The Knave

Also known as:
Deborah's Hole
Nearest town:
Burry Port (15km N)
OS reference:
SS432864
OS sheet:
159
Latitude:
51° 33' 14.89 N
Longitude:
4° 15' 43.14 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of The Knave (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The Knave seen across Deborah’s Hole from Horse Cliff, close to another clifftop fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (4.4.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 8, 2015
Image of The Knave (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The rock cut ditch, providing the stone for the rampart.

Image credit: A. Brookes (4.4.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 8, 2015
Image of The Knave (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

A wide expanse of limestone is exposed below the fort at low tide. Looking towards Worm’s Head.

Image credit: A. Brookes (4.4.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 8, 2015
Image of The Knave (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The inner rampart (the outer rampart is under the gorse along this middle section).

Image credit: A. Brookes (4.4.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 8, 2015
Image of The Knave (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking across the interior of the fort (inner rampart visible). Rhossili Down is the hill of the left skyline.

Image credit: A. Brookes (27.4.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 14, 2013
Image of The Knave (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The seaward side of the fort falls near-vertically down to an extraordinary ski-jump of a cliff below. Horse Cliff fort is visible upper left.

Image credit: A. Brookes (27.4.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 14, 2013
Image of The Knave (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Retrospective of the fort from the NW. The fort rises prominently above the surrounding fields.

Image credit: A. Brookes (7.4.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 19, 2012

Articles

The Knave

C
CARL Oct 2, 2013

Visited 30.9.13

Directions:
Midway between Thurba cliff/promontory fort and Paviland cave. The Knave fort is a short walk south off the coastal path.

The coastline along this stretch of the Gower is particularly dramatic with the layers of rock forming the cliff rising high out of the water on a steep angle.

I was able to make out two lines of defence, the outer rampart now about 1m high, with the inner ramparts about 2m high.
The dreaded gorse covers part of the northern outer defences.

Not much else to add really.

Worth a look when walking this stretch of the coastal path.

Miscellaneous

The Knave
Cliff Fort
Kammer
Kammer May 28, 2003

Another site I’ve not visited, the Knave is a semicircular cliff fort with a bank and ditch on the inland side. The site was excavated in 1938 by Audrey Williams, and the remains of two huts were found, one of which had been burnt down. It’s thought that the Knave probably only served one or two families because of it’s relatively small size.

Sites within 20km of The Knave

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