Wittenham Clumps
The Clumps are steeped in history, with Roman, Bronze Age and Iron Age evidence being found on site. The curved ramparts of Castle Hill date from the Iron Age, though archaeological work has shown that it was also a Bronze Age settlement; it is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The name Wittenham Clumps come from the ‘clumps’ of beech trees which crown both hills; these are the oldest known planted hilltop beeches in England, dating back over 300 years. This famous landmark has been known by many names over the years, from Berkshire Bubs, reflecting the fact that the Wittenham Clumps once fell within the county of Berkshire, to the slightly unusual Mother Dunch’s Buttocks, a name which refers to a lady of the Dunch family who owned Little Wittenham Manor in the 17th century. They are also known as the Sinodun Hills.
Please visit the Earth Trust who manage the site and the arboreal plantations in the neighbouring woods.