[If the text below uses any of the terms ‘hill-letter’, ‘river-letter’, ‘old-style name’, ‘transitional name’ and ‘inversion-type name’ a reader who is not familiar with those terms may wish to refer briefly to ‘The Celtic names of hillforts’, where an explanation of those terms is given].

The Celtic names of hillforts

Oldbury Camp

Location: south-southwest of Mancetter, Warwickshire

OS map reference:  SP 314 947                                                    

Celtic name:  Anduesedo or Manduesedo

Source:  Antonine Itinerary (Iter II) - Manduesedo

This is a rectangular univallate hillfort built up on top of a ridge.

The hillfort is most likely to have been called Anduesedo at one time, where and and sed are both old-style elements meaning ‘hill summit’. The initial m is most probably used in inversion-type manner. It is of course possible that the entire name Manduesedo was applied to the hillfort in the late pre-Roman period, but since Manduesedo means ‘hill called Anduesedo’ or ‘hill of Anduesedo’ it is also possible that Manduesedo was a new settlement replacing the hillfort and built at the foot of the eastern slopes of the hill on which the hillfort stands.

No matter whether Manduesedo was the hillfort or a new settlement at the foot of the hill the Romans adopted the name for a fort which they built nearby on the western side of the river Anker. Later the name became associated with a civilian settlement on the other side of the river. It is this civilian settlement, at Mancetter, which will have been the Manduesedo of the Antonine Itinerary.