37124 - a photo on Flickriver

37124

            British Camp an Iron Age hill fort located at the top of Herefordshire Beacon in the Malvern Hills along the Herefordshire-Worcestershire border. 

The British Camp is composed of extensive earthworks that have been compared to a giant wedding cake. Midsummer Hillfort is a mile south of the British Camp. There are a number of generally round hut platforms on the British Camp, which may well suggest a permanent occupation. However it is unusual to have two major hillforts within such a short distance. The diarist John Evelyn remarked that the view from the hill was "one of the godliest vistas in England".

The ditch and counterscarp bank around the entire site covers three hills, although those to north and south are little more than spurs. With a perimeter of 6,800 feet (2,100 m), the defences enclose an area of around 44 acres. The first earthworks were around the base of the central hill otherwise known as the citadel. At least four pre-historic phases of building have so far been identified. Original gates appear to have existed to east, west and north-east.

There is no evidence about whether the coming of the Romans ended the prehistoric use of the British Camp, but folklore states that the ancient British chieftain Caractacus made his last stand here. This is unlikely, according to the description of the Roman historian Tacitus who implies a site closer to the river Severn. Excavation at Midsummer Hill fort, Bredon Hill and Croft Ambrey all show evidence of violent destruction around 48 AD. This may suggest that the British Camp was abandoned or destroyed around the same time.

Medieval castles were sometimes built within earlier sites, reusing the earthworks of Iron Age hill forts for instance as was the case at British Camp. A ringwork and bailey castle, known as Colwall Castle as well as The Herefordshire Beacon, was built within the Iron Age hill fort, probably in the ten years immediately before 1066. Quite possibly the builder was Earl Harold Godwinson, the future King Harold II of England. Earl Harold is recorded as building another fortress in the county at Longtown Castle. The castle would appear to have been refortified during The Anarchy of the reign of King Stephen. Before 1148 the fortress was held by Waleran de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester. The castle appears to have changed hands again in 1151 and 1153 when attacked by royalists. At this time it was defended by the men of Earl Waleran's brother, Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester. The castle was finally destroyed by King Henry II in 1155 and mentioned in passing by William Langland before 1386.

A popular legend tells that Caractacus, a British tribal chieftain, fought his last battle against the Romans at the British Camp and goes on to say that after his capture he was taken to Rome where he was given a villa and a pension by Emperor Claudius.

Taken in: UK / England / Malvern Hills District / Little Malvern (show map)

Taken on: July 6, 2014

Tags:

Worcestershire

Worcester

English

Britain

Great Britain

United Kingdom

Midlands

West Midlands

West Mercia

Great Malvern

Malvern

Malvern Hills

Herefordshire

Hills of Worcestershire

Marilyns of England

path

pathway

footpath

bridleway

public footpath

Pre-Cambrian

Severn valley

J.R.R. Tolkien

C. S. Lewis

George Sayer

The Hobbit

The Lord of the Rings

White Mountains of Gondor

British Camp

Iron Age hill fort

Iron Age

hill fort « less

Sets appears in: • Malvern Hills • Worcestershire more » • Herefordshire « less

Groups appears in: • The Midlands • Midlanders more » • Worcestershire • "Unlimited Photos: No Rules" • View of Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Birmingham. • Malvern Hills • Midlands Landmarks • Worcester/Worcestershire landscape photos • Summer's shots • Visit Worcestershire • GREAT PANOS • (A) BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE RETREAT • The Very Great Outdoors • Flickr Photo Album Unlimited & Instant Posting • A HISTORY « less

Camera: Nikon D7100, f/7.1, 1/800 sec, 70mm (=140mm), ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D7100
Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/800)
Focal Length:	70mm (35mm equivalent: 140mm)
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Not Defined
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Contrast:	High
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	ViewNX 2.9 W
Show full info

Stats: 1,427 views

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: