Caer Din Ring, SMRNO01192

Grid Reference:SO 2407 8504

Map

Detail

SMR Reference Number	SMRNO01192
SMR System Number	SMRSYSTEMNOCCS:MSA899
Monument Name	Caer Din Ring
Monument Summary	Scheduled Monument: A fine and well-preserved example of a small enclosed settlement of Iron Age or Romano-British origin, of particular interest because of its association with a probably contemporary field boundary and holloway, and an earlier (Bronze Age) round barrow.

Monument Type and Period

Date range	Early Neolithic to Migration - 4000 BC? to 799 AD?
Monument Type(s)	RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE
Monument Evidence	EARTHWORK
Date range	Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 409 AD?
Monument Type(s)	ENCLOSED SETTLEMENT
Monument Evidence	EARTHWORK
Date range	Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD
Monument Type(s)	HOLLOW WAY
Monument Evidence	EARTHWORK

Description and sources

Monument Description
Caer-din ring is situated on the summit of a hill, under pasture, which has gentle slopes falling to the N and E with steeper slopes to the S and W. The work is sub square in plan and measures overall 120m each way. It comprises an earthen bank with an outer ditch. The bank is 7m in width, 0.5m to 0.8m in height internally and up to 2.2m externally to the foot of the ditch. The ditch is 4m in width and from 0.5m in depth on the W side to 0.9m on the east side. The original entrance is midway in the east side. From the entrance a hollow way, 9m in width reduced by ploughing to a depth of 0.3m, extends for 60m to a break in an outwork 330m in length which covers the enclosure on its weakest side. This outwork comprises a bank with ditch on the east (downhill) side. The bank has been largely reduced by ploughing to a lynchet-like scarp, but remains show it to have been about 5m in width. It is now nowhere more than 0.2m in height internally, but drops externally up to 1.5m to the ditch. This has been reduced by silting up and ploughing to a terrace 3m in width, except towards the southern end where it remains up to a depth of 0.2m or less. This end of the outwork rests upon the lip of the steeper slopes of the hill. At the northern end, beyond a modern fence, no trace of the work remains, although the OS 1:2500 shows it to have continued for a further 45m. The bastion feature reported by Bird [<1a>] at SO24118403 ... is a circular mound of earth ... probably a spoil heap or midden. The cross shaped hollow Bird noted is probably an old excavation trench. The lines of stones reported by Bird could not be traced. OS FI 1973<1>Guilbert observed that the site resembles a banjo enclosure and may therefore be a stock corral<6>Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, High score as one of 30 Upland Enclosures<13>The trackway is probably later than the enclosure, which would therefore not be a banjo enclosure. The preferred interpretation of the site is as a probable Iron Age/ Roman defended settlement<18>Scheduling revised in 2004. Scheduling description: The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a small enclosed Iron Age or Romano-British settlement known as Caer-Din Ring, the earthwork and buried remains of an ancient field boundary and round barrow, together with remains of ridge and furrow cultivation. The enclosed settlement occupies a commanding position on the summit of a hill overlooking the Folly Brook valley to the west. From this location there are extensive views in every direction. Other broadly contemporary small enclosed settlements in the vicinity include examples on Fron, 2.5km to the south east, on Castle Idris, 2.6km to the south, and near Cwm Farm, 2km to the north east. All these settlements are the subject of separate schedulings. Caer-Din Ring is sub-rectangular in plan. Its overall dimensions are approximately 114m east-west by 122m north-south, and its internal area is about 0.85ha. The earthworks which define the interior of the settlement consist of a bank, constructed of earth and stone, and an external ditch. The bank is between 6m and 9.5m wide, and stands up to 1.8m high. The width of the ditch is between 3m and 4.5m, and along part of the outer edge on the north western side its steep rock-cut face is still plainly visible. The original entranceway into the settlement is on the eastern side and is 4m wide. A smaller entranceway at the north west corner of the enclosure appears to be a later feature. Within the interior there are a series of level platforms,,some of which are partially cut into the gently sloping ground. These platforms provided level areas for the construction of houses and ancillary buildings. Down the slope, between 55m and 65m to the east of the settlement, is an ancient field boundary [PRN 08558], comprising a bank about 4.5m wide and 1.5m high, and an external ditch between 3m and 4m wide. The bank is of earth and stone construction, and appears to have been built in a series of short straight lengths. There is an original break in this boundary towards its southern end, where there is a 10m wide causeway across the ditch and a corresponding gap in the bank. The southern part of this boundary closely follows the alignment of the eastern side of the enclosed settlement. Its course then changes and heads in a north westerly direction. The northern part of the boundary has been levelled by ploughing. However, aerial photographs indicate that the infilled ditch survives well as a buried feature, and it is therefore included in the scheduling. The known extent of this boundary is approximately 450m. The original break in the boundary lies directly opposite the original entrance into the enclosed settlement. Running in a slight curve between the entranceway into the enclosure and the break in the field boundary is a shallow depression nearly 60m long, about Bm wide and 0.3m deep. This linear depression, or hollow way, has been caused by the passage of people, animals and vehicles over a long time. The position of the field boundary in relation to the settlement enclosure, and the presence of the hollow way, which connects them both, suggest that the settlement and the field boundary are contemporary. Virtually opposite the break in the field boundary, about 30m to the east, are the remains of a Bronze Age round barrow [PRN 08559]. The barrow mound was built with earth and stone. It is roughly circular, about 8m in diameter, and stands to a height of 0.5m. There is a depression in the centre of the mound, which looks like an old excavation trench. There are, however, no records of any such investigation having been conducted. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was quarried to construct the monument, surrounds the mound. This has become infilled over the years and survives as a buried feature, approximately 3m wide. To the east of the northern part of the ancient field boundary, and running parallel with it, are the remains of ridge and furrow cultivation. This cultivation system is clearly later than the field boundary as it partly extends into the boundary ditch. The width of these ridges, between 5m and 7m, indicate that they were probably formed during the medieval period. A shallow ditch, up to 5m wide, runs south east from the point where the ancient boundary changes to a southerly direction. It would appear that this ditch acted as a boundary for the cultivation system and is likely to be contemporary with it. A 250m long sample of this cultivation system, which , includes a 100m length of the associated ditch, is included in the scheduling in order to preserve their relationship with the earlier field boundary. All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included<19>
Source Summary		<02>Aerial Photograph,Anon,,Oblique View
Source Summary		<03>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1983,Oblique View, 1983
Source Summary		<04>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1983,Oblique View, 1983
Source Summary		<09>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1986,Oblique View, 1986
Source Summary		<10>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1985,Oblique View, 1985
Source Summary		<11>Aerial Photograph,Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust,1983,Oblique View of Caer Di Ring, 1983
Source Summary		<13>Unpublished document,Horton W B,1990-1991,MPP Evaluation File
Source Summary		<14>Aerial Photograph,Musson C,2001,Oblique View, 2001
Source Summary		<15>Aerial Photograph,Musson C,2003,Oblique View, 2003
Source Summary		<16>Aerial Photograph,Musson C,2003,Oblique View, 2003
Source Summary		<17>Aerial Photograph,Musson C,2003,Oblique View, 2003
Source Summary		<19>Scheduling record,English Heritage,2004,Scheduling papers [Revised scheduling, 22/06/2004]
Source Summary		<06>Article in serial,Guilbert G,1976,Article in Archaeologia Cambrensis
Source Summary		<01a>Map Annotation,Bird A J,1966,Map annotation by OS Correspondent
Source Summary		<01>OS Record Card,Ordnance Survey,1979,Ordnance Survey Record Card SO28NW7
Source Summary		<12>Photograph,Tyler A W,Jan 1981,Caer Din Ring, Clun
Source Summary		<08>Scheduling record,English Heritage,1990,Map of Scheduled area, 1990
Source Summary		<05>Scheduling record,Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission,1987,Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 32458 (11/05/1987)
Source Summary		<07>Site Visit Form,Tyler A W,1981,Site Visit Form, 19/01/1981
Source Summary	01/07/2004	01/07/2004<18>SMR comment,Wigley A,2002-4,SMR Comment
Source Summary	SMR Card for PRN SA 01192	SMR Card for PRN SA 01192<00>Unpublished document,Shropshire County Council SMR,,Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards
Source Summary	p373 with plan	p373 with plan<05a>Serial,Victoria County History,1908,Victoria County History 1
Source Summary	p57	p57<05b>Article in serial,Fox C&Phillips D W,1930,Article in Archaeologia Cambrensis

Location Information

OS Grid Reference	SO 2407 8504
Topology	Dispersed
Input Precision	Centred on
Map Sheet Reference	SO28NW
Civil Parish	Clun, South Shropshire, Shropshire
Civil Parish	Clun, South Shropshire, Shropshire

Related Events

Undated field observation by English Heritage: Event - Survey: Undated field observation by English Heritage. See CCS:ESA1640
1973 field observation by the Ordnance Survey: Event - Survey: 1973 field observation by the Ordnance Survey. See CCS:ESA1641
1979 field observation by the Ordnance Survey: Event - Survey: 1979 field observation by the Ordnance Survey. See CCS:ESA1642
1981 field observation by Shropshire County Council: Event - Survey: 1981 field observation by Shropshire County Council. See CCS:ESA1643
1987 field observation by English Heritage: Event - Survey: 1987 field observation by English Heritage. See CCS:ESA1644