Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN0087 Upper Knuck Camp, Shropshire (The Knuck)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

Scroll left/right to view further images.

HER:  Shropshire 744 (None)

NMR:  SO 28 NE 3 (105248)

SM:  1021279

NGR:  SO 256862

X:  325626  Y:  286200  (OSGB36)

Summary

Small, inland promontory fort cutting off a small sloping spur on gentle SE facing slopes between two dingles above the River Unk and with commanding views to the S and SE. Two weak banks have a medial and outer ditch facing W uphill and have the appearance of a small cross ridge dyke. The outer ditch is almost buried and the medial ditch now only 0.3m deep, although 4m-5m wide. The original entrance was probably at the N end between the bank and the natural slope. There are no visible interior features. A ridge and furrow adjoins the site and the outer bank may be enhanced by this. The site was only scheduled in 2004. Pasture. Undated. On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900).

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -344677  Y:  6885306  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -3.096287363010694  Latitude:  52.46862310098139  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Shropshire

Historic County:  Shropshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Mainstone

Monument Condition

Some stock erosion at E end and NW corner of N rampart.

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

Small inland promontory fort on gentle SE facing slope. Cuts off a small sloping spur on gentle SE facing slopes between two dingles above the River Unk and with commanding views to the S and SE.

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:  Sloping spur.

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  380.0m

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 observation Ordnance Survey 1973. Field observation Shropshire CC 1981. Shropshire Council survey 2012. Air Photograph Interpretation RCHME: Marches Uplands NMP 1993-2000.

Investigations:
Other (1973):   Field observation OS.
Other (1981):   Field observation Shropshire CC.
Other (2012):   Shropshire Council survey.
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   1st Ed OS
Other (None):   Air Photograph Interpretation RCHME: Marches Uplands NMP.

Interior Features

None

Water Source

Stream located 0.1km outside the fort.

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 original entrance was probably at the N end between the bank and the natural slope, a simple gap. There are no visible modern gaps.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   There are no visible modern gaps.

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   The original entrance was probably at the N end between the bank and the natural slope.

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (North):   The original entrance was probably at the N end between the bank and the natural slope.

Enclosing Works

Two weak banks have a medial and outer ditch facing W uphill and have the appearance of a small cross ridge dyke. The outer ditch is almost buried and the medial ditch now only 0.3m deep, although 4m-5m wide.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.27ha.
Total:   0.27ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

Two weak banks have a medial and outer ditch facing W uphill and have the appearance of a small cross ridge dyke.

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   None

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   0
SE Quadrant:   0
SW Quadrant:   0
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

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 outer ditch is almost buried and the medial ditch now only 0.3m deep, although 4m-5m wide.

Number of Ditches:  2

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. Victoria County History of Shropshire, 1, 356, 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


Document Version 1.1