thesweetcheat

The solitary Ashton Court stone.

I came across this stone alone while crossing Ashton Court on the Community Forest Path. It stands on the slopes of a dry valley, just below the “probably prehistoric terraces”. It’s quite likely natural, and the area has been heavily landscaped, but there are no other similar stones or outcrops around so it makes for a striking feature.

There are various earthworks in the eastern part of Ashton Court, including a field system and terraces which the North Somerset HER describes as “probably prehistoric”. Looking towards Dundry Hill.

Southern rampart.

Southern rampart.

Looking across the Avon Gorge to Clifton Down Camp from the eastern tip of the fort.

The northwestern ramparts.

The stony construction of the inner rampart shows through the thin turf.

The top of the inner rampart, western side of the fort.

Looking down on the inner ditch and outer rampart.

Looking towards the inner rampart from the outer, west side of the fort.

Inner and outer ramparts on the west side.

Clifton Down Camp from across the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Nice strata and a long drop.

My previous visits have been in the summer, but even in January parts of the rampart are densely overgrown.

The impressive inner rampart.

Outer rampart in the foreground, much larger inner rampart behind.

Possible Bronze Age barrow for goalposts? Isn’t it? Marvellous.

There’s a definite circular mound, but as to it being a barrow, who knows? Handy bench to sit on while you ponder.

The top of the large mound. It’s slightly dished in a way that suggests excavation.

This substantial mound is in the vegetation along the edge of the ridge. I’m not sure it is one of the barrows, but it’s not explained by anything else on the SMR and is clearly artificial.

This low patch of scrubby grass is likely to be the remains of one of the barrows.

Difficult to see, the photo shows a section of the low remains of the sub-circular earthwork to the southwest of the fort, curving round to the right, away from the viewer. There was a linear group of round barrows over on the left, but they have been all but obliterated now.

The western rampart from its southern end.

Looking north along the western rampart.

Bank and ditch of the western rampart, with mountain bike erosion.

Looking along the southern rampart.

The modern path cutting through the western bank and ditch reveals the stone construction.

Below the northern rampart there’s a narrow level terrace. It’s not clear whether it’s part of the fort’s construction, but the way it intrudes in the natural slope of the hill suggests it’s artificial.;

Approaching the northern rampart from below. The fort doesn’t look much once you’re inside it, but this approach allows the natural defences to be appreciated.

The outer rampart.

Outer rampart on the western side of the fort.

Standing in the ditch below the inner rampart, which rises to a huge height on the left.

Much of the defences rely on the natural slopes of the hill.

Inner entrance at the southwestern side of the fort.

Looking out from the southern rampart across the ravine separating the fort from Coombe Hill and Goram’s Chair.

Looking from the ramparts towards the folly castle.

The impressive western inner rampart.

The top of the northern rampart, showing evidence of stone construction.

The info board at the site. I like the Bronze Age fez-wearing guy.

(C) Dandi Creative Design.

With splendid steel sculpture for company.

The lightly-pitted top of the mound.

A really decent monument, this.

From the east.

The southwestern flank. A further double bank and ditch is lower left, with caravans and boats parked on it. The hill rising beyond is Bradlow Knoll/Frith Hill.

Standing on what remains of the southern rampart, looking towards the Malvern Hills.

Looking up towards the hilltop enclosure from the east. The low remains of a southern rampart run diagonally from middle left to lower right.