Record Details

Summary

The scheduled earthwork and buried remains of a univallate Iron Age hillfort, oval in plan with defensive earthworks including an inner rampart, steep-sided ditch and intermittent evidence for a counterscarp bank. The earthworks have been disturbed by extraction and animal activity.

Monument Type(s):

• UNIVALLATE HILLFORT (IRON AGE - 800 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Events:

• EST1079 - A field survey at Berry Ring Hillfort, Bradley, 1989. (NRHE Name - RCHME: Staffordshire Hillforts Project)
• EST290 - A survey of the hillforts of Staffordshire. (NRHE Name -RCHME: Staffordshire Hillforts Project)
• EST1944 - Heritage at Risk Survey 2009 (West Midlands Region)
• EST1963 - A site visit to Berry Ring Hillfort, Bradley n 1979.
• EST1962 - A site visit to Berry Ring Hillfort, Bradley in 1971.
• EST1964 - A site visit to Berry Ring Hillfort, Bradley in 1982.
• EST2052 - Heritage at Risk Survey 2010 (West Midlands Region)
• EST2248 - Heritage at Risk Survey 2011 (West Midlands Region)

Protected Status:

• Scheduled Monument 1013163: Berry Ring Hillfort

Full description

Hillfort: A univallate hillfort with bank, ditch and counterscarp. Only slight traces of the inner bank remain, at best reaching 1.5 metres in height. The original entrance is at the south end, but has been mutilated. There is no certain evidence that the rampart turns in. There is a spring fed pond in the north-east corner of the interior. The ditch averages 15 metres in width and is from 4 metres to 4.7 metres in depth on its inner face. The counterscarp survives only to the west, north-west and south-east sides. It varies from 4 metres to 14 metres in width and from 0.5 metres to 1 metre in height. <1>

Seven acre Iron Age hillfort with water hole and possibly a double ramp. Badly damaged by ploughing. <2> <6>

The earthwork and buried remains of a univallate Iron Age hillfort, which is oval in plan with defensive earthworks including an inner rampart and a steep-sided ditch. There is also intermittent evidence for a counterscarp bank. The ditch is up to 18 metres wide and between 4 and 4.70 metres deep. The central section of the western counterscarp was levelled to make way for Berry Ring Cottage and its garden. Access to the interior of the fort is via with a causeway over the eastern defences, or one in the north-east corner, although both of these are considered to be modern, with the original entrance thought to be through the southern defences. The earthworks have been disturbed by various quarrying and extraction activities. Although no internal earthworks are visible it is thought probable that buried remains of structures will survive below the ground. (SB, 03-June-2004) <3>

Bury Ring has no inner vallum remaining, except for a short length next to the enclosure bounding the edge of the entrenchment. The fort is roughly elliptical in form and surrounded by ramparts and entrenchment's, with a bastion of earth guarding the simple entrance to the south end of the earthwork. It also appears that the present roadway on the west was originally another entrenchment. (SB, 03-June-2004) <4>

An oval camp of about 7 acres, defended by a single bank and ditch with traces of a second on the north. Entrances are located to the east and south. (SB, 03-June-2004) <5>

A univallate hillfort with a flattened oval plan, which encloses just over 3 hectares. The interior and east ramp are under pasture, while the ramparts to the north and west are covered by woodland and undergrowth. The interior of the fort was cleared in the Second World War and the land ploughed. This ploughing continued well into the 1970's, and a bungalow was also constructed on the southern end of the earthwork at about this time. In the 17th century antiquarian Robert Plot attributes the earthworks to either the Anglo-Saxon period, or the site of the first Stafford Castle. The site is described in the mid 19th century as 'still very perfect' oval entrenchment with an entrance to the west. This entrance is, however, probably related to access into the fort for farming. A number of chance finds, including Iron Age pottery, and flints with an iron ring, have been recovered from the site. Medieval and post-medieval finds have also been recovered. A univallate fort with the remains of a slight outer rampart surviving to all sides except the east. Earthwork evidence to the north suggests that the fort possibly had a double entrenchment. It is possibly that ramparts and other features may have been quarried away by the extensive marl digging and sand and gravel extraction in the area, and badger setts have disturbed parts of the inner rampart. Due to the significant amount of disturbance and activity within the interior of the hillfort it is likely that all but the deepest archaeological deposits and features survive in tact. (SB, 03-June-2004) <7> <8>

Aerial photographs show trees planted around the outside of the earthwork, with the central area being used for grazing. (SB, 03-June-2004) <9>

A large scale plan of the earthwork was drawn from a survey of the site, see source report for further details. (SB, 03-June-2004) <10>

Identified as being at risk on the 2009 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 16-Jun-2016)<12>
Identified as being at risk on the 2010 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 20-Jun-2016)<13>
Identified as being at risk on the 2011 Heritage at Risk Register. (RH, 20-Jun-2016)<14>

A single bank and ditch fortify an oval area of 7 acres. There appears to have been a second bank and ditch around the north side of the camp, but this is much abscured by trees. The main bank is best preserved along the east side. There s a small gao facing east and a very wide break facing south which has been widened in recent times and may have been the orginal entrance. Date c. 2nd/1st century B.C. (RH, 30-June-2016)<15>

Sources and further reading

Feedback

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from Exegesis Spatial Data Management.