Titterstone Clee

Iron Age Hillfort

Titterstone Clee Hillfort Iron Age Bitterley 137(SO:592779) ENE of Ludlow on lofty Clee Hill. 2.4km E of Bitterley, N of A4117. – An isolated hillfort, located at an altitude of 533m, it is one of the highest and largest (28.8ha) in Britain. It has a single bank of earth and rubble, and no ditch. There is an important inturned entrance on the S, and a minor one on the N. Excavation suggests that the fort developed in 2 phases: the rampart was originally faced with timber and later by drystone walling; the S entrance was originally timber-lined, and later, trapezoidal stone guard-chambers were built behind it. There are traces of hut circles on the E, while the SW has been damaged by quarrying.

tSGtBA, pp.178/9

*Titterstone Clee Hill Camp, hill-fort (SO/592779) 5½ miles NE of Ludlow (A49, A4117), 1¾ miles E of Bitterley. – This unusually large hill-fort (71 acres enclosed) is at 1,749 ft. O.D. and commands extensive views. It is defended by a single rampart without ditch, showing in most places as a heavy spread of stones. Polgonal in plan, it is well preserved around the E half but has suffered from quarrying at the SW, the site of a deeply in-turned entrance with guard-chambers and bridge over the gates, excavated in 1934. Here a section of the bank is exposed in the quarry face. Excavation revealed that the first rampart had been faced with timbers, including the passageway to the gates. After a period of decline the rampart was refaced with drystone walling and heightened. Date of construction unknown, but dismantled perhaps by the Romans.

GtPE, p.185

Map References for Titterstone Clee – Bitterly, Shropshire

NGRef: SO592779 OSMap: LR137

Sites near Titterstone Clee