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| HER Number: | 16048.50 |
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| Name: | CAER BRAN - Iron Age hillfort |
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Summary
Caer Bran has traditionally been interpereted as a bivallate Iron Age hillfort.
Protected Status
- Scheduled Monument CO98: Caer Bran
Other References/Statuses
- Heritage at Risk (National): English Heritage, South West
- Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 16048.50
Monument Type(s):
Full description
Caer Bran has traditionally been interpereted as a bivallate 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. The inner rampart is a simple earth bank only partly remaining (b13), having been extensively robbed of stone. The site of the original entrance is not clear but may possibly have been in the north-west where the ramparts have are breached by a track. The external diameter is between 120m and 130m, 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. The OS found nothing substantial in the interior, though Weatherhill located a hut circle at the centre of the site (16048.1) which was surveyed by CAU in 1985. (See the head record 16048 for the full bibliographic reference list).
There are nine distinct breaks or causeways across the outer ditch and bank - this has been seen as evidence that the rampart is unfinished. Traces of a revetment can be seen on the western side at ground level.
Lawson-Jones and Herring (b2) concluded that the inner rampart at Caer Bran was a Bronze Age hilltop enclosure or large ring cairn, with up to three possible small ring cairns set within (.2, .3, .4). The external rampart was seen as representing a later phase of activity when the site was re-constructed as an Iron Age hillfort, its single rampart concentric with 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). The monument is included in the Schedule.
Lawson-Jones, A. & Herring, P, 1995, Caer Bran: An Archaeological Assessment (Cornwall Event Report). SCO1538.
Sources / Further Reading
| --- | SCO1538 - Cornwall Event Report: Lawson-Jones, A. & Herring, P. 1995. Caer Bran: An Archaeological Assessment. |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events
Related records
| 16048 | Part of: CAER BRAN - Bronze Age cairn, Bronze Age hillfort, Iron Age hillfort, Iron Age hut circle (Monument) |
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