| Summary : Earthwork remains of an Iron Age hillfort, possibly incomplete. Its overall diameter is 122 metres. There are two ramparts, the inner one is now very mutilated, the outer one consists of a slight quarry ditch, earth rampart, outer ditch and a weak outerscarp bank. Interior features include old mining pits and a hut circle. |
More information : [SW 4075 2903] Caer bran (Hill Castle) [OE] (1)
'Caerbran Castle in Sancreed had a stone wall at least 12 ft
thick, enclosing an area of about 70 yards in diameter, and
surrounded by two ditches, with an intervening earthen mound still
in some places 15 ft high.
The two ditches and the mound are together about 20 yds. in
breadth. The stone wall is no longer standing; but its former
vast breadth and height were, until the last few years, fully
indicated by its foundations and extensive ruins, which have since
been removed for buildings. In the centre of the fortress are the
remains of a round stone building'. (2)
Caer Brane - '... there are grounds for thinking that the Iron
Age fort (if it is such) stands on a much earlier type of
hill-top settlement. (3)
'Brane' - ? possibly a causewayed camp.(4)
Sancreed: Caer Bran - Scheduled. (5)
The earthwork is on the summit of elevated ground, which affords
a good all round view, but the slopes are too slight to be of
any real defensive advantage.
It consists of two main lines of defence. The inner one is now
very mutilated and appears to have been a simple rampart. There
are no indications of the walling mentioned by Edmonds.
The outer line of defence consists of a slight inner quarry ditch,
earth rampart, outer ditch, and on the NE a weak counterscarp bank.
The strength of this outer defence varies considerably. On the
north and east it is very strong and regular, but on the south
and west are several causeways and the intermediate stretches of
rampart and ditch only imperfectly conform to the circular
plan of the earthwork. The slightness of the ditch and corresponding
rampart, and the irregularity of the outline on this side,
probably indicate that the work is an unfinished hill fort and
not a possible causewayed camp as suggested by Dudley (vide
Russell) and inferred by Thomas.
The original entrance could not be determined but may have been
to the NW, where all the defences are breached.
The only interior features are old mining pits, and there are no
traces of the 'citadel' mentioned by Edmonds.
The remains of a modern track with earth banks on either side
passes through the camp from north to south.
A 25 inch survey has been made. (6)
Caer Bran (NAT) Hill Fort (NR) (7)
Listed.
Borlase mentions a hut circle inside the hillfort. (8)
Scheduled under Camps and Settlements. (9)
An IA bivallate Hillfort in very good condition, The northern outer
defences are very sharp in outline but the defences on the
south-west side are badly preserved.
? Unfinished.
Its overall diameter is 122m and it comprises :-
a. An outer ditch 6.1m wide abd up to 2.1m deep with nine crossbanks
and a slight couterscarp on the NNW and NE. Remains of stone
revetting are visible on NNW.
b. Outer earthen rampart maximum height 4.6m externally and 2.1m
internally and broken in a number of places, It may be unfinished.
The original entrance seems to be in the NW where there is a
well-defined causeway and stone revetting around the butt end
of the rampart. It is approached by an overgrown lane - this
could be the original approach road.
c. An inner ditch up to 0.9m deep and of similar width to the
outer ditch.
d. An inner masonry wall set back from the inner ditch by a berm
and up to 72m in diameter. Only 4 clearly definable stretches
of this wall remain and the tallest is 2.0m high. Traces of the
wall foundations can be found throughout its circumference.
e. A hut circle in the centre of the fort cut by the low walls of
a recent track. The wall is up to 0.5m high, 1.5m thick and 10.0m
in diameter. (10)
Caer Bran is generally as described but covered by dense gorse
bracken and bramble vegetation.
It exhibits evidence of an unfinished work including traces of
gangwork on the western side. The vegetation-covered interior
has many shallow prospecting pits and their associated upcast
heaps. The bisected circular structure in the centre may not be
a hut circle, the walling being very similar to that of the track
walls which cut through it.
Published 1/2500 survey correct. (11)
SW 408 290. Caer Bran. Listed in gazetteer as a multivallate hillfort covering 0.4ha. (12) |