Monument Type(s):

• UNIVALLATE HILLFORT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 43 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A well-preserved Iron Age hillfort of a nationally rare type (large in area and with a single defensive rampart), Caynham Camp is noted for its exceptionally fine and apparently undisturbed entrance earthworks.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA447 - 1959-1961 Excavations at Caynham Camp
• ESA448 - 1981 field observation by SCC SMR
• ESA449 - 1926 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA450 - May 1981 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA451 - Jul 1981 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA452 - Jun 1981 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA453 - 1988 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA6003 - 1994 Dowsing Survey at Caynham Camp
• ESA6904 - 2011-12 DBA and walkover survey of hillforts in Shropshire by Shropshire Council and Herefordshire Council
• ESA8298 - 2017 WB on the installation of new path furniture at Caynham Camp, Caynham, Ludlow by SCAS (Ref: 0514/18A/6)

Description

Excavations were undertaken on the rampart on SW side, at the W and E entrances and in small areas of the interior <1a><1b><1c>

There is a description by Leland quoted in <6a>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, High score as one of 13 Large Univallate hillforts <22>

Scheduling revised in 1996. Scheduling description: ->

->The monument includes Caynham Camp, a large univallate hillfort, with an annex, rectangular enclosure and building platform, situated on the summit of a small spur at the western foot of the Clee Hill escarpment. The hillfort is roughly oval in plan with maximum dimensions of 460m south west to north east by 190m transversely and has a total enclosed area of approximately 4ha. The defences are designed to take maximum advantage of the natural strength of the hill and show three phases of construction.->

-> The earliest phase is now the eastern compartment of the earthworks. Here the defences include a substantial earth and stone rampart set on the upper slopes of the hill to completely encircle its rounded summit. The rampart is at its most massive at the eastern end of the enclosure, the most natural approach to the site. Here it stands 4.lm high on its interior side and 5.5m on its exterior. This is flanked by an outer plough-spread bank 20m wide and 1.4m high which curves around the hill roughly north west to south east for 80m, parallel to, and some 10m out from the base of, the main rampart. Though this area has been disturbed in the past by cultivation, it is certain that a ditch lies between this outer bank and the main rampart. At the south east corner of the enclosure the outer bank ends. Here the main rampart is interrupted by a good example of an original in-turned entrance; the north and south parts of the rampart curl inwards to form a narrow passage through the defences 40m long and only 3m wide. Such in-turned entrances were developed to ensure that any approach to the interior of the site could be overlooked and controlled from above. From the entrance westwards the ramparts continue in a similar form with an average outer height in excess of 5m. They are flanked by a ditch 4m wide with a well defined outer bank 10m wide and 1.5m high on its outer edge. This outer bank continues along the full extent of the south side of the hillfort before wrapping around the western end. However, although the main rampart continues parallel to it there is a distinct change in its character at a point 80m from the south west corner. From this point a cross bank curves north to south across the hilltop for some 85m, rising to a height of 1.8m on its eastern side and 3.6m on its west. Although this is now largely unconnected with the south and north sides of the enclosure, it originally represented the western end of the hillfort. This original circuit of defences is continued around the north side of the enclosure by enhancing the already precipitous natural slope of the hill with a rampart 0.8m high on its inward facing side, though merging into the natural slope on its outward facing side. The original enclosure therefore had interior dimensions of 250m south west to north east.->

-> At a later date the hillfort was extended to the west. The original southern rampart was extended in a similar though less substantial form, averaging 3.4m high on its outside and 2.lm on its inside. After 60m this rampart turns north east to end on the edge of the steep north slope of the hill and form a roughly rectangular, round cornered annex measuring 94m north west to south east by 60m. Along its north side the natural slope has again been enhanced in strength by the addition of a bank lm high. Access from this area to the (earlier) eastern part of the fort was provided by cutting through the original rampart 24m from its southern end and at both terminals. There does not appear to be any other access to the interior of the annex, with the exception of a narrow, recent gap in the western bank, 22m south of the north west corner. The lack of any external entrance in the annex indicates that in this secondary phase the whole fort was in use as a single entity, suggesting a refurbishment and expansion of the site.->

-> There is no visible surface evidence of habitation in the interior of the hillfort, which retains the domed topography of the natural hilltop. In the north western part of the site there is a roughly oval platform which is believed to represent the site of a silage store.->

-> Beyond and below the west end of the hillfort is a second rectangular annex formed by a bank averaging 2.lm high on its outside and 0.4m on its inside. The bank abuts onto the outer face of the outer bank of the main enclosure 25m from the south west corner, runs for 40m south west, turns to the north west at right angles and ends after 100m on the steep natural scarp in the north. The enclosure so formed is rectangular in plan with internal dimensions of 88m north west to south east by 38m transversely. A cut through the bank, 20m south of the north west corner of the enclosure, may be an original entrance. This much less imposing earthwork appears different in character to the main earthworks and may be of a later date than the main hillfort. Tradition links the hillfort with Cromwell's campaign against the Royalist-held Ludlow Castle, stating that he used the hill as a camp from which to launch his attack.->

-> All fence lines falling within the area of the scheduling are excluded from the scheduling, though the ground beneath each is included.->

-> The earthworks are unusual in preserving visible evidence of refurbishment, expansion and subsequent secondary use of the site. The eastern entrance is also an exceptionally good example of an original inturned entrance which has survived with no apparent disturbance <23>

Dowsing survey of Caynham camp, south Shropshire carried out in 1994. <25>

Photographed during aerial survey in 2008. <27>

Peter Gelling (<1a>,<1c>,<5b>) undertook three seasons of work at Caynham, which included a section through the southern rampart, small scale trenching of the main, in-turned eastern entrance and the western entrance and the opening of a number of trenches within the interior. The rampart was of four phases starting with a stone wall with timber post and a rock cut ditch, thought to have been constructed in c. 600BC. This was replaced by a rampart of dump construction with a loosely built stone revetment. In the third phase the rampart was significantly enlarged and provided with a well-constructed stone revetment wall and the ditch was recut. The final phase saw a further enlargement of the rampart and repairs to the revetment walling. The trenches across the entrances do not appear to have been large enough to have provided full details of the construction sequence but those within the eastern entrance did reveal a series of very substantial postholes for the gates. ->

-> Within the interior, Gelling found evidence for numerous postholes cut into the underlying bedrock, many of which contained carbonised grain and, more occasionally, the carbonised remains of posts. In the largest trench, remains of a semi-circular, rock cut gully was also found. To Gelling both ends of the gully appeared to terminate at postholes, with that on the eastern side forming one of a line of five postholes. He viewed this relationship as intentional, rather than fortuitous, enabling him to argue that the gully and posts represented the remains of a semi-circular building of unusual form. Stanford (<5a>) subsequently interpreted this building as a temple. However, in the photograph published with Gelling’s (<5b>) final report the feature appears similar to that which one would expect to find in association with a conventional roundhouse set on a platform that had been partially terraced into the slope. The dimensions of the feature (c. 10m in diameter) would also lend support to this interpretation, with the postholes on the eastern side perhaps representing the remains of a porch structure. However, without more detailed levels and other contextual information it is difficult to draw any firm conclusions. The finds assemblage was extremely small, comprising a small number of sherds of Malvernian and Clee Hills pottery, leading Gelling to highlight the contrast with Croft Ambrey. ->

A site visit was carried out in 2011-2012 as part of a survey of major later prehistoric enclosures in the region. Evidence for a post-medieval limestone quarry within the western part of the interior of the site was recorded, just beyond the inner rampart. The breach in the NW side of the annex earthwork is likely to be the result of post-medieval quarrying and well preserved earthwork remains of a simple lime kiln north-west of this feature, immediately beyond the Scheduled area. <28><28a>

Clear earthworks of western extension visible on LiDAR imagery. <30>

Photographed from the air by Chris Musson in 2006. <31>

A watching brief was carried out on the installation of new footpath furniture on the N side of Caynham Camp in 2017. No archaeological finds or features were recorded. <32>

<00> Shropshire County Council SMR, Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards, SMR Card for PRN SA 00419 (Card index). SSA20722.

<01a> Gelling P S, 1957/ 1960, Excavations at Caynham Camp, near Ludlow: first interim report (Article in serial). SSA1831.

<01b> Gelling P S, 1960, Excavations at Caynham Camp, near Ludlow: second interim report (Article in serial). SSA21371.

<01c> Gelling P S, 1961/ 1964, Excavations at Caynham Camp, near Ludlow: final report (Article in serial). SSA1832.

<01> Ordnance Survey, 1976, Ordnance Survey Record Card SO57SW13 (Card index). SSA1842.

<02> Baker W A, 1959, WAB 979 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16466.

<03> Musson Chris R, 1988-Mar-04, CPAT 88/03/0017 and 0020 (2 photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16467.

<04> Whimster Rowan, 1982, AP Plot for Plot Sheet SO5473 Mapping unit SO541736 (Aerial photograph transcription). SSA1830.

<05b> Gelling P S & Peacock D, 1965/ 1968, Article in the Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society (Article in serial). SSA1840.

<05a> Stanford S C, 1980, The Archaeology of the Welsh Marches (Monograph). SSA1841.

<05> Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (HBMC), 1987-Jun-12, Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 31388 (12/06/1987) (Field Monument Warden Report). SSA1845.

<06b> Hartshorne C H, 1841, Salopia Antiqua, p179, p215 (Monograph). SSA500.

<06a> Anon, 1881, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological Society, p133, p151 (Volume). SSA1838.

<06c> Fortey C, 1899, Notes upon Caynham Camp (Article in serial). SSA1839.

<06f> Victoria County History, 1908, Victoria County History 1, p360-361 with plan (Volume). SSA178.

<06d> Allcroft A H, 1975, Earthworks of England, p184-185, p188 (Monograph). SSA1604.

<06> Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (HBMC), 1988, Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 33884 (Field Monument Warden Report). SSA1846.

<06e> Anon, nd, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological Society, p12-13 (Serial). SSA1837.

<07> Chitty Lily F, 1961/ 1967, Article in the Transactions of the Caradoc and Severn Valley Field Club, p49, p83 (Article in serial). SSA403.

<08> Anon, 1960, Shropshire Newsletter, p4 (Newsletter). SSA1836.

<09> Anon, 1959, Shropshire Newsletter, p2 (Newsletter). SSA1834.

<10> Anon, 1959, West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet Vol 2, p3 (Newsletter). SSA1835.

<11> Anon, 1926-Aug-20, Article in Shrewsbury Chronicle (Newspaper article). SSA1833.

<12> Hogg A H A, 1975, Hillforts of Britain, p185 (Monograph). SSA1150.

<13> Tyler Alan W, 1981-Feb-16, Site Visit Form, 16/02/1981 (Field recording form). SSA1847.

<14> Musson Chris R, 1988-Mar-04, CPAT 88/MB/0029 to 0030 (2 photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16468.

<15> Musson Chris R, 1988-Mar-04, CPAT 88/MB/0058 to 0061 (4 photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16469.

<16> Musson Chris R, 1988-Mar-04, CPAT 88/C/0009 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16470.

<17> Musson Chris R, 1988-Mar-04, CPAT 88/C/0009 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16470.

<18> Musson Chris R, 1992-May-15, CPAT 92/MB/0600 to 0601 (2 photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16471.

<19> Musson Chris R, 1992-May-15, CPAT 92/C/0893 to 0894 (2 photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA16472.

<20> Tyler Alan W, 1981-Feb, Caynham Camp (Photograph). SSA12799.

<21> Anon, Slide (Photograph). SSA1844.

<22> Horton Wendy B, 1990/ 1991, MPP Evaluation File (TEXT). SSA20084.

<23> English Heritage, 1996, Scheduling Papers (Revised Scheduling, 27/02/1996) (Scheduled Monument notification). SSA1843.

<24> Musson Chris R, 1996-Jul-24, CPAT 96/MB/0361 to 0362 (2 photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA21567.

<25> Bere P, 1994, Caynham Camp, Ludlow: Dowsing Survey (Field survey report). SSA22407.

<26> Watson Michael D, 2002, Shropshire An Archaeological Guide, p25-26 (Monograph). SSA22535.

<27> Shropshire Council, 2008-Jun-8, SA0804_060 (1 photo) Flight: 08_SA_04 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA25604.

<28a> Hannaford Hugh R and Wigley A, 2011-2012, Photographs taken on site visits 2011-2012 carried out as part of ESA6904: Assessment of the archaeological and conservation status of major later prehistoric enclosures in…Shropshire (Photograph). SSA30030.

<28> Dorling P & Wigley A, 2012, Assessment of the archaeological and conservation status of major later prehistoric enclosures in Herefordshire and Shropshire, pp.33-34; 192 (Archaeological fieldwork report). SSA24361.

<29> Musson Chris R, 1996-Jul-24, CPAT 96/C/1398 to 96/C/1399 (2 Photos) (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA27567.

<30> Environment Agency, 2014, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) Hillshade Model (Geospatial data). SSA24735.

<31> Musson Chris R, 2006, CPAT 06-CP-0633 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA28804.

<32> Hannaford Hugh R, 2017, A watching brief on the installation of new path furniture at Caynham Camp, Caynham, Ludlow, Shropshire, 2017 (Watching brief report). SSA29587.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.