Castercliff facts for kids
Viewed from Back Lane
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| Location | Pendle, Lancashire, England |
|---|---|
| Type | Hillfort |
| Length | 115 m (377 ft) |
| Width | 76 m (249 ft) |
| Area | 0.80 ha (2.0 acres) |
| Height | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| History | |
| Founded | 510±70 BC |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1971 |
| Official name | Castercliff Small Multivallate Hillfort |
| Reference no. | 45247 |
Castercliff is an ancient hillfort from the Iron Age period. It is located near the towns of Nelson and Colne in Lancashire, Northern England. This site is known as a "multivallate" hillfort, which means it has several layers of defensive walls and ditches.
Contents
What is Castercliff?
Castercliff is a special type of ancient fort. It was built on a hilltop, giving its inhabitants a great view. This helped them spot anyone approaching from far away. The fort was designed for protection during the Iron Age, a time when people used iron tools and weapons.
Location and Design
The hillfort sits on a hilltop. It overlooks the valleys of the River Calder and its smaller streams. This area is on the western edge of the South Pennines. The top of the hill is about 280 meters (920 feet) above sea level. The ground around it drops steeply, except to the southeast. This natural landscape made the fort even harder to attack.
Defensive Walls and Ditches
Castercliff has impressive defenses. On most sides, there are three layers of stone and earth walls, called ramparts. These ramparts are about 1.5 meters (5 feet) high. Between these walls are ditches of similar depth. These ditches would have made it difficult for enemies to cross.
On the north side, the defenses are mostly a single rampart and ditch. However, some parts here also have triple ramparts. The innermost wall might have been reinforced with timber and stone. This wall surrounded an oval area about 115 meters (377 feet) long and 76 meters (249 feet) wide.
History and Discoveries
Archaeologists studied Castercliff in the 1970s. They dug up parts of the site to learn more about it.
Unfinished Fort
The excavations showed something interesting. It seems the hillfort was never fully finished. Also, the archaeologists did not find any signs that people actually lived there. This suggests it might have been built but never used as a permanent home.
Protected Site
Today, Castercliff is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This means it is a nationally important archaeological site. It is protected by law to make sure it is preserved for the future.
Mining Damage
Over time, the hillfort has been damaged by coal mining. You can still see old "bell pits" both inside and around the site. Bell pits are small, bell-shaped shafts dug to extract coal.
More Pictures
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Viewed from Back Lane
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Published in The Victoria History of the County of Lancaster Vol 2 (1906)
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One of the many bell pit circles on top of the fort
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The view from the summit toward Walton's Spire to the southeast
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On the eastern slope looking southwest, showing a section of the ramparts
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3D view of the digital terrain model
