Bury Bank facts for kids
 Location in Staffordshire
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| Location | Near Stone, Staffordshire |
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| Coordinates | 52°55′14″N 2°10′36″W / 52.92056°N 2.17667°W |
| Type | Hillfort |
| Area | 2.2 hectares (5.4 acres) |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
| Designated | 30 November 1925 |
| Reference no. | 1008548 |
Bury Bank is an ancient hillfort from the Iron Age. It is located in Staffordshire, England. You can find it about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) north-west of Stone. It is also close to the village of Meaford.
This site is very important. It is protected as a scheduled monument. This means it is a nationally important archaeological site. It is believed that Wulfhere, who was the King of Mercia in the 600s, might have lived here. This place was even known as Wulfherecester back then.
Contents
What is Bury Bank?
Bury Bank is a type of ancient fortress. It was built on a small hill. People in the Iron Age used these forts for protection. They were often built on high ground. This gave them a good view of the surrounding area.
How Was the Hillfort Built?
The builders used the natural shape of the hill. They created two large walls around the fort. These walls are called ramparts. A wide flat area, or terrace, separated the two ramparts.
The inner rampart is about 0.7 meters (2.3 feet) tall today. But it was likely much taller when it was first built. Archaeologists dug here in 1892. They found that the ramparts were made of earth and stones.
The outer rampart can still be seen in some places. It is about 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) high on the inside. On the outside, it reaches about 3 meters (9.8 feet) high.
Entering the Fort
There was a special entrance on the north-west side. It was designed to be difficult for attackers to get through. This type of entrance is called "inturned."
No signs of old buildings are visible inside the fort today. However, there might be remains hidden underground.
Later History of Bury Bank
Even though King Wulfhere might have lived here, there is no proof. Archaeologists have not found signs that the fort was used again around his time.
Ancient Burial Mounds
Inside the fort, there are two burial mounds. These are also known as barrows. They are ancient hills of earth. People built them to bury the dead.
- The mound furthest south is about 2.2 meters (7.2 feet) tall. It is about 25 meters (82 feet) wide.
- The second mound is next to it, to the north-west. It is about 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) tall. This mound is about 17 meters (56 feet) wide.
These mounds show that the site was important for a long time. People used it for different purposes.
