork incorporating Devils Dyke and the Slad

Scheduled area

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History & significance

Wheathampstead earthwork is a Late Iron Age hillfort located in Hertfordshire, England, commanding the valley of the River Lea. The monument comprises two concentric lines of substantial defensive banks and ditches, known as the Devil's Dyke and the Slad, which enclose an area of approximately six hectares. Archaeological evidence and historical sources, including Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic Wars, suggest the site was occupied during the 1st century BC and may have served as a significant settlement and administrative centre before the Roman conquest. The earthwork represents a substantial engineering undertaking of the Late Iron Age period and remains one of the more impressive examples of British Iron Age fortification, though later ploughing and landscaping have altered its original form.

Wheathampstead earthwork incorporating Devils Dyke and the Slad is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1003521. View the official record →

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