LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Shropshire 187 (None)
NMR: SO 49 NW 7 (109205)
SM: 1007698
NGR: SO 404977
X: 340479 Y: 297794 (OSGB36)
Possible, univallate, contour hillfort situated at the junction of a W and S spur, at the SW end of Stitt Hill. Jury is still out as to whether the site is a hillfort or not. Overlooked from the N. Internal ara c. 0.92ha. The longest stretch of bank has an outer ditch and follows the contour, however the S stretches of bank could be cross-dykes with ditch on the upslope side. Other dykes lie to the W and SW. Conceivably the site could be what has been called a 'plateau enclosure'. However, it does show many hillfort characteristics. The N side has a bank to 2.1m high, with external ditch and across the S end are three small banks with internal ditches where the slopes are steepest. To the E and west, on the edge of the slope, there are no defences. There is an original NE entrance 12m wide. Ridge and furrow in the interior. Grazing pressure has been reduced and the condition is improving as a result. Undated. On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900).
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Unconfirmed
X: -320572 Y: 6904707 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -2.879749766330875 Latitude: 52.57466584377742 (EPSG:4326)
Country: England
Current County or Unitary Authority: Shropshire
Historic County: Shropshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Ratlinghope
Good with reductions in stock numbers improving condition.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
Good upland pasture.
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✗ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Site generally follows the contours. Situated at the junction of a W and S spur, at the SW end of Stitt Hill,
| Contour Fort | ✓ |
| Partial Contour Fort | ✗ |
| Promontory Fort | ✗ |
| Hillslope Fort | ✗ |
| Level Terrain Fort | ✗ |
| Marsh Fort | ✗ |
| Multiple Enclosure Fort | ✗ |
| Hilltop | ✗ |
| Coastal Promontory | ✗ |
| Inland Promontory | ✗ |
| Valley Bottom | ✗ |
| Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop | ✗ |
| Ridge | ✗ |
| Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp | ✗ |
| Hillslope | ✗ |
| Lowland | ✗ |
| Spur | ✓ |
Dominant Topographic Feature: Spur.
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✓ |
Altitude: 400.0m
N/A
None
Reliability: D - None
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | None |
On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900). Field observation Ordnance Survey 1972, 1973. Field observation English Heritage 1987. Air Photograph Interpretation RCHME: Marches Uplands NMP 1993-2000.Shropshire Council survey 2012.
| Other (1987): | Field observation EH. |
| Other (2012): | Shropshire Council Survey. |
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (None): | 1st Ed OS |
| Other (None): | Field observation OS. |
| Other (None): | Air Photograph Interpretation RCHME: Marches Uplands NMP. |
None
Spring located 0.2 km outside the fort.
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| No Known Features | ✓ |
| Round Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms | ✗ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| No Known Excavation | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Geophysics | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Finds | ✓ |
| Pottery | ✗ |
| Metal | ✗ |
| Metalworking | ✗ |
| Human Bones | ✗ |
| Animal Bones | ✗ |
| Lithics | ✗ |
| Environmental | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| APs Not Checked | ✓ |
| None | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Original NE entrance 12m wide, simple gap. Seemingly no modern gaps.
| 1: | Seemingly no modern gaps. |
| 2: | Original NE entrance 12m wide. |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (North east): | Entrance 12m wide. |
The N side has a bank to 2.1m high, with external ditch and across the S end are three small banks with internal ditches where the slopes are steepest. To the E and W, on the edge of the slope, there are no defences.
| Area 1: | 0.92ha. |
| Total: | 0.92ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
The N side has a bank to 2.1 m high, with external ditch and across the S end are three small banks with internal ditches where the slopes are steepest.
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | No defences on the E and W. |
| NE Quadrant: | 1 |
| SE Quadrant: | 0 |
| SW Quadrant: | 3 |
| NW Quadrant: | 1 |
| Total: | 3 |
| Partial Univallate | ✓ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✓ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✓ |
| Stone Wall | ✗ |
| Rubble | ✗ |
| Wall-walk | ✗ |
| Evidence of Timber | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✗ |
| Stone Wall | ✗ |
| Murus Duplex | ✗ |
| Timber-framed | ✗ |
| Timber-laced | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| No Known Excavation | ✓ |
| Other | ✗ |
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | The N side has a bank with external ditch and across the S end are three small banks with internal ditches where the slopes are steepest. |
Number of Ditches: 2
| ✗ | None |
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. 1975. Ratlinghope/Stitt Hill, Shropshire: Earthwork enclosures and cross-dykes, Bull Board of Celt Stud, XXIV, 363-73.
Page, W. ed. 1908. Victoria County History of Shropshire, 1, 358, Institute of Historical Research.
Atlas of Hillforts:
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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
Document Version 1.1