Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA2953 Gribin Ridge Fort, Solva, Pembrokeshire

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Dyfed No record found (None)

NMR:  SM 82 SW (410450)

SM:  None

NGR:  SM 8063 2419

X:  180630  Y:  224190  (OSGB36)

Summary

Partial contour hillfort sited on narrow spine of the Gribin ridge, 55m above sea level, c. 300m SW of Solva hillfort (Atlas No. 1984) and 500m NE of the Gribin Promontory fort (Atlas No. 1976) on the far tip of Solva Head. First recorded by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in 2010, followed by aerial reconnaissance and detailed survey by RCAHMW. Steep to very steep slopes to E and W. Undulating along ridge to NE and SW. Roughly oval shape measuring c. 127m NE-SW by between 7m and 34m SE-NW. Area not defined. Defined by the steep natural slopes on E side and 4.5m wide terrace on W. No banks or ditches visible and palisade defence likely. Two opposing entrances likely at each end of the spine of the ridge on NE and SW. Main feature of the site are up to 20 platforms, probably providing foundations for structures of some sort. Most definitive examples survive as clear earthworks created through cutting into the sloping ground on W side, whilst on ridge top they are much shallower depressions cut into the bedrock. Under rough grass, gorse and scrub. Minimal investigations, undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -577551  Y:  6777193  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -5.188232003077933  Latitude:  51.87299003781562  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Pembrokeshire

Historic County:  Pembrokeshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Solva

Monument Condition

No banks visible, but interior platforms survive.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Under rough coastal grass, gorse and scrub.

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

Partial contour hillfort sited on narrow spine of the Gribin ridge, 55m above sea level, c. 300m SW of Solva hillfort and 500m NE of the Gribin Promontory fort on the far tip of Solva Head. Steep to very steep slopes to E and W. Undulating along ridge to NE and SW.

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:  Ridge

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  55.0m

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

First recorded by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park 2010, followed by later aerial reconnaissance and detailed survey by RCAHMW.

Investigations:
1st Identified Written Reference (2010):   First recorded by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Other (2011):   Visited by Hillfort Study Group
Other (None):   Aerial reconnaissance and detailed survey by RCAHMW.

Interior Features

Main feature of the site are up to 20 platforms, probably providing foundations for structures of some sort. Most definitive examples survive as clear earthworks created through cutting into the sloping ground on W side, whilst on ridge top they are much shallower depressions cut into the bedrock.

Water Source

None

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

Main feature of the site are up to 20 platforms, probably providing foundations for structures of some sort. Most definitive examples survive as clear earthworks created through cutting into the sloping ground on W side, whilst on ridge top they are much shallower depressions cut into the bedrock

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

NO APPARENT FEATURES

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked  
None  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roads/Tracks  
Other  

Entrances

Two opposing entrances likely at each end of the spine of the ridge on NE and SW.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
2:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (North east):   None
2. Simple Gap (South west):   None

Enclosing Works

Defined by the steep natural slopes on E side and 4.5m wide terrace on W. No banks or ditches visible and palisade defence likely.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   Noneha.
Total:   Noneha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   Area not defined - no sure limits.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   None

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

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

No banks visible and palisade defence likely.

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:
✗   None

Number of Ditches:  0

Annex:
✗   None

References

No related records



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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