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Summary

A multivallate hillfort built on the summit of Brane Hill, comprising two concentric ramparts with the entrance possibly in the north-west.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO98: Caer Bran

Other References/Statuses

• Heritage at Risk (National)
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW42NW 6
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 16048
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW42NW 8

Monument Type(s):

• CAIRN? (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• HILLFORT? (Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 801 BC)
• HILLFORT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• HUT CIRCLE? (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)

Full description

A bi-vallate enclosure built on the summit of Brane Hill, now covered by dense moorland vegetation. Sketched by Borlase in 1769 (h1,b2) and surveyed by the OS in 1908 (h2, b8). Resurveyed by the OS in 1960 (h3) and surveyed at 1:1250 by Weatherhill during the 1970s (h4). Sketch survey by Sharpe and Gerrard for CAU in 1985 (h5, b14, b15, b16). Field visit by OS in 1985 (h6). Re-assessed by Lawson-Jones and Herring of CAU for Penwith DC in 1997 (b18). The latter study included an air photo interpretation of the site by A Young.
The site has traditionally been interpreted as an Iron Age hillfort comprising two concentric defences, the outermost being an earth rampart up to 4.0m high, fronted by a wide ditch, in places 2.0m deep with a slight counterscarp bank on north-east (h3). The inner rampart is a simple earth bank only partly remaining (b13), having been extensively robbed of stone (h3). The site of the original entrance is not clear but may possibly have been in the north-west where the ramparts are breached by a track (h3). The external diameter is between 120m and 130 m, the internal space is approximately 60m in diameter. A modern field boundary runs right across the site and the interior is further disturbed by prospecting pits (16051). The OS found nothing substantial in the interior, though Weatherhill located a hut circle at the centre of the site (16048.1) (h4, b13) which was surveyed by CAU in 1985 (h5, b14, b15, b16).
The site was reinterpreted by Lawson-Jones and Herring in 1997; they concluded that the visible remains were the result of two major episodes of activity. The earlier, Bronze Age, phase consisted of a univallate hilltop enclosure or large ring cairn, with at least three smaller ring cairns set within. The later phase comprised a univallate Iron Age hillfort, its single rampart concentric with, enclosing and respecting the earlier ring cairn. This would help to explain the very marked contrast between the inner and outer ramparts which is very apparent on the air photos (see especially CAU/ABP/F40/119).
Caer Bran is a Cornish place-name meaning 'the fort of Bran'; 'Bran the Blessed' was a mythological warrior king of prehistoric Britain who figures in early Welsh myths (cf. The Mabinogion) and whose name is often associated with hillforts and high places. More mundanely, 'bran' is Cornish for 'raven', and an alternative derivation would be, 'fort of the raven).
The monument is generally in a good state of preservation though motor cycle tracks can be seen across the interior of the site (b14). The monument is included in the Schedule.

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Site history:
1: 1769. BORLASE,W
2: 1908. OS
3: 1960. PITCHER, GH / OS
4: 1973. WEATHERHILL, C
5: 1985. SHARPE, A & GERRAD, S / CAU
6: 1985. FLETCHER, MJ / OS
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Lawson-Jones, A. & Herring, P, 1995, Caer Bran: An Archaeological Assessment (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1538.

Jackson, M. & Jackson, A., 2006, Ancient Stones of Kernow (Booklet). SCO27463.

<1> Borlase, W, 1740, Parochial Memoranda, 22 (Unpublished document). SCO2884.

<2> Borlase, W, 1769, Antiquities Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall, 346 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2878.

<3> UNKNOWN, 1---, MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS, DRAWINGS AND PRINTS, 44 (7) (Unedited Source). SCO5308.

<4> Edmonds, R, 1857, The Celtic and other Antiquities of the Land's End district of Cornwall, 364 (Article in Journal). SCO5096.

<5> Edmonds, R, 1862, The Land's End District, 38 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3302.

<6> UNKNOWN, 1885, W ANTIQUARY, VOL V, 101 (Unedited Source). SCO6433.

<7> Page, W (Editor), 1906, Victoria History of the County of Cornwall, VOL I, 462 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4068.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4051.

<9> Hencken, H O'N, 1932, The Archaeology of Cornwall and Scilly, 128, 139, 142, 151 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3489.

<10> Dudley, D, 1953, Annotated 6-Inch Map (Bibliographic reference). SCO3265.

<11> THOMAS, AC, 1957, WCFC FIELD GUIDE, NO 2, 14 (Unedited Source). SCO7654.

<12> Russell, V, 1971, West Penwith Survey, 40 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4314.

<13> Weatherhill, C, 1981, Belerion: Ancient Sites of Land's End, 39-40 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5027.

<14> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, Field Drawing (GRE), GRE 2/23 (Cartographic materials). SCO5089.

<15> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 198-, Drawing Archive, Hanging (GRH), GRH 68/4/SW4028 (Cartographic materials). SCO5088.

<16> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 198-, Drawing Archive, Hanging (GRH), GRH 68/4/SW4029 (Cartographic materials). SCO5088.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO256 - Caer Bran
• ECO6115 - Ancient Penwith Site Assessment Form
• ECO6165 - Ancient Penwith: an archaeological assessment of sites in West Penwith for the PLP (Ref: 2016R069)

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