Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN0052 Caer-Din Ring, Shropshire (Caer Din Ring)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Shropshire 1192 (None)

NMR:  SO 28 NW 7 (105295)

SM:  1021280

NGR:  SO24078504

X:  324072  Y:  285048  (OSGB36)

Summary

Univallate, contour, hillfort located in the Clun Forest in commanding position on prominent hill above Folly Brook and between its confluence with the River Clun and the Kerry Ridgeway. In an area of small hillforts. The slopes are gentle to the N and E, steeper elsewhere. Internal area c. 0.88ha. A bank and outer ditch of earth and stone, both reduced by ploughing, surround the site. Ditch to 0.2m deep to S and on NW side a steep rock-cut face is visible. The original entrance is on the E side at 4m wide, that on to the NW is later. In the interior are level platforms, some partly cut into the slope. Major interest is an external field boundary with external ditch running from E side of fort and then NW for some 450m. Built of earth and stone in short straight lengths, it is contemporary with the enclosure and has a gap at its S end where a 10m causeway crosses the ditch with a gap in the bank. A hollow way from this gap extends to the hillfort entrance and was clearly used in prehistory. A further shallow ditch to the SE is also contemporary, but associated ridge and furrow is probably medieval. Under pasture. Successful earthwork repairs. Undated. On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900).

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -347194  Y:  6883375  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -3.1188962689809423  Latitude:  52.458054222240634  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Shropshire

Historic County:  Shropshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Clun

Monument Condition

Successful earthwork repairs c. 2006. Good management.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Pasture.

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

Contour hillfort located on prominent hill above Folly Brook and above its confluence with the River Clun.

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:  Prominent hill

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  430.0m

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 (1885-1900). Field observations Ordnance Survey 1973, 1979. Field observation Shropshire CC 1981. Field observation English Heritage 1987. Air Photograph Interpretation RCHME: Marches Uplands NMP 1993-2000. Shropshire Council survey 2012.

Investigations:
Other (1981):   Field observation Shropshire CC.
Other (1987):   Field observation EH.
Other (2012):   Shropshire Council survey.
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   1st Ed OS
Other (None):   Field observations OS.
Other (None):   Air Photograph Interpretation RCHME: Marches Uplands NMP.

Interior Features

In the interior are level platforms, some partly cut into the slope and spoilheap or midden.

Water Source

Spring located 0.2 km outside the fort.

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

In the interior are level platforms, some partly cut into the slope and spoilheap or midden.

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

The original entrance is on the E at 4m wide, that on to the NW is later. Hollow way from external field boundary gap extends to hillfort entrance and clearly used in prehistory.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
2:   Gap on the NW is later.

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   The entrance on E side is original.

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (East):   The original entrance is on the E side at 4m wide.
1. Hollow Way (East):   Hollow way from external field boundary gap extends to hillfort entrance and clearly used in prehistory.

Enclosing Works

A bank and outer ditch of earth and stone, both reduced by ploughing, surround the site. The ditch is can be seen to 0.2 m to the S and on the NW side a steep rock-cut face is visible.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.88ha.
Total:   0.88ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

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

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

Earth and stone bank and rock-cut face to ditch to the NW.

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:
✓   The ditch is can be seen to 0.2 m to the S and on the NW side a steep rock-cut face is visible.

Number of Ditches:  1

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.

Guilbert, G.C. 1976. Caer-Din Ring, Salop, Arch Camb, CXXXV, 165-69.

Page, W. ed. 1908. Victoria County History of Shropshire, 1, 372-73, Institute of Historical Research.



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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