LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Worcestershire MWR501 (WSM01272)
NMR: SO 75 NW 3 (113954)
SM: 1005332
NGR: SO744585
X: 374482 Y: 258580 (OSGB36)
Roughly oval contour hillfort situated on an outlying N-S spur, N of the Malverns overlooking a pronounced bend of the River Teme. On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900). Steep slopes all around, but artificially rounded to present shape. Summit of hill at N end and knoll to S with saddle in between. In past considered doubtful as hillfort, but now proven, a substantial backscarp present on rampart (Bowden 2002; 2005). Single scarp up to 5.8m in height on all sides except the NE where a double scarp. Enclosure dimensions 320m by 100m. Two possible entrances for the fort, one midway along NW side (although doubtful), the second near SE corner, with very strong inturns, on very steep slope. Suggestion of ditch to E and ledge at foot of rampart to N may be line of ditch also. Well marked unidentified scarps near the summit, especially on the N and E. Interior steep slopes and possible hut circle c. 6m diameter on NE side. Recent cultivation may have masked others. Hill grass covered with occasional trees and bramble - grazed. Wooded slopes. N approach open with hawthorn. Farm track crosses NE rampart where erosion.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -264385 Y: 6840874 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -2.375012035322512 Latitude: 52.22479376122863 (EPSG:4326)
Country: England
Current County or Unitary Authority: Worcestershire
Historic County: Worcestershire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Martley
Farm track crosses NE rampart where erosion. N part used for beacon bonfires. Midway along SE side destroyed by ploughing for 56m and E side greatly eroded generally.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
Hill grass covered with occasional trees and bramble - grazed. Wooded slopes. N approach open with hawthorn.
| Woodland | ✓ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Contour fort on outlying steep N-S spur, N of Malverns. Overlooking pronounced bend of the River Teme to N and W.
| 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: 183.0m
N/A
Suggested as early to middle Iron Age (Bowden 2005).
Reliability: C - Low
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✓ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✓ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | None |
| Other: | Suggested as early to middle Iron Age (Bowden 2005). |
On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900). Malvern Hills Archaeological Survey - lead RCHME/EH, including Aerial Survey of Malvern Hills defines form and nature of the enclosure. Published 2005.
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (None): | 1st Ed OS map |
| Other (None): | Malvern Hills Archaeological Survey - lead RCHME/EH. |
| Earthwork Survey (None): | EH (Bowden) |
Malvern Hills Archaeological Survey - lead RCHME/EH, including Aerial Survey 2000-2001 of Malvern Hills, defines form and nature of enclosure. Possible hut circle c. 6m diameter on NE side. Recent cultivation may have masked others.
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Interior steep slopes and possible hut circle c. 6m diameter on NE side. Recent cultivation may have masked others.
| 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 | ✗ |
Malvern Hills Archaeological Survey 2000-2001 - lead RCHME/EH, including Aerial Survey of Malvern Hills defines form and nature of enclosure.
| APs Not Checked | ✗ |
| None | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
There are two possible entrances for the fort, one midway along the NW side, possibly doubtful, the second near SE corner with very strong inturns. Gap where farm track crosses N rampart.
| 3: | Gap where farm track crosses NE rampart modern. |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (North west): | Type undefined. Midway along NW side (although doubtful). Simple gap default. |
| 2. In-turned (South east): | Very strong inturns, on very steep slope. |
Single scarp up to 5.8m in height on all sides except the NE where a double scarp. Enclosure dimensions 320m x 100m max.
| Area 1: | 2.8ha. |
| Total: | 2.8ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✗ | Enclosure dimensions 320m x 100m max. |
| ✓ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SE Quadrant: | 1 |
| SW Quadrant: | 1 |
| NW Quadrant: | 1 |
| Total: | 2 |
| 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 |
| ✓ | Suggestion of ditch to E and ledge at foot of rampart to N may be line of ditch also. |
Number of Ditches: 1
| ✗ | None |
Bowden, M. 2002. Berrow Hill, Martley, Worcestershire: level 2 archaeological survey, EH Archaeol Investig Rep AI/32/2002, Swindon: English Heritage.
Bowden, M. 2005. The Malvern Hills: an ancient landscape: an archaeological landscape, London: English Heritage.
Page, W. and Willis-Bund, J.W. (eds) 1924. Victoria History of the Counties of England: a history of the County of Worcestershire, Vol IV, 392, 422, London: St Catherine Press.
Windle, B.C.A. and Willis-Bund, J.W. (eds) 1901. Victoria History of the Counties of England: a history of the County of Worcestershire, 1, 187, London: St Catherine Press.
Atlas of Hillforts:
Wikidata:
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