More information : (SJ 4095 0484) Camp (NR). (1)
Earl's Hill is the highest and southernmost portion of Pontesbury Hill. The hill slopes very steeply to east and west, fairly steeply to the north with an easier slope at the extreme south end.
The earthworks consist of an oval fort with an annexe, crossbank enclosure and a satellite fort. (For satellite, see SJ 40 NW 4). The main hillfort encloses an area of about 3 acres and the annexe a further 4 acres. The ramparts of the principal enclosure are at about 1000 feet, the annexe slightly lower. They consist on the west of a pronounced scarp with a berm at top and bottom. At the northern end the upper berm turns into a considerable bank and the lower one turns into a bank and ditch. At the northern extremity there is an inturn / outturn entrance and on the east side there is a continuation of the bank which disappears when the natural slope becomes very steep. The southern extension is similarly constructed but without an entrance.
The two short ditches, a and b, as shown by authority 4 probably represent an uncompleted project superseded by the outer defensive bank to the north west. This bank is about 35 feet wide and 550 feet long with no trace of a ditch. Scheduled. (2-7)
Half a bronze ring and two flint flakes found on the surface at
different times and places within the fort are now in Shrewsbury Museum. (8)
The hillfort is as described by Forde-Johnston. Although the
outworks to the north appear to be separate lines of defence
they are not incomplete as suggested.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. (9)
SJ 409049. Earls Hill Camp. Scheduled. (10)(11)
SJ 409 049. Earl's Hill. Listed in gazetteer as a multivallate hillfort (with annexe) covering 1.1ha. (11)
Additional reference (not consulted). (12)
SJ 4088 0472: Small Iron Age multivallate hillfort with annexe surviving as an earthwork. The hillfort occupies the summit of Earls Hill and lies 0.7 kilometres south of a second similar hillfort on Pontesford Hill. The hillfort at Earls Hill is sub rectangular enclosing an area of 2.9 hectares. The earthwork defences hae been created by cutting into the slopes of the hill and steep, flat topped ramparts have been formed from the excavated material. At the south end 2 ramparts are separated by a narrow berm providing additional defence. To the east are rock outcrops and therefore only a single rampart. Access appears to be from the north where an entrance causeway connects with a terrace cut into the north side. At a later date the hillfort was partially remodelled to create a fort with 2 defended areas. This included an oval shaped enclosure around the hill top. The entrance was also renewed at this time. A further alteration included the infilling of the entrance passage to the south enclosure. Within both interiors are a series of level areas which were probably platforms for domestic and ancilliary buildings. Within the northern enclosure are the remains of a shallow oval rock cut trench. This appears to be modern and may have been the site of a military installation used durign World War II. Scheduled. (13)
The hillfort, annexe and northwestern outwork are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs, including those cited in authorities 6-7, and have been mapped by RCHME's Marches Uplands Mapping Project. A small subcircular enclosure, visible as an earthwork within the northern rampart, has been recorded separately (SJ 40 SW 17). (14-15) |