More information : [Name SK 4062 2330] Breedon Hill [T.I.][SK 4053 2343 &
SK 4076 2325] The Bulwarks [O.E.] (1)
"Breedon Hill ... is striking in appearance, rising very
steeply on all sides from the surrounding country, the summit
attaining 400 ft. O.D., while the average level at the base is
250 ft. The contours are rounded, the gentler slopes being
to the north. The summit forms a nearly flat plateau.... of
which the surviving area is 18.5 acres, while some 5 acres have
probably been removed by quarrying....
The formation of the hill is Magnesian limestone... The modern
quarry works are removing a complete sector of the hill....There
are also many traces of old surface quarrying most of the slopes
of the hill being mutilated in this way. The present quarry face
is only advancing slowly, owing to the great height of face
being worked....The summit plateau is surrounded by a single
bank and ditch.
For most of the circuit, the bank rises very steeply from the
outside, aided by the sharpness of the natural slope... The ditch
in only a few places has survived mutilation by quarrying.
Internally the bank only rises steeply from the interior level
in a few places, as there seems to have been a considerable
levelling up of the natural slope inside it..."
[Full excavation report]
[Section:A0:59:329:6: Plan A0:LP:59:36] (2)
"Breedon Hill is encircled by a bank and ditch bounding an Iron
Age camp ...... A fortnights' rescue excavation was sponsored by the Ministry of Works in 1946. [See 2]
The bank consists of a rubble core which was originally fronted
by a revetment of timber posts and drystone walling. Two
phases were identified, in the second the height of the rampart
being increased by an additional capping. The greater part of the
ditch has been destroyed by early quarrying, and it was not
excavated. The only certain original entrance was immediately
adjoining the south-west angle of the churchyard. Partial
excavation suggested that the entrance was inturned, with a
passage-way flanked by revetted banks.
Occupation within the camp is associated with a number of
irregular pits cut into bed-rock, which contained pottery,
querns, many pot-boilers, animal bones and miscellaneous small
finds.
The pottery is of Iron Age A character, of a type which has
been identified on a number of sites in Leicestershire, and over
the borders into Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire. It is
characterised by extensive use of scoring as a decoration. The
late date of this type of pottery is indicated by its association
with rotary querns of the Hunsbury type, which are unlikely to be
earlier than the mid 1st century B..C....." (3)
"During levelling work at Breedon Hill, a number of Iron Age
pits have been discovered. Potsherds from the site have been presented to the Leicester Museum; they include patterns not
previously recorded in the county." (4)
[Discussion of the pottery.] (5)
"Breedon on the Hill, Leics. J.S. Wacher cut a section across
this earthwork to reveal the bank and ditch. The former was
revetted front and back with timber in its first phase and
when refortification took place, by a turf wall in the second
phase. This had subsequently collapsed into the ditch which
was wide and rather shallow" (6)
"At Bredon.. [Hill]... during... 1858, some labourers, when
boring for stone, cut into what was evidently an ancient tumulus
beneath which was a rude kist.., containing the bones of human
beings, charcoal, one quern.. entire and the remains of
several others .... Querns have several times been found
previously upon this rock, a short distance beneath the surface
with an iron pin in the nether millstone.. In one last found
were traces of iron."
[The quern illustrated appears to be Hunsbury type] (7)
Further references: [Description of earthworks] (8)
[Plan, description] (9)
These features are clearly defined on the ground... the inward slopes i.e. toward the church are approx. 3' to 5' high...
The outer slopes are steep but longer with height varying
between 10' and 20' (10)
Breedon-on-the-Hill, The Bulwarks Scheduled as on Ancient
Monument. (11)
Similar information as by Authy 7 Illustrates beehive quern
with roll-moulded top. (12)
The hill-fort has been continuously quarried for many years.
Observations made since the excavations by Miss Kenyon and
Mr. Wacher clearly confirm the two-phase construction. The
hill-fort seems to have been constructed c.150 B.C. and occupied
until the Ro. conquest. Immediately prior to the Ro. conquest it
was re-fortified. This occupation in 1A times was the beginning
of a remarkable continuity of occupation within the area of the
hill-fort. (a)
This contour hill-fort is formed by a single bank and ditch.
The bank, surmounted by stone walling or hedgerows, is generally
in poor condition. It averages 12.0m wide and from 2.0-3.0m high.
The ditch completely visible only along the south-west sector
averages 6.0m. wide and 0.5 m deep. Elsewhere it has been
obliterated by quarrying or obscured by comparatively modern
enclosure-banks on its outer slope, giving the false impression
of a counterscarp bank.
At. SK 4049 2333, in the western side, are the remains of a
simple, inturned entrance, considerably mutilated. The south-eastern sector of the hill-fort has been destroyed
by the modern quarry which is still advancing northwards.
Sections of the bank and ditch are visible at SK 4070 2345
where there has been preparatory clearing of the top-soil in
advance of the quarry face. A stratification indicating two
phases of construction can be clearly seen. The interior of the
hill fort is occupied by the parish church and churchyard
and cultivated fields. The area north of the churchyard was an
old quarry and is now being filled with the overburden from the
south-east area to form an extension to the churchyard.
An occupation-layer, of dark soil c.1.0m thick, is visible in
section, at SK 4068 2344 and contains IA type sherds. The spoil
from a newly-dug grave, in older part of the churchyard, at
SK 4052 2337, contained a good 1A, rim-sherd and quantities of
human bones - the latter, typical of a Md churchyard.
A 25" AM survey has been made.
See GPs - AO/60/105/3-4 Panorama of quarry-face showing
occupation-face and section of ditch. (13)
Report of authy 13 correct save that quarrying has now advanced
and more destruction has taken place in the north-west sector.
1/2500 survey 1963 revised. (14)
Listed by Challis and Harding who state that a stockaded camp
preceeded the first phase of the defences; based on excavation
reports by Wacher and the DOE. (15)
SK 406 324 [incorrect, should read SK 406 234]. Breedon-on-the-Hill. Listed in gazetteer as a univallate hillfort covering 7.2ha. (16)
Additional reference (not consulted). (17)
SK 406 234. The Bulwarks (earthworks). Scheduled. (18) |