Scheduled Monument: A fine example of a nationally rare type of Iron Age hillfort (relatively small, with multiple ramparts) found mostly in the Marches, one of a group of such hillforts overlooking the Rea Brook valley. Documentary evidence has been postulated as indicating a medieval castle on this site.
Small hillfort enclosing c.1 acre. The defences comprise two scarp slopes averaging 2.5m high with an indeterminate berm 3m wide. In the south the berm takes the form of a counterscarp, and along the NW and S sides there is also an outer berm. In the NE is a well defined, in-turned entrance. Possible site of Callow Castle [PRN SA 01735] <1><1a>
Small bivallate hillfort with an outer bank on the edge of the hillside. The defences have almost been destroyed on the east side, otherwise they are fairly perfect <2a>
Multivallate fort situated upon an isolated hill..The ramparts are covered with an open woodland of oak…all internal features are obscured by undergrowth…No record of excavation, but what appears to be an old cutting across the ramparts at SJ38450487. Several modern disturbances in the defences itemised <3>
Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 18 Small Multivallate hillforts <7>
Scheduling revised in 2002. Scheduling description : ->
-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a small multivallate hillfort, situated on the southern end of the summit of Callow Hill overlooking the Rea Brook valley to the north. Callow Hill slopes steeply on its eastern and western sides, while on the southern side there is a deep ravine. To the north, the natural fall of the ground is less steep, but much of this part of the hill was quarried for stone in the 20th century. ->
-> The hillfort is roughly triangular in plan, with overall dimensions of 96m north west to south east by 146m south west to north east. The defensive circuit defines an area of about 0.3ha. Its size would suggest it was the settlement of a small community, perhaps several related family groups or a single extended family group. The earthwork defences of the hillfort consist of two principal ramparts separated by a ditch. The outer faces of the ramparts survive as steep scarps, which closely follow the contours of the hill. The ditch, which has been largely infilled, is discernible as a terrace or as a shallow depression, but will survive as a buried feature. Along the north western side an outer ditch defined by an external rampart provided an additional line of defence. A similar arrangement exists on the southern side, but here the outermost rampart is bounded externally by a terrace or infilled ditch. Running along this outer terrace is a former boundary bank. This section of the boundary bank is included in the scheduling. The original entrance into the interior of the hill fort was via a 4m causeway through the north eastern corner of the defences. ->
-> Documentary sources suggest that in the medieval period a stone-built castle was constructed on Callow Hill. Its exact location is not known, and there is no visible indication to suggest that the remains of the castle lie within the hillfort. <8>
Management plan for the hillfort prepared in 1998. <9>
Photographed during aerial photographic survey between 2007 and 2010. <10><11><12>
A site visit was made on 15th April 2003 to Callow Hill Hillfort to record reported damage to the monument. Extensive damage was noted to the monument in the form of tracks and obstacles (ramps and pits) for mountain bikes and a plan of the damaged areas was prepared. <13>
Ramparts clearly identifiable on LiDAR imagery. Reprocessed multi-hillsahdes attached to this record in Library Link. <14>
This site was visited during a survey of major later prehistoric enclosures in the region, in 2011-2012. A history of vandalism and illegal excavations have been recorded at this site as far back as 1981. Discussions are ongoing with the site owners to address these issues. ->
-> Evidence for an excavation trench was recorded on N side of site but no known records survive. <15><15a>
There has been some damage to this monument in recent years caused by young bike riders digging into the ramparts to create jumps in the ditches. Scrub clearance is currently being considered. <16>
Visited during a condition survey by the English Heritage Field Monument Warden, in 1997. Condition recorded as poor and a number of management recommendations were made. <17>
Assorted correspondance, largely between Mike Watson, English Heritage and estates, between 1998 and 2003 with regards to ongoing damage to the site. <18>
| [00] | SSA20722 - Card index: Shropshire County Council SMR. Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards. SMR record cards. SMR Card for PRN SA 01048. |
| [01a] | SSA31554 - Site visit report: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. Various. NRHE: Ordnance Survey Field Investigators Comments. F1 MHB 16-JUN-71. |
| [01] | SSA3841 - Card index: Ordnance Survey. 1971. Ordnance Survey Record Card SJ30SE1. Ordnance Survey record cards. SJ30SE1. |
| [02a] | SSA178 - Volume: Victoria County History. 1908. Victoria County History 1. Victoria County History of Shropshire. Vol 1. p.366. |
| [02] | SSA3842 - Field Monument Warden Report: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (HBMC). 1987-Apr-14. Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 32370 (14/04/1987). |
| [03] | SSA3843 - Field recording form: Tyler Alan W. 1981. Site Visit Form. SMR site visit form. |
| [04] | SSA3839 - Correspondence: English Heritage. 1987. Correspondence, 1987. |
| [05] | SSA12851 - Photograph: Tyler Alan W. 1981-Mar/Apr. Callow Hillfort. Black and white. 35mm. |
| [06] | SSA3840 - Correspondence: Haigh David H. 1993. Correspondence, 1993. |
| [07] | SSA20084 - TEXT: Horton Wendy B. 1990/ 1991. MPP Evaluation File. Small Multivallate Hillforts. |
| [08] | SSA20674 - Scheduled Monument notification: English Heritage. 2001. Scheduling Papers (Revised Scheduling, 09/05/2001). 33838. |
| [09] | SSA21094 - Management report: Reid Malcolm L. 1998. Callow Hill Camp, Minsterley, Shropshire: an archaeological management plan. |
| [10] | SSA25143 - Oblique aerial photograph: Shropshire Council. 2007-Aug-5. SA0704_127 (1 photo) Flight: 07_SA_04. Colour. Digital. |
| [11] | SSA26506 - Oblique aerial photograph: Shropshire Council. 2010-Mar-2. SA1003_001 to SA1003_008 (8 photos) Flight: 10_SA_03. Colour. Digital. |
| [12] | SSA26177 - Oblique aerial photograph: Shropshire Council. 2010-Jul-14. SA1009_038 (1 photo) Flight: 10_SA_09. Colour. Digital. |
| [13] | SSA20802 - Field survey report: Leigh Judith. 2001. Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the Shropshire Hills ESA: Brief Condition Survey. |
| [13] | SSA27284 - Field survey report: Hannaford Hugh R. 2003. Callow Hill Camp, Minsterley, Shropshire (report on a site visit to inspect damage). |
| [14] | SSA27397 - Geospatial data: Environment Agency. 2014. LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) Hillshade Model (Stiperstones and Corndon LPS). Stiperstones and Corndon LPS. |
| [15] | SSA24361 - Archaeological fieldwork report: Dorling P & Wigley A. 2012. Assessment of the archaeological and conservation status of major later prehistoric enclosures in Herefordshire and Shropshire. p.186. |
| [15a] | SSA30030 - Photograph: 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. Colour. JPEG. |
| [16] | SSA28091 - Deskbased survey report: Hannaford Hugh R and Ward Penny A. 2014. Shropshire Mineral Resources Assessment for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. SCAS rep. 357. p.86. |
| [17] | SSA20802 - Field survey report: Leigh Judith. 2001. Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the Shropshire Hills ESA: Brief Condition Survey. |
| [18] | SSA28491 - Correspondence: Watson Michael D. 1998-2003. Correspondance concerning ongoing damage at Callow Hill Camp. English Heritage/Estates. |