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Rudbaxton Rath is a ring-shaped enclosure together with a ringed keep in the parish of Rudbaxton. It is the remains of a medieval defensive ringfort, hillfort or castle, probably made of timber. At the site are the remains of light earthwork. The nearly circular interior area is surrounded by a counterscarp and measures around 100 metres north to south by 95 metres east to west. A possible entrance has been identified at the north side. There is a rampart that is around 3 metres high. Within the western rampart an elliptical enclosure can be seen, measuring (north-northwest to south-southeast) roughly 50 metres by 32 metres.
Artefacts at the site include unspecified armour and two rings made of iron approximately 20 cm across. Two twisted iron rings were discovered about 20 cm in diameter. It is possible that they were once torcs. Also found at the site is a half-scale model of a human hand, also made of iron. This hand may be Roman or Iron Age.
Exterior to the enclosure at the east are the remains of a chapel.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.