Herefordshire Through Time
32 acres, irreg form, generally following contours. Entirely surrounded by ditch with outer rampart (spoil) & inner scarp of great height which in some places is further strengthened by slight inner rampart. Above inner scarp, natural hillside has been cut, where necessary, to form berm or walk. 4 entrances 1 on W side of S part of camp approached by curving trackway with outer rampart, while inner rampart slightly inturned on both sides. 2nd at re-entrant of angle formed by enclosure on E side where are traces of inner rampart immed S of the causeway over ditch. 3rd at most southerly part of camp where is causeway & inner rampart. 4th 70yds SSE of most N point. Traces slight inner ditch immed N of this entrance along which approach probably led. Within enclosure inner stronghold has been formed (7155). Within camp are number of sinkings. 1 immed NE of W entrance, 2 SW of N entrance - may be guard huts, also group of small roughly circular sinkings around hilltop in S portion of camp. (1)
2900' x 700' Average width foss from crest to vallum 70' greatest height of vallum 8-9' (7)
4 phases of construction. 2 Iron Age, 2 medieval
i: enclosure upwards of 8 acres protected by slight bank above artificially steepened scarp, at foot of which ditch across level ridge on NE a counterscarp bank. Entrances NW and SE.
ii: enclosure enlarged x 4, by a 'magnificent line of defence' along 1000' contour. Upper edge of escarpment bears slight and intermittent traces of bank backed by quarry ditch. 4 entrances of overlapping type... (8)
Excav in 1879 revealed IA and RB pottery (9) Phase 1 of hillfort: 3ha with ditch and rampart surrounding main summit. On W and NW the circuit has been heavily modified, on NE it survives well and on E and S it can be traced. A large part of the interior is occupied by a medieval ringwork and bailey (7155). On the E 29 hollows and platforms are interpreted as hut circles. Phase II hillfort: expanded to 13.5ha by enclosing the spurs to the S and NE of the hill. This obliterated the Phase I ditches on the W and NW and to a lesser extent, on the east. Phase IIa: abandoned scarping. Phase IIB enlarged rampart terminal on S side. 118 hut circles identified, many of these may prove to be not hut cercles though it is also probable that many more remain to be discovered. Size of circles from 4.5m to 12m in diameter. A possible spring located within the Phase II rampart. (10)
Members of the Woolhope Club visited the site on May 28th, 1867. A description of the visit and site with comments, are given by Mr Edwin Lees. (14)
Undergraduate dissertation. (15)
Postgraduate Visualisation project. (16) (17)
