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Summary

S of strashleigh farm, coldrings, on land long under cultivation, are vestiges of a large earthwork of the iron age b stronghold type. The site is on the western end of a spur. The banks and ditches have been ploughed down, leaving the enclosure, little worthill, with a marked lynchet on all sides except to the n where the ground is rather higher. The land from strashleigh branched at the earthwork. One branch, to swainstone ran in the ditch on the nw; the other formerly ran in the ditch to the ne and through coldrings wood to brook lake. On the southern slope are traces of an outer ring. These are visible in the air ministry photographs, which also show some round patches in little worthill that might be sites of huts. In lower cross park is a bank running ne to sw, which may be an outwork of the original structure; a very old field bank running n and s has cut through it. The bank ends in a knob and there is a corresponding knob of apparently natural ground opposite to it across a streamlet. This may represent an outer entrance. The entrance to the inner ring may have been on the nw. One flake of yellow flint was found in higher cross park. Coldrings would appear to be the remains of a multivallate hill-fort, with two lines of ramparts spaced about 90m apart. Similar wide spacing is a feature of the wasteberry fort, cadbury and prestonbury. It is also characteristic of hill-slope forts of iron age b date such as milber,(fox, arch. Jour.1952, p.1).

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Coldrings. Iron Age multivallate hillfort east of Strashleigh Hams

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NW/34

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 700 BC to 42 AD)

Full description

FOX, ARCH.JOUR. 1952, P.1, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV150960.

S of strashleigh farm, coldrings, on land long under cultivation, are vestiges of a large earthwork of the iron age b stronghold type. The site is on the western end of a spur. The banks and ditches have been ploughed down, leaving the enclosure, little worthill, with a marked lynchet on all sides except to the n where the ground is rather higher. The land from strashleigh branched at the earthwork. One branch, to swainstone ran in the ditch on the nw; the other formerly ran in the ditch to the ne and through coldrings wood to brook lake. On the southern slope are traces of an outer ring. These are visible in the air ministry photographs, which also show some round patches in little worthill that might be sites of huts. In lower cross park is a bank running ne to sw, which may be an outwork of the original structure; a very old field bank running n and s has cut through it. The bank ends in a knob and there is a corresponding knob of apparently natural ground opposite to it across a streamlet. This may represent an outer entrance. The entrance to the inner ring may have been on the nw. One flake of yellow flint was found in higher cross park. Coldrings would appear to be the remains of a multivallate hill-fort, with two lines of ramparts spaced about 90m apart. Similar wide spacing is a feature of the wasteberry fort, cadbury and prestonbury. It is also characteristic of hill-slope forts of iron age b date such as milber,(fox, arch. Jour.1952, p.1).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV150961.

Fox, a. /tda/90(1958)225-6 fig.4/24th report on archaeology and early history.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV150962.

Des=aph=cpe/uk/1890 10/12/1946, serials 2184-5.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV150963.

Osa=sx65nw14.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2021, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

There is no obvious evidence on the available aerial imagery consulted during this survey to support the interpretation that a multivallate Iron Age hillfort is present in this location.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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