Summary

Hillfort known as Cherry Hill Camp, 1150m north west of The Church of St. Cuthbert.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 18 May 2015. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument includes the remains of a small multivallate hillfort situated on Cherry Hill in a commanding position overlooking the River Wye to its west. The monument survives as the visible earthworks and buried features of a small multivallate hillfort and two mounds.

The hillfort enclosure is sub oval in plan approximately 280m long and 170m wide with entrance gaps on the northern and north eastern sides and an inturned entrance gap in the southern corner. The hillfort is defined by a steep natural slope on the eastern side with a double rampart and ditches around the remainder of the hillfort. The inner rampart bank is about 3m high above the inner ditch and the outer bank is up to 6m high above the external ditch. Flanking the northern eastern entrance gap are earthwork mounds. A large amount of vitrified rock has been excavated from the quarry ditches.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Small multivallate hillforts are defined as fortified enclosures of varying shape, generally between 1 and 5ha in size and located on hilltops. They are defined by boundaries consisting of two or more lines of closely set earthworks spaced at intervals of up to 15m. These entirely surround the interior except on sites located on promontories, where cliffs may form one or more sides of the monument. They date to the Iron Age period, most having been constructed and occupied between the sixth century BC and the mid-first century AD. Small multivallate hillforts are generally regarded as settlements of high status, occupied on a permanent basis. Recent interpretations suggest that the construction of multiple earthworks may have had as much to do with display as with defence. Earthworks may consist of a rampart alone or of a rampart and ditch which, on many sites, are associated with counterscarp banks and internal quarry scoops. Access to the interior is generally provided by one or two entrances, which either appear as simple gaps in the earthwork or inturned passages, sometimes with guardrooms. The interior generally consists of settlement evidence including round houses, four and six post structures interpreted as raised granaries, roads, pits, gullies, hearths and a variety of scattered post and stake holes. Evidence from outside numerous examples of small multivallate hillforts suggests that extra-mural settlement was of a similar nature. Small multivallate hillforts are rare with around 100 examples recorded nationally. Most are located in the Welsh Marches and the south-west with a concentration of small monuments in the north-east. In view of the rarity of small multivallate hillforts and their importance in understanding the nature of settlement and social organisation within the Iron Age period, all examples with surviving archaeological remains are believed to be of national importance.

Despite excavation, partial afforestation and insertion of pathways, the hillfort known as Cherry Hill Camp survives comparatively well. The hillfort and mounds will contain important archaeological information relating to the use, construction and occupation of the monument in addition to providing environmental evidence.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:- 110096, Herefordshire SMR:- 909, NMR:- SO 53 NE 15, NMR Events:- 1409300 & 1452511

Source: Historic England