Beeston Castle

The remains of the prehistoric hillfort are very hard to detect; the place they are most in evidence are either side of the gatehouse to the outer bailey. This is either side of the main route to the top of the mediaeval castle. Some of the medieaval walls were actually built using existing earthworks from the earlier fortification to aid defence. These earthworks are most in evidence when the foliage is low. This picture is taken on the south west side of the entrance, which is on the left when ascending. The defence falls steeply away to the right, into a ditch, and then a much less impressive embankment. The ditch is considerably filled in, but is visible when the undergrowth is low. Due to tree growth, capturing the ditch on camera is difficult, to say the least. In around a dozen visits in the past year, this was the best angle (combined with insubstantial perennial plant / weed growth)that demonstrates some notion of the earlier earthworks.