Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN0010 Coxall Knoll Camp, Herefordshire

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Herefordshire MHE30 (197); Shropshire MSA868

NMR:  SO 37 SE 6 (106821)

SM:  1014107

NGR:  SO 366734

X:  336600  Y:  273400  (OSGB36)

Summary

Formerly a fine and large contour hillfort on steep slopes, now tree covered and in three enclosures, above the River Teme and its confluence with the River Clun and Leintwardine Fishery. The three enclosures within a continuous line of defences, some fragmentary, are the result of possible phased construction rather than annexe - Phase I multivallate of 3.2ha; Phase II multivallate of 5.8ha. The W enclosure is defended by three ramparts and two intermediate ditches on the N, and by a berm on the S with a steep natural slope below a steepened scarp above. This is divided from the E enclosure by a double rampart and medial ditch, itself having two ramparts with medial ditch, the outer rampart mostly gone. There is a spoil ditch within the inner rampart. The N and smallest enclosure has a double rampart and medial ditch, the outer fragmented. There are four entrances to the main circuit with internal entrances to the various enclosures. The outwork to the NE outside the defences is not original and considered to be post-medieval linear quarrying. A possible Bronze Age standing stone ("The Frog Stone') is in the NE enclosure. Boundary of Herefordshire and Shropshire passes through site. Only fragments of some of the defences are visible on aerial photographs. Tree covered with conifer plantation and broadleaved woodland. Private site. On 1st Ed. OS map (1888). Undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -326426  Y:  6864561  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -2.932336667854434  Latitude:  52.354949868229994  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England; England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Herefordshire; Shropshire

Historic County:  Herefordshire; Shropshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Buckton and Coxall; Bucknell

Monument Condition

Private and damaged site precludes further comment.

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✗

Land Use

Tree covered with conifer plantation and broadleaved woodland.

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

Complex contour fort on prominent hill. Sited above steep slopes on prominent hill top, now tree covered, above the River Teme and its confluence with the River Clun and Leintwardine Fishery.

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 Coxall Knoll hill top.

Aspect:
North   ✗
Northeast   ✗
East   ✗
Southeast   ✗
South   ✗
Southwest   ✗
West   ✗
Northwest   ✗
Level   ✓

Altitude:  243.0m

Boundary

Part of the site is located in Shropshire and part in Herefordshire.

Boundary Type:  County


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

In Aubrey's Monumenta Britannica (1665-1693). On 1st Ed. OS map (1888). Herefordshire Council survey 2012.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1888):   OS map
Other (1967):   Visit by Hillfort Study Group
Other (2012):   Herefordshire Council survey
1st Identified Written Reference (None):   In Aubrey's Monumenta Britannica.

Interior Features

None

Water Source

River Teme located 0.3 km outside the 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

The principal inturned W entrance is staggered with outworks. Those to the N and S gaps with slight inturns.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
4:   One of the N entrances (gap) is possibly later.

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   W, S and one to the N possibly original.

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:
1. In-turned (North):   Gap entrance with slight inturns through the ramparts.
2. In-turned (South):   Gap entrance with slight inturns through the ramparts to E enclosure.
3. In-turned (West):   Complex staggered and principal entrance, defended by return of the inner rampart on both sides.
3. Over-lapping (West):   Complex and staggered
3. Outworks (West):   None

Enclosing Works

The W enclosure is defended by three ramparts and two intermediate ditches on the N, and by a berm on the S with a steep natural slope below a steepened scarp above. This is divided from the E enclosure by a double rampart and medial ditch, itself having two ramparts with medial ditch, the outer rampart mostly gone. There is a spoil ditch within the inner rampart. The N and smallest enclosure has a double rampart and medial ditch, the outer fragmented. Complex detail to the defences of the three enclosures.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   3.2ha.
Area 2:   5.8ha.
Total:   5.8ha.

Total Footprint Area:  9.0ha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✓   The first phase measured 3.2ha; the Phase II to 5.8ha. The three enclosures suggest a multi- period site, but there is no direct evidence for this. Multi period details not determined.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   A complex series of banks define the site. Multi period details not determined.

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   4
SE Quadrant:   4
SW Quadrant:   2
NW Quadrant:   3
Total:   4

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

Berm on S.

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 ditches are very complex and vary between two and three.

Number of Ditches:  2

Annex:
✗   The three enclosures within a continuous line of defences, some fragmentary, are the result of possible phased construction rather than annexe.

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), 27, 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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