May 23, 2014 - English Heritage
Warbstow Bury, a multivallate hillfort in north Cornwall, is one of the largest and best preserved hillforts in the county. Perhaps not the most well known of Cornwall’s ancient monuments, being ’off the beaten track’ in a countryside parish, but it remains popular and is easily accessible to passing visitors. In an effort to improve the understanding of Warbstow Bury, we conducted a detailed analytical earthwork survey in October 2013, followed by intensive desk based research, and discovered some intriguing results.
The hillfort has three ramparts which are accessible through entrances to the north-west and south-east. These are thought to have been original features of the hillfort but with later modifications; some in prehistory and others relating to more recent agricultural activity. The south-east entrance of the central rampart has an unusual inturned bank within the fort, which guides you towards the east as if to control and observe the movements of those entering the central area. The middle rampart is only present on the western side, a topic of speculation in previous research which suggested that this was a final, unfinished phase of construction. However, the results of our survey show that this rampart was in fact most likely to have been the first phase of construction at Warbstow Bury. This rampart was lost in the east as it is overlain by the most recent (and most impressive) inner rampart.
We also found that the large inner rampart may have been adorned with blocks of glistening white quartz, a feature which is rare but certainly not unheard of. The best view from the hillfort leads the eye to the north-east towards Canworthy Water. The rivers and streams in the area serve as boundaries to a number of modern parishes, and probably bounded prehistoric territories in a similar way. As the eye passes Canworthy Water, Ash Bury hillfort becomes visible 7km to the north. If the ramparts of Warbstow Bury were indeed faced with quartz, it would have certainly been visible from Ash Bury, and from numerous other contemporary sites for a great distance.
While we could not find any earthwork remains of prehistoric activity within the hillfort, medieval and later features survived. After the abandonment of the hillfort (late Iron Age,) the site is unlikely to have been used frequently for anything more than the summertime grazing of sheep in the early medieval period, which would have been lead to the uplands from Warbstow village via the hollow way originating at the Church of St Werburgh.
Later in the medieval period the interior of the hillfort was ploughed, leaving slight traces of ridge-and-furrow. This was possibly just for a few seasons to grow crops, or to prepare the land for the placement of a pillow mound (artificial rabbit warren) ... Folklore would suggest otherwise – the mound has been named ‘King Arthur’s Grave’, or alternatively ‘Giant’s Grave.’
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the outer ramparts were used as field boundaries, which ... perhaps gives a purpose for stone walling on the rampart tops visible in places on the eastern side. It is also possible that these were added during the prehistoric life of the hillfort, and taken advantage of later.
The full survey report is available to download as a PDF and there are interesting and detailed findings on the internal features, including notable similarities with other earthworks. ... Although there are still questions, we were pleased by the results as they allow us to understand the hillfort in more detail, which will contribute to the ongoing efforts to care for, and protect the monument for the enjoyment of future generations of walkers and curious passers-by.
Thanks to coldrum for the link. For more, see heritagecalling.com
Something is not right. This message is just to keep things from messing up down the road