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Summary

An almost circular enclosure about 94m diameter with a D-shaped outwork or annexe on the east.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 15008: BAKE RINGS LATER PREHISTORIC-ROMAN ROUND WITH ATTACHED ENCLOSURE AND OUTWORK

Other References/Statuses

• Heritage at Risk (National): English Heritage, South West
• Heritage at Risk (National): English Heritage, South West
• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 1077.36
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SX15SE 4
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 37198
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SX15SE 30

Monument Type(s):

• ROUND (Early Iron Age to Romano British - 800 BC to 409 AD)

Full description

Lysons is the first to record Bake Rings, which he describes as a "circular camp with a single bank and ditch and an entrance on the south-east". An advanced rampart on the south extends half around the former enclosure with an entrance opposite the inner one (b1). The site was planned by Maclauchlan in c1846 (b2) and it is listed under 'Defensive enclosures' in the VCH (b3). In 1958, Fox and Frere noted that the site was heavily ploughed down (b4). Bake Rings was surveyed by the OS in 1972 (h1) who describe it as an almost circular enclosure about 94m diameter, situated on a plateau with a D-shaped outwork or annexe on the east. It has been much ploughed down and spread so that the entrance or entrances to each enclosure cannot now be determined, but the existence of a ditch outside the south-east corner seems to provide cover for a possible entrance. Although the possibility of a motte and bailey cannot be dismissed it seems more likely to be a round with contemporary annexe. Sections accompanying the OS survey indicate that the ploughed down bank of the annexe stands up to 1.0m high above a 0.6m deep outer ditch, with the bank of the annexe being very slightly more substantial (h1). The site was scheduled in 1976 (h2).
The circular enclosure and eastern annexe are visible on aerial photographs (p1-p2) and were plotted during the Cornwall NMP. Traces of a third enclosure or annexe abutting the south and east side of the first are visible as low earthworks on the photographs.

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Site history:
1: 1972. MJF/OS
2: 1976. REES, S/DOE
3: 1980. GRAY, VK/DOE
4: 1983. SHEPPARD, PA/HBMC
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Lewis, J & Frieman, C (Dr), 2014, A Geophysical Survey of Bake Rings Enclosure, Pelynt (Cornwall Event Report). SCO26032.

<1> Lysons, D & S, 1814, Magna Britannia, VOL III, CORNWALL, CCXLVIII (Bibliographic reference). SCO3885.

RAF, 1963, 543/2332 (2F22) 0237-8 (Photographic Record). SCO13826.

<2> MACLAUGHLAN, H, 1846, UNKNOWN TITLE, 31 & PL 2 (Unedited Source). SCO5988.

JAT, 1985, FILM 6/24A-26A (Photographic Record). SCO16948.

<3> Page, W (Editor), 1906, Victoria History of the County of Cornwall, VOL I, 462 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4068.

<4> Fox, A, 1978, South-Western Hill-Forts, 56 (Article in monograph). SCO3331.

<5> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO24115.

<5> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO25275.

<5> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO26037.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO4135 - A Geophysical Survey of Bake Rings Enclosure, Pelynt (Ref: 15008)

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