Berry Mound
Encyclopedia
Berry Mound is an Iron Age
hill fort
located in the Bromsgrove
district of Worcestershire
, near Shirley, West Midlands
, on the outskirts of Birmingham
. It has been dated to the 1st or 2nd century BC
.
The fort covers 11 acres (4.5 ha), measuring 450 ft (137.2 m) from north to south and 200 ft (61 m) from east to west. It is surrounded by a 24 ft (7.3 m) wide earth rampart. To the north was a V-shaped ditch that was 15 ft (4.6 m) wide and 6 ft (1.8 m) deep, to the south one 22 ft (6.7 m) wide and 7 ft (2.1 m) deep. Faint traces of a second rampart or defensive terrace to the north were observed in 1959, and 19th century observers recorded the existence of a third line of ramparts and ditches, though no traces of these remain.
The entrance to the fort was on the east side, though it is possible that there was originally a second entrance located on an axis with the first, as at the similar Sutton Walls Hill Fort
.
The site was excavated in 1959, with traces of timber revetment
s being found on the ramparts.
The site has previously been known as "Danes camp field" and "Danes bury field" the term Berry or Bury comes from the old english "Burgh" meaning defensive position so was presumably known to the early english. There are local stories concerning King Alfred doing battle with the Danes who had been trapped in Berry Mound, excavations at the site showed signs of refortification at a later date which would fit in with this story.
Nearby to the south west lies a Site of Special Scientific Interest
, Berry Mound Pastures, comprising an area of 11.84 hectares (29.26 acres) of horse grazed pasture
land and meadow
. The site was first notified in 1994. The interest of the site lies in the diversity of the semi-natural grassland. In addition there is a stream and a small pond, and much rich flaura and fauna can be found here.
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
located in the Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove (district)
Bromsgrove is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in the town of Bromsgrove.It borders the built up area of Birmingham to the north...
district of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, near Shirley, West Midlands
Shirley, West Midlands
Shirley is a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the county of West Midlands, England. It is a residential and shopping neighbourhood, and a suburb of Solihull.-History:...
, on the outskirts of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. It has been dated to the 1st or 2nd century BC
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
.
The fort covers 11 acres (4.5 ha), measuring 450 ft (137.2 m) from north to south and 200 ft (61 m) from east to west. It is surrounded by a 24 ft (7.3 m) wide earth rampart. To the north was a V-shaped ditch that was 15 ft (4.6 m) wide and 6 ft (1.8 m) deep, to the south one 22 ft (6.7 m) wide and 7 ft (2.1 m) deep. Faint traces of a second rampart or defensive terrace to the north were observed in 1959, and 19th century observers recorded the existence of a third line of ramparts and ditches, though no traces of these remain.
The entrance to the fort was on the east side, though it is possible that there was originally a second entrance located on an axis with the first, as at the similar Sutton Walls Hill Fort
Sutton Walls Hill Fort
Sutton Walls Hillfort is an elongated ovoid Iron Age Hill fort located four miles north of the city of Hereford, England. It has been quarried for gravel, leaving behind a quarry that was used as a dump for toxic waste during the 1960s and 70s...
.
The site was excavated in 1959, with traces of timber revetment
Revetment
Revetments, or revêtements , have a variety of meanings in architecture, engineering and art history. In stream restoration, river engineering or coastal management, they are sloping structures placed on banks or cliffs in such a way as to absorb the energy of incoming water...
s being found on the ramparts.
The site has previously been known as "Danes camp field" and "Danes bury field" the term Berry or Bury comes from the old english "Burgh" meaning defensive position so was presumably known to the early english. There are local stories concerning King Alfred doing battle with the Danes who had been trapped in Berry Mound, excavations at the site showed signs of refortification at a later date which would fit in with this story.
Nearby to the south west lies a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, Berry Mound Pastures, comprising an area of 11.84 hectares (29.26 acres) of horse grazed pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
land and meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
. The site was first notified in 1994. The interest of the site lies in the diversity of the semi-natural grassland. In addition there is a stream and a small pond, and much rich flaura and fauna can be found here.