Caer Caradoc hillfort and causeway, Church Stretton, SMRNO00226

Grid Reference:SO 477 952

Map

Detail

SMR Reference Number	SMRNO00226
SMR System Number	SMRSYSTEMNOCCS:MSA1
Monument Name	Caer Caradoc hillfort and causeway, Church Stretton
Monument Summary	Scheduled Monument: One of Shropshire's most dramatic Iron Age hillforts, Caer Caradoc is a fine example of a hillfort type - large in size and with multiple ramparts - which is rare nationally. Named by tradition after the legendary Celtic warrior Caractacus or Caradoc, the monument forms part of a significant concentration of large hillforts in the Welsh Marches.

Monument Type and Period

Date range	Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD
Monument Type(s)	MULTIVALLATE HILLFORT
Monument Evidence	EARTHWORK
Date range	Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD
Monument Type(s)	CAUSEWAY
Monument Evidence	EARTHWORK

Description and sources

Monument Description
Precipitous slopes except on NE and SW. Inner rampart 12m wide, 1.7m high internal, enclosing area 375m NE/SW and 70m across. Outer rampart 10m plus below around northern part of the site, 10m wide, 0.5m high with internal ditch 5m wide and 0.5m deep. Reappears at SW end with third rampart to the SW. The entrance on the east side is inturned. From it an engineered terraceway 3.4m wide runs obliquely down slope to NE. Additional outer defences on the west side are probably sheep walks. OS FI 1972<1>The area enclosed is 2.6 ha and the site lies at 450m OD<14>Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, High score as one of 18 Small multivallate hillforts<33>Scheduling revised in 1994. Scheduling description: The monument includes Caer Caradoc camp, a large multivallate hillfort with associated causeway and Caractacus' Cave. Both the hillfort and cave are named by tradition after the legendary first century AD Welsh chieftain Caractacus. The hillfort is situated on the strategically strong summit of Caer Caradoc Hill, a distinctive, steep-sided hill of volcanic origin rising to a height of 460m on the east side of Church Stretton valley. The hillfort lies orientated along the spine of the hill and has overall dimensions of 450m south west to north east by 160m transversely with a total enclosed area of 3ha. The defences of the hillfort are designed to enhance the natural strength of the hilltop position. They include inner and outer ramparts, separated by on average 28m of falling ground and are well defined around most of the hilltop, in places incorporating natural rock outcrops into the defensive circuit to encircle the hill summit. The inner rampart represents the earliest phase of the defences and is well defined around the north east, north and western flanks of the hill. It has been constructed by cutting back into the natural hillslope, so creating a steep outer face up to 8m high and a lower inner face some 1.5m high. A shallow linear ditch averaging 7m wide and 0.8m deep runs alongside the inner face of the bank, it is stepped along the line of the ditch as a series of hollows. It appears to be the remains of the quarry ditch for the inner bank, material being thrown downslope to form the bank. The stepping may indicate how work was organised during the construction of the rampart, each hollow being the work of a separate team. At its southern extent the bank turns to the south east to cut across the neck of the hill and join with a large basalt tor. From the north edge of this tor a short length of bank curves to the north to form the south side of a simple inturned entrance 2.5m wide. A shallow oval platform set into the inner side of the bank, south of the entrance, is believed to be the site of a guard chamber. The entrance is approached by a well engineered causeway, 300m long and averaging 4m wide, which climbs the hill from the north east. To the north of the entrance the defences continue for 120m as a series of well defined banks. These link the natural rock outcrops along the edge of the precipitous east face of the hill to form a strong defensive wall. The natural outcrops become less pronounced towards the north of the hill and a more continuous inner rampart is established. The outer rampart also commences here, running roughly parallel to the inner rampart around the north east, north, west and south of the hillfort. Where it exists the outer rampart is similar in form and construction to the inner; the natural hillslope has been cut back to create an outer slope averaging 5m high with an inner slope 1.5m high. A ditch averaging 6m wide and 0.8m deep runs along the inner face of the bank, once again this is stepped in a series of pronounced linear hollows. This would have served as a quarry ditch for the bank, the spoil being thrown outwards. The scooping, here more pronounced than in the inner rampart, is strongly indicative of a construction technique using a number of different work gangs. There is no outer defence around the south east quarter of the site where the natural topography makes it unnecessary. The southern end of the hillfort, where approach is possible along the more gentle southern end of the ridge, is strengthened by a third outer bank. It curves for 80m across the neck of the hill, joining the outcropping rock at the south east corner of the site with the precipitous hillslope to the west. The bank stands up to 1.7m high on its outer face and 1.5m high on its inner. The interior of the hillfort, which comprises the narrow rocky summit of the hill, offers limited scope for permanent occupation. However, a series of levelled platforms in the south east quarter of the hillfort, north of the entrance, may represent the site of buildings. There is a clear emphasis on military considerations in the selection of the site. The hilltop has difficult access and limited space for occupation but does very effectively command the surrounding landscape. The construction of the substantial earthworks on the hill would have required a considerable effort of well organised labour. In the north west quarter of the hillfort, adjacent to the inner face of the inner rampart (annotated on OS maps as a well), is a small spring-fed pond. This water supply, within the defences of the hillfort, may have encouraged the occupation of the site. In the north western quarter of the monument, immediately adjacent to the outer rampart, is the entrance to Caractacus' Cave, named by tradition after the legendary Celtic warrior Caractacus or Caradoc. It has a keyhole-shaped entrance 1.6m high and lm wide and is 4.3m deep<34>Caer Caradoc is situated almost exactly opposite the smaller Bodbury Ring hillfort. Both appear to have been permanently occupied, though not necessarily in use at the same time<35>
Source Summary		<32>Unpublished document,Shropshire County Council,1987,Correspondence, 1987
Source Summary		<01>OS Record Card,Ordnance Survey,1972,Ordnance Survey Record Card SO49NE11
Source Summary		<28>Scheduling record,English Heritage,1990,Map of Scheduled area, 1990
Source Summary		<15>Scheduling record,English Heritage,,Map of Scheduled area
Source Summary		<34>Scheduling record,English Heritage,1994,Scheduling Papers (Revision, 14/12/1994)
Source Summary		<16>Photograph,Anon,1979,Slide
Source Summary		<22>Photograph,Anon,1986,Plan of Caer Caradoc
Source Summary		<18>Photograph,Anon,,Slides
Source Summary		<17>Photograph,Anon,,Slides
Source Summary		<13>Scheduling record,Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission,1986,Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 25924
Source Summary		<02>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1984,Oblique View, 1984
Source Summary		<03>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1984,Oblique View, 1984
Source Summary		<04>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1984,Oblique View, 1984
Source Summary		<05>Aerial Photograph,Livock G E,,Oblique View
Source Summary		<06>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1987,Oblique View, 1987
Source Summary		<07>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1987,Oblique View, 1987
Source Summary		<08>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1987,Oblique View, 1987
Source Summary		<09>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1988,Oblique View, 1988
Source Summary		<10>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1988,Oblique View, 1988
Source Summary		<11>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1989,Oblique View, 1989
Source Summary		<12>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1989,Oblique View, 1989
Source Summary		<19>Aerial Photograph,Aerofilms Ltd,,Oblique View
Source Summary		<20>Aerial Photograph,Aerofilms Ltd,,Oblique View
Source Summary		<21>Aerial Photograph,Aerofilms Ltd,,Oblique View
Source Summary		<24>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,,Oblique View of Caer Caradoc
Source Summary		<25>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1984,Oblique View, 1984
Source Summary		<26>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1992,Oblique View, 1992
Source Summary		<27>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1992,Oblique View, 1992
Source Summary		<29>Aerial Photograph,Barret G,1991,Oblique View, 1991
Source Summary		<30>Aerial Photograph,Barret G,1991,Oblique View, 1991
Source Summary		<31.1>Aerial Photograph,Barret G,1991,Oblique View, 1991
Source Summary		<31.2>Aerial Photograph,Barret G,1991,Oblique View, 1991
Source Summary		<33>Unpublished document,Horton W B,1990-1991,MPP Evaluation File
Source Summary		<36>Aerial Photograph,Musson C,2002,Oblique View, 2002
Source Summary		<37>Aerial Photograph,Musson C,2003,Oblique View, 2003
Source Summary		<38>Aerial Photograph,Musson C,2003,Oblique View, 2003
Source Summary	141, Fig 71	141, Fig 71<13d>Monograph,Forde-Johnson J,1976,Hillforts of England and Wales
Source Summary	SMR Card for PRN SA 00226	SMR Card for PRN SA 00226<00>Unpublished document,Shropshire County Council SMR,,Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards
Source Summary	p153-154, plate 15	p153-154, plate 15<14>Monograph,Hogg A H A,1975,Hillforts of Britain
Source Summary	p17	p17<35>Serial,Woodside R&Milln J,1995,The National Trust Archaeological Survey: The Long Mynd, Shropshire
Source Summary	p25-33	p25-33<13a>Monograph,Cobbold E S,1904,Church Stretton
Source Summary	p381-382 inc plan	p381-382 inc plan<13b>Serial,Victoria County History,1908,Victoria County History 1

Location Information

OS Grid Reference	SO 477 952
Topology	Area
Input Precision	Within 100 Meters of Grid Reference
Map Sheet Reference	SO49NE
Civil Parish	Church Stretton, South Shropshire, Shropshire
Civil Parish	Church Stretton, South Shropshire, Shropshire

Related Monuments

Related Events

1972 field observation by the Ordnance Survey: Event - Survey: 1972 field observation by the Ordnance Survey. See CCS:ESA204
1985 field observation by English Heritage: Event - Survey: 1985 field observation by English Heritage. See CCS:ESA205

Related HLC

CCS:HSA14758

Related Resources

	Caer Caradoc This view of Caradoc shows its long hog back ridge. Seen from another angle it looks like the typical cone shape of a volcano. It is made of ancient volcanic rock but it was never an actual volcano. Caradoc lies along the Church Stretton Fault in a line w
	Caer Caradoc This aerial photograph shows the large Iron Age (700 B.C. - A.D. 43) hillfort of Caer Caradoc at Church Stretton. The ramparts follow the contours of the hill and enclose a total area of around 3 hectares. The defences of the hillfort are designed to enha