Monument Type(s):

• Marsh Fort (Iron Age - 800 BC to 43 AD)
• MULTIVALLATE HILLFORT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 43 AD) + Sci.Date

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A large, complex Iron Age defended settlement site, which would originally have been on an island in fenland. Remains of roundhouses have been excavated on the site, and many of the earthworks are still traceable.

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds

• FSA2577 - VESSEL (Iron Age - 800 BC to 43 AD)
• FSA1864 - BEAD (Middle Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 200 BC? to 0 AD?)

Associated Events

• ESA1352 - 1962-1965 excavation at Wall Camp, Kynnersley by John Paggett, Wrekin Archaeological Group
• ESA1353 - Undated field observation by English Heritage
• ESA1354 - 1976 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA1355 - 1979 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA1356 - 1980 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA1357 - 1981 field observation by Shropshire County Council
• ESA1358 - 1981 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA1359 - 1983 excavation at Wall Camp, Kynnersley by English Heritage CEU
• ESA1360 - 1987 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA6280 - 2008 Geophysical survey, test pitting and WB at Wall Farm, Kynnersley, by ARCUS
• ESA6718 - 2011 WB at Wall Farm, Shropshire by Castlering Archaeology
• ESA6904 - 2011-12 DBA and walkover survey of hillforts in Shropshire by Shropshire Council and Herefordshire Council
• ESA7063 - 2013 Environmental sampling adjacent to Wall Camp, Kynnersley by Shelagh Norton

Description

Situated on a natural rise of ground, little more than 2-3m above the surrounding low-lying ground, once marsh.
The earthwork is boot-shaped in plan with the toe pointing WNW. It measures internally 400m WNW/ESE, and the same transversely, but only 300m NNW/SSE. The inner rampart is largely intact though (except where the summit is occupied by a modern road along the NW side, causing it to have a truncated appearance) much spread and lowered by constant ploughing. It averages 25m in width and from 0.6m on the S to 1.5m on the north in height. There is a 6m wide entrance, in-turned on its N side, at the SE corner. Opposite, 70m distant, is a low ridge of ground crossing the former marsh southwards towards Buttery Cottages, and probably the original route to the fort.
A break, 4m wide on the W side, with apparent in-turning on the N, maybe a secondary entrance, but could equally be a modern gap, being adjacent to the road.
The outer defences are strongest on the NW, where the ground is fractionally higher than to the SE and may, seasonally, have been less west. They comprise five banks from 6 to 12m in width and from 0.5m to 1m in height. The outermost bank, and the strongest, probably encircled the site except on the SE side, but long stretches of it have been destroyed on the NW and W. Of the four intermediate banks, only one is sufficiently complete to show that it encircled at least the N part of the site. The other banks are fragmentary, but all cover the NW side in whole or in part.
An unusual feature on the NE is a broad bank of about the same proportions as the inner rampart, which links the inner rampart with the largest of the intermediate banks and then, after a short break, extends up to join up with the outer bank. A break in the inner slope of the inner bank opposite this feature ( a ramp?) suggests that it was a causewayed entrance, the ditch perhaps having been bridged in some way in times of peace. OS FI 1976. <1>

Wall IA multivallate fort is situated upon a natural rise of ground, little more than two or three metres above the surrounding low-lying ground, once marsh land. ->

-> The earthwork is boot-shaped in plan, the toe pointing to the WNW. It measures, internally, 400.0m WNW-ESE, and the same transversely, but only 300.0m NNW-SSE. The inner rampart is largely intact though, (except where its summit is occupied by a modern road along the NW side, causing it to have a truncated appearance), much spread and lowered by constant ploughing. It averages 25.0m in width and from 0.6m on the S to 1.5m on the N in height. There is a 6.0m wide entrance, inturned on its N side, at the SE corner. Opposite, 70.0m distant, is a low ridge of ground crossing the former marsh southwardsto higher ground at Buttery Cottages, and probably the original route to the fort. ->

-> A break, 4.0m wide, in the W side, with apparent inturning on the N, may be a secondary entrance but could equally be a modern gap, being adjacent to the road. ->

-> The outer defences are strongest to the NW, where the ground is fractionally higher than to the SE, and may, seasonally, have been less wet. They comprise five banks,from 6.0 to 12.0m in width, and from 0.5 to 1.0m in height. The outermost bank, and the strongest, probably encircled the site except on the SE side, but long stretches of it have been destroyed on the NW and W. Of the four intermediate banks, only one is sufficiently complete to show that it encircled at least the N half of the site. The other banks are fragmentary but all cover the NW side in whole or in part. ->

-> An unusual feature, on the NE, is a broad bank of about the same proportions as the inner rampart, which links the inner rampart with the larger of the intermediate banks and then, after a short break, extends to join up with the outer bank. A break in the inner slope of the inner rampart opposite this feature (? a ramp) suggests that it was a causewayed entrance, the ditch perhaps having been bridged in some way in times of peace.

Published 1:2500 survey, 1961-68, revised. <1><1e>

Excavations by the Wrekin Archaeological Group 1962-5 produced no dating evidence but showed that the main bank is of at least four periods. <1a-d><7>

'The Wall' is an irregular enclosure of about thirty acres, its form being governed by the rising ground on which it stands. The rampart is generally 10 ft high from the interior, although partially damaged by ploughing. There was probably an entrance on the south-west side which is protected by two additional banks. Elsewhere the marshy ground provides a natural defence, except on the north side, where there are also two additional ramparts. <4c>

Kinnersley Wall. The marsh is now drained. The rampart is 45 ft wide, 4 to 6 ft high internally and 8 ft high externally, destroyed on the north-west side. There is a ditch 450 ft long outside the bank on the west. On the north-east the bank curves slightly on the inner side and protrudes in the form of a tongue on the outside for a distance of 200 ft. At the end of this, but independent of it, another rampart 7 ft high runs almost parallel to the first. <4e>

In the 1920s it was reported to the relevant body at the time (MPBW?) that a cutting had been made through the main vallum, and that when this had been observed by T C Cantrill in 1919, the cutting had exposed a section showing two retaining walls filled in with a wide band of clay and rubble. Kinnersley Wall. A hill fort enclosing a natural island in the marsh. The rampart is of rubble and boulder clay (a). Its stone retaining walls are being removed by the farmer. <4><4f>

Excavation in 1983 at Wall Camp, Kynnersley by the Central Excavation Unit of English Heritage revealed several Iron Age features: (a) a possible round building with narrow entrance facing W and internal 4 post structure; (b) an arc of a gully, if circular of similar diameter to (a); [c] a ditch cut by two post holes, part of a four post setting separated these buildings. Suggests two Iron Age circular buildings of differing construction, perhaps indicating a functional distinction, separated by a ditch. Very coarse pottery (VCP) was recovered. Includes plan. <6>
A synthetic report was published in Transactions in 1991. A full archive report is held with the artefacts at Rowley's House Museum, Shrewsbury, and a copy of the archive is deposited with the NMR. Excavations were carried out in 1983 in the interior of this enclosure. The remains of circular and rectangular four-post structures were revealed. Radiocarbon determinations and artefactual material indicate occupation of the site from the 3rd century BC until prior to the Roman conquest. <6a>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, as one of less than 10 Large Multivallate Hillforts. <14>

Scheduling revised in 2001. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a large low-lying multivallate hillfort situated on an elevated area of sandstone and boulder clay, which is surrounded by an extensive area of peat that is derived from a former fen. ->

-> The hillfort is oval in plan, with overall dimensions of 590m north-south by 690m east-west. The defensive circuit encloses an area of approximately 12ha. Its size would suggest that it was the settlement of a very large community, and its location, in the middle of a fen, provided an extra defensive advantage. The surrounding fen is also likely to have been an important source of food, particularly fish and fowl. ->

-> The earthwork defences of the hillfort consist of multiple banks separated by ditches. The inner rampart defines a heart-shaped area, which reflects the natural shape of the elevated 'island' .The best preserved sections of this rampart are on the western and northern sides of the enclosure, and average 2m in height. Some parts of this defensive work have been modified by the creation of the road and by quarrying for soil. Much of the southern and eastern parts of the inner rampart have been reduced ill height by ploughing. The external ditch, which bounds the inner rampart, has largely been infilled, but will survive as a buried feature. A causeway about 8m wide through the inner rampart, at the south eastern corner of the fort, appears to have formed the original entranceway into the interior. ->

-> A topographical survey of the site by the Ordnance Survey and evidence from aerial photographs indicate that the inner rampart is surrounded by a complex series of outer earthworks. Large sections of these earthworks appear to have been extensively remodelled at a later date in order to increase the lines of defence, particularly around the northern half of the site. Where the land has not been cultivated, these outer earthworks are visible mainly as narrow, low and close-set banks separated by ditches. In the areas where the defences have been reduced in height by ploughing, these remains will survive as buried features. At a later stage during the occupation of the fort, a second entranceway into the interior was created. This involved the construction of a large flat-topped causeway across the north eastern sector of remodelled outer defences and over the inner rampart. An observation of a cutting made through the northern part of the inner rampart and small-scale archaeological excavations conducted in 1962 and 1965 across parts of the defences, indicated further the complexity and multi-phased nature of these earthworks. ->

-> In 1983 a small-scale archaeological excavation was undertaken within the interior close to Wall Farm. The remains of circular buildings were discovered in association with rectangular post-built structures, providing evidence of domestic occupation and the storage of food. The Iron Age pottery recovered from these features comprised local and non-local wares, together with pieces of coarse ceramic containers, known as stony Very Coarse Pottery. These coarsely made pots contained salt, which was transported from brine springs in Cheshire. The date range of this pottery assemblage indicates that the occupation at Wall Camp began around the third century BC and probably had ceased by the beginning of the first century AD. A blue glass bead with white spiral decoration found within the area of the northern outer defences is considered to date from the second or first century BC. Similar examples have been found at other contemporary Iron Age settlements in north Wales and Cheshire. ->

-> Wall farmhouse, all outbuildings and agricultural buildings, the driveway surface, paths and paved areas, ornamental garden features, modern walls, fences, gate posts and stiles, the cast iron water pump, water troughs, horse jumps, electricity poles, the footbridge crossing the Strine Brook, the concrete marker for the gas pipeline, the surface of the road and Wall Bridge which crosses the Strine Brook are excluded from the scheduling, however the ground beneath all these features is included. ->

-> The late 18th century stone quarry to the west of Wall Farm is totally excluded from the scheduling. ->

-> Despite modifications to parts of its defensive circuit, Wall Camp is a good example of a large low-lying multivallate hillfort. Very few of these are known to have been constructed in Britain, and the closes broadly contemporary parallel is Stonea Camp in Cambridgeshire (also surrounded by fen). Archaeological preservation has been shown to be particularly good. <15>

In July 2008, a geophysical survey was conducted in advance of a proposed mains renewal scheme at Wall Farm, Kynnersley in Shropshire. The works comprised the geomagnetic survey of approximately 2ha within a 20m-wide corridor. Area 1 within the Scheduled area, detected two broad, diffuse areas of weak positive magnetisation. Similar anomalies were also evident in the adjacent surveys of Areas 2 and 4 just outside the scheduled area. The anomalies could reflect possible former courses of the Strine Brook or, perhaps less likely, the remains of soil filled ditches. Also within the scheduled area was a possible small u-shaped ditch and a concentration of small dipolar magnetic anomalies, likely to reflect ferrous and/or fired materials. Although individual burnt stones can be represented by such anomalies it was considered unlikely that this represented a burnt mound. No surface expression was seen on the ground and there was no geophysical evidence for an associated trough or fire-pit. Just outside the scheduled area further probable soil-filled features were detected possibly representing parts of small palaeochannels or archaeological ditches and pits. A possible burnt mound (PRN 21378) was also detected just outside the scheduled area. <16>

An article on this site was preapred in 2010, presenting a synthesis of previous investigations at The Wall, including analysis and publication of the 'lost' archive from John Pagett's excavation in the 1960s (ESA 1352). The use of computer modelling to produce artistic reconstructions of the monument enabled a fresh approach and interpretation to be postulated from the multivallate banks and ditches at the site. <17>

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken in 2011 on groundworks for the construction of a perimeter badger fence within the Scheduled area. No significant archaeological deposits were recorded; the few finds recovered were of post-medieval date. The watching brief has ensured that no damage has been done to the scheduled monument during the current works. <18>

Brief note on the 1964 excavations by Wrekin Archaeological Group. <19>

Photographed during aerial photographic survey in 2007. <20>

A series of radiocarbon dates were obtained on material from the 1983 Central Excavation Unit's excavation on the site (see <6>). Only one sample produced an Iron Age date (HAR-6392; 2100 +/- 90 BP; 1 sigma 350 cal BC - cal AD 10). One sample (HAR-6365; 8140 +/- 90 BP; 1 sigma 7310 - 7050 cal BC) produced a Mesolithic date for a peat column taken adjacent to the site, although the exact location of this sample was not clear. Another (HAR-6366; 11190 +/- 100 BP; 1 sigma 11250 - 11000 cal BC) was contaminated with material of a much earlier date. <21>

In 1919 T. C. Cantrill (<4f>) observed the excavation of section through the inner rampart of the monument. No details have ever been published but it was noted that the ‘clay and rubble’ rampart was faced with stone ‘retaining walls’. The Wrekin Archaeological Group, working under the supervision of John Pagett (<1c>, <19>), excavated a section through the inner rampart between 1962-5. This indicated that it was constructed of dumps of sand and gravel and was of more than one phase. In 1983 the Central Excavation unit open a 60m x 7m trench adjacent to the farm prior to the construction of a new slurry pit (<6>). This revealed the remains of two roundhouse gullies and two four post structures. The only reported find were seven sherds of Malvernian pottery and 89 fragments of salt containers. ->

-> At Wall Camp (Kynnersley) Bond (<6>) obtained a single date of 2110±90BP (HAR-6392) from the lower fills of (roundhouse) Gully 179, which calibrates 377 cal BC – 52 cal AD at 95% confidence. This date was supported by the ceramic evidence, enabling Bond to conclude that the occupation evidence belonged to the middle Iron Age. However, confirmation of this would require more dates. ->

-> A survey in 2011-2012 noted that the majority of the site is in exemplary management under a HLS agreement, with the site being reverted to arable.<22>

As part of a wider research project exploring the palaeoenvironment of the Weald Moors, a programme of environmental sampling was undertaken adjacent to Wall Camp, with the aim of establishing the palaeoenvironmental context of the monument. The fieldwork comprised initial auger survey to establish suitable area for test-pitting. Three test pits were subsequently excavated spanning an area of 60 square metres, and environmental samples taken for palaeoentomological study (insects providing a more localised picture of previous environmental conditions); a monolith tin was retained for possible palynological analysis at a future date. Three organic samples were selected and submitted for dating. <23> The insect evidence suggests the occurrence of salt springs in the vicinity, and it is suggested that this might be associated with burnt mound technology. <23a>

In July and August 2008, an archaeological evaluation and watching brief were undertaken along the route of a pipeline along the northern edge of Wall Camp. Subsequent to geophysical survey (<16>), a programme of test-pitting and coring along the pipeline route was followed by a watching brief during the excavation of the pipe trench. The evaluation targeted a number of anomalies identified in the geophysical survey - none could positively be identified as archaeological in origin. No finds or features were recorded during the watching brief and no environmental deposits were recovered that may have been suitable for further study. <24>

Report on pottery recovered from the 1983 excavations (see <6>). 103 pieces of ceramic material were examined macroscopically. Some VCP material was recorded. <25>

Letter regarding erosion at the site, in April 2000,- includes polaroid photograph. <26>

SJ 679 178. Wall, Kinnersley. Listed in gazetteer as a multivallate hillfort covering 12.0ha. <27>

The earthwork remains of Wall Fort described above were visible on lidar images SJ6817_DSM_1M. The lidar survey appears to reveal more detail than indicated by the OS mapping of the outer-most earthwork ramparts to the north and south of the fort. <28><28a>

SJ 681 178. Wall camp on Weald Moor. Scheduled (County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1996). <29>

Sources

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