Black Cliff

Nearest town:
Chepstow (5km SSE)
OS reference:
ST529990
OS sheet:
162
Latitude:
51° 41' 14.15 N
Longitude:
2° 40' 53.09 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The Wye Valley Walk meets the southeastern corner of the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (16.7.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 14, 2023
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Western flank, looking approx north(ish). Clearly, no significant artificial defence was required here. Coflen mentions ‘scarping’, although I was pretty sure there was some stonework beneath the vegetation? Maybe not.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 27, 2022
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Within the ditch, looking approx south, bank to right (obviously)

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 27, 2022
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

What I took to be the original entrance (?) to approx south; the great cross-bank curves away to the left.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 27, 2022
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The defences are pretty overgrown, but for me, that merely adds to the vibe here.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 27, 2022
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The cross-bank from the ditch, again looking approx north.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 27, 2022
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Arriving steeply uphill from the approx north-east...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 27, 2022
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Steep, stone-strewn slopes below the northeastern side of the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (27.2.2019)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Mar 27, 2019
Image of Black Cliff (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Tree-covered Black Cliff fort, seen across the River Wye from Shorn Cliff on a mizzly day.

Image credit: A. Brookes (12.8.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 7, 2012

Articles

Set above the looping Wye, this is but one of a number of far less obvious precursors to the magnificent Chepstow Castle...

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 26, 2022

Miscellaneous

Black Cliff
Hillfort
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 26, 2022

Subsumed within trees at the northern apex of Black Cliff, overlooking the sinuous River Wye (Afon Gwy) to the approx north of Chepstow – not that I could see the river, but there you are – this is a fine example of an inland ‘promontory fort’, rendered all the more special by being ‘hidden in plain sight’... always the most effective camouflage, I find.

Such is the (sublime) topography here that the original inhabitants were able to concentrate the vast majority of their effort upon erecting a substantial ‘cross bank’ isolating the neck of the promontory to the southwest. Little more, save (apparently) some scarping of the natural slopes, was required elsewhere to create a first-class fortified enclosure. And to recall those Victorian mugs once tried to con society into believing our ancestors were ‘rude savages’ dragged kicking and screaming to civilisation by them damn Romans. Yeah, right. Not buying that.

I approached starting from an unclassified public track (those green dots upon the OS 1:25K map) veering off from the Penterry Farm access road, crossing open fields to ascend from the north-east. It was well worth the effort. Yeah, Chepstow may be justly famous for William FitzOsbern’s magnificent Norman castle – or the Racecourse, should one happen to be a mug punter with a thing for the gee-gees – but clearly, there is much more of interest for the more discerning Citizens Cairn in the immediate locale... most obviously at Gaer Hill, just a mile to the southwest.

Miscellaneous

Black Cliff
Hillfort
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 19, 2012

Coflein description:

An oval enclosure, c.72m NW-SE by 46m, defined by a bank and ditch across the neck of its promontory to the SW, elsewhere by scarps above steep natural slopes.

Sites within 20km of Black Cliff

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