Summary

Enclosed Iron Age farmstead 595m west of Upper Buckton.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 28 May 2015. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes an enclosed Iron Age farmstead situated on the northern valley side of the River Teme. The enclosure survives as predominantly buried deposits, structures and features with a slight visible earthwork. The rectangular enclosure measures approximately 55m by 50m and is defined by a buried ditch. It has traces of a dwelling on the northern side and there are two large buried pits. One pit is within the enclosure and is square in plan measuring approximately 20m by 20m whilst the second is circular and appears to overlie the western side of the enclosure and measures approximately 20m in diameter. This is considered to be a farmstead of Iron Age or Romano-British date.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The size and form of Iron Age enclosed settlements vary considerably from single farmsteads up to large semi-urban oppida. Farmsteads are generally represented by curvilinear enclosures containing evidence of a small group of circular domestic buildings and associated agricultural structures. Where excavated, these sites are also found to contain pits or rectangular post- built structures for the storage of grain and other produce, evidence of an organised and efficient farming system. The surrounding enclosures would have provided protection against cattle rustling and tribal raiding. In central and southern England, most enclosed Iron Age farmsteads are situated in areas which are now under intensive arable cultivation. As a result, although some examples survive with upstanding earthworks, the majority have been recorded as crop- and soil-marks appearing on aerial photographs.

Despite periodic cultivation the enclosed Iron Age farmstead 595m west of Upper Buckton survives comparatively well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, development, function, longevity, social organisation, agricultural practices, domestic arrangements and overall landscape context.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape 106926, Herefordshire SMR 201

Source: Historic England