| Summary : The monument includes an Iron Age univallate hillfort situated on a Millstone Grit outcrop set in moorlands and overloking the Burbage valley. The natural outcrop is most accessible from its west end where an unbonded wall has been constructed from blocks of local stone. The wall is about 3 metres high and 40 metres long and has an earthern ramp to its eastern side. The embankment wall is 8 metres wide at its base. The north side of the fortification relies chiefly on the natural defensive nature of the outcrop, being essentially a steep-sided rock face. In some places where access would nave been less difficult, the top of the rock face has been reinforced with stone blocks, similar to those in the west wall. The eastern end of the fortification is formed by the impressive natural defence of the outcrop but, as with the northern side, some rough stone blocks have been used to reinforce small areas. The southern side is less steep than the north and east sides and the defensive position of the site has been enhanced by a stone revetment wall for almost its entire length. The construction of the hillfort is unusual as normally they have earthern ramparts rather than stone revetment walls. About 80% of the interior is strewn with large, earthfast boulders, but it appears to have been cleared of smaller material which was no doubt used in the construction of the revetments. On the north-east side of Carl Wark, the hillfort has been quarried in the 19th century, many abandoned millstones lying around. Scheduled. |
More information : [SK 259 814] Carl Wark [T.I.] Hill Fort [OE]. (1)
Carl Wark hill fort, a scheduled ancient monument, is situated upon a
promontory, the defences consisting of a drystone wall built upon the
top of the steep natural scarps and with a stone-faced earth bank
across the neck of the promontory. There is a single entrance on the
SW. A section excavated in 1950 by F.G. Simpson through the earth
bank showed it to be of turf sod construction, and upon this evidence
the fort has been dated to the Dark Ages, perhaps the 5th or 6th
century. (2-3)
The fort is not of the promontory type as implied above. It occupies
the summit of a high rocky plateau, utilizing outcrops on all but the
west side, where the weakest natural defences are strengthened by a
stone-faced, earthen bank to complete the enclosure, the general
condition of which is good. (See L.S. Sketch).
There is now no visible evidence of internal hut sites (See plan
AO/LP/65/39).
Detail delineated on A.P. CPE/UK/2598 No. 4005 (pending A/M
plotting).
See AO/52/52/7 & 8. (4)
Two possible outworks are visible across the SW and NW aspects of
Carl Wark on RAF APs. The outer appears as a distinct terrace. (5)
Not included by Rivet on OS IA Map but considered by Forde-Johnston
to be IA. (6)
Carl Wark is as planned by Piggott.
The massive stone faced rampart (which has commenced in the north
where the natural protection offered by the steep cliff ends) is
about 40.0m long, 8.0m across the base narrowing to 3.0m across the
top and is 3.0m high.
The inturned entrance in the southwest is about 7.0m maximum length
and 2.5m wide at the inside and about 1.7m high.
Though the natural ridge continues to the northwest and one might
expect some added protection here, there is no trace of any outworks
as alleged by Welsh.
Two rock cut basins are evident outside the west wall.
Surveyed at 1:10,000. (7)
Listed by Challis and Harding as an Iron Age hillfort and described
as a two acre defensive site consisting of a turf rampart with
exterior stone revetment. (8)
SK 260 815. Carl Wark (fort). Scheduled no. 221. (9,10)
Quarrying for millstones documented. (11) |