Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN0026 Pen-Twyn Camp, Brilley, Herefordshire (Pen Twyn Camp)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Herefordshire MHE529 (1013)

NMR:  SO 24 NW 5 (104886)

SM:  1007311

NGR:  SO 228485

X:  322830  Y:  248550  (OSGB36)

Summary

Small, multivallate, contour hillfort located on isolated and prominent site overlooking the River Wye above Hay-on-Wye to the S and the River Arrow to the N, on the interfluve between the Rivers Wye and Severn catchments, thus commanding two valleys. Roughly oval in shape, with internal area c. 0.82ha. Defences are of no great strength. Double ramparts on the W, the inner bank weaker. To the S there are no ramparts in evidence, but a hedgeline possibly preserves their location. To the N and E, only a scarp to the inner enclosure remains, with no trace of a ditch. Defences much damaged, especially on S where absent and now a hedgeline, where possible entrance, but only conjecture. Thought to be little change since the 1980's and that the site is stable in condition. Part conifer plantation and pasture. Access problems hamper investigation. Undated. On 1st Ed OS map (1888).

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -348296  Y:  6823631  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -3.1287995625744034  Latitude:  52.1298114591765  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Herefordshire

Historic County:  Herefordshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Brilley

Monument Condition

Defences much damaged, especially on S where absent and now a hedge line. Thought to be little change since the 1980's and that the site is stable in condition.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Part conifer plantation and pasture. Access problems.

Current Use:
Woodland  
Commercial Forestry Plantation  
Parkland  
Pasture (Grazing)  
Arable  
Scrub/Bracken  
Bare Outcrop  
Heather/Moorland  
Heath  
Built-up  
Coastal Grassland  
Other  

Landscape

Hillfort Type

Hill top site follows the contours. Isolated and prominent site overlooking the River Wye above Hay-on-Wye.

Type:
Contour Fort  
Partial Contour Fort  
Promontory Fort  
Hillslope Fort  
Level Terrain Fort  
Marsh Fort  
Multiple Enclosure Fort  

Topographic Position

Position:
Hilltop  
Coastal Promontory  
Inland Promontory  
Valley Bottom  
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop  
Ridge  
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp  
Hillslope  
Lowland  
Spur  

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Hill Top

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  328.0m

Boundary

N/A


Dating Evidence

None

Reliability:  D - None

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC  
1200BC - 800BC  
800BC - 400BC  
400BC - AD50  
AD50 - AD400  
AD400 - AD 800  
Post AD800  
Unknown  

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

On 1st Ed OS map (1888). Herefordshire Council survey 2012.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1888):   OS map.
Other (2012):   Herefordshire Council survey.

Interior Features

Little is known about the site because of access problems. Access denied for Herefordshire Council survey of 2012.

Water Source

Streams located 0.6 km outside hillfort.

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

None

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features  
Round Stone Structures  
Rectangular Stone Structures  
Curvilinear Platforms  
Other Roundhouse Evidence  
Pits  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics  
Pits  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Finds

None

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds  
Pottery  
Metal  
Metalworking  
Human Bones  
Animal Bones  
Lithics  
Environmental  
Other  

Aerial

None

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked  
None  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roads/Tracks  
Other  

Entrances

Entrances not visible on the present line, nor recorded. It is possible that there was an entrance on the S line where there is now a hedge, but this is only conjecture.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   Possible that there was an entrance on the S line where there is now a hedge, but this is only conjecture.

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (South):   Possible that there was an entrance on the S line where there is now a hedge, but this is only conjecture.

Enclosing Works

Double ramparts on W, the inner bank weaker. To S there are no ramparts in evidence, but a hedgeline possibly preserves their location. No ditches.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.82ha.
Total:   0.82ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   Problem of probably missing southern bank in regard to any area definition. 0.82ha probably an underestimate.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   The whole of the S line is missing and now a hedgeline.

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   1
SE Quadrant:   0
SW Quadrant:   2
NW Quadrant:   2
Total:   2

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  
Unknown  

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  

Surface Evidence

None determined as result of access problems.

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Rubble  
Wall-walk  
Evidence of Timber  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
Other  

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Murus Duplex  
Timber-framed  
Timber-laced  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
No Known Excavation  
Other  

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✗   No remains of ditches

Number of Ditches:  0

Annex:
✗   None

References

Dorling, P. and Wigley, A. 2012. Assessment of the archaeological and conservation status of major later prehistoric enclosures in Herefordshire and Shropshire, EH PNUM, Version 3.2, Hereford and Shrewsbury: Herefordshire Council/Shropshire Council.

Page, W. ed. 1908. The Victoria County History of the County of Herefordshire, 1, 203, London: St Catherine Press.

RCHME 1931-34. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Herefordshire, 3 (NW), 25, 30, London: HMSO.



Terms of Use

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and should be cited as:

Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk


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