| Summary : The site of a Roman Fort and possible road at Clifford. It was seen as cropmarks; the course of the three ditches that formed the defences of a large Roman Fort were mapped. Ditches can be seen along most of the north side, for short sectors of the east, south and west sides, and at the rounded north-east and south-west angles. Two of the ditches are close together, the third is set 65 ft further out. The north gate has been located as has the east gate in the centre of the side and it can be assumed that there are matching gates on the other sides. The east to west measurement, within the inner ditch, is 870 ft and that from north to south 810 ft, so that the area within the ditches is some 16 acres. No earthworks can be seen. During 1983 a number of sherds of buffware identical with that discovered during the trial excavation on the Roman fortress at Clyro were picked up on the ploughed surface of the site. |
More information : SO 249467. Air reconnaissance over the last four years has established the course of the three ditches that formed the defences of a large Roman Fort. Ditches can be seen along most of the N side, for short sectors of the E, S and W sides and at the rounded NE and SW angles. Two of the ditches are close together, the third is set 65 ft further out. The N gate has been located as has the E gate in the centre of the side and it can be assumed that there are matching gates on the other sides. The E to W measurement, within the inner ditch, is 870 ft and that from N to S 810 ft, so that the area within the ditches is some 16 acres. No earthworks, not even a level platform marking the site, can be seen. (1)
During 1983 a number of sherds of buffware identical with that discovered during the trial excavation on the Roman fortress at Clyro (SO 24 SW 1) were picked up on the ploughed surface of the site. (2)
Arrangement of outwork ditches noted by D.R. Wilson in assessment of defensive outworks of Roman Forts in Britain. (3)
The Roman fort is clearly visible as cropmarks and was plotted during the Marches Uplands Mapping Project. The fort itself is 260m by 250m and defined by 3 ditches. Remains of a fourth ditch are visible on the eastern side of the fort enclosure. A short stretch of bank at SO 2496 4664 may be the remains of a trackway. (4)
This fort was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the Clifford Castle Environs aerial survey. The three concentric ditches are piecemeal and only partially surviving, but a possible fourth outermost ditch is visible on the eastern side. It lies upon a slight natural terrace above the main Wye floodplain that matches the shape of the fort’s edges, possibly a deliberate choice when it was constructed. The south-eastern corner of the camp is covered by a cropmark of the probable remains of an old tramway (NRHE 1616657). (5-6) |