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The Wrekin

Shropshire, England · Atlas EN0090

The Wrekin is a contour fort in Little Wenlock, Shropshire, England.

It is recorded as extant, with a bivallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank, rubble, and counterscarp bank, and an enclosed area of 8 hectares.

Banks or ramparts are the remains most likely to be visible.

The topographic record places it on a hilltop and a ridge and at 407 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes woodland, scrub or bracken, heather moorland, and built-up land.

Dating evidence is recorded for 1200–800 BC, 800–400 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, and AD 50–400 (Artefactual and C14). Reliability is recorded as A - High.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (1021275).

Location

Atlas number
EN0090 (90)
Country
England
Current county or unitary authority
Shropshire
Historic county
Shropshire
Parish, community, or townland
Little Wenlock
National Grid reference
SJ 630083
Latitude
52.67145
Longitude
-2.54792
Altitude
407 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
bivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
2
Number of ditches
2
Possible original entrances
4
Breaks through the ramparts
4
Enclosed area
8 ha
Enclosure areas
3.5 ha, 8 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank, rubble, and counterscarp bank
Enclosing works, excavated
earthen bank, stone wall, timber-laced wall, palisade, and counterscarp bank
Also recorded
guard chambers, multi-period enclosure system, and ditches
Entrance forms
In-turned (North east); Recesses/Guard Chambers (North east); In-turned (South west); Recesses/Guard Chambers (South west)

Landscape

Topographic position
hilltop and ridge
Aspect
level
Land use
woodland, scrub or bracken, heather moorland, and built-up land

Dating

Dating
1200–800 BC, 800–400 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, and AD 50–400
Dating evidence
Artefactual and C14
Dating reliability
A - High

Interior and investigation

Interior surface
quarry hollows
Interior excavation
pits and rectangular structures
Finds
pottery, metal, and environmental material
Investigations
Excavation (1939); Excavation (1973); Other (1977); Other (1998); Other (2009); Other (2010); Other (2012); 1st Identified Map Depiction (1885-1900); Other (1970-1975); Excavation (1999-2000)

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
1021275
HER
Shropshire 1069
National record
record SJ 60 NW 3; monument 71909
Wikidata
Q31113476

Sources

References

  1. Dorling, P. and Wigley, A. 2012. Assessment of the archaeological and conservation status of major later prehistoric enclosures in Herefordshire and Shropshire, EH PNUM, Version 3.2, Hereford and Shrewsbury: Herefordshire Council/Shropshire Council.
  2. Kenyon, K.M. 1942. Excavations at the Wrekin, Shropshire 1939, Archaeol J, 99, 99-109.
  3. Stanford, S.C. 1985. The Wrekin hillfort: excavations 1973, Archaeol J, 141, 61-90.
  4. Watson 2002: Shropshire, an archaeologiocal guide, 33-4, Shrewsbury: Shropshire Books.