Monument record 1732/1/2 - Beeston Castle Hillfort, Bronze Age Activity

The results of archaeological work at Beeston Crag (and Castle) demonstrate that there was activity on the hilltop during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, but it is difficult to accurately date the foundation of the plateau as a defended hilltop (18). Excavations during the 1970s and 1980s near the outer gateway found a series of terraces and hollows, three postholes and layers of charcoal and sand; some of these features contained Neolithic pottery, and suggests prolonged occupation and / or working areas (7). Residual pottery from the Late Neolithic, and the Early and Middle Bronze Ages was found in horizons belonging to an Iron Age platform. It is, however, no clear whether these early features represent an enclosure of the hilltop. A detailed field survey (11) did not show traces of any Bronze Age barrows in this area, and it is possible that the hilltop was used for something other than occupation or defence in these early stages (7, 18).

Topographic evidence suggests that the Beeston developed as a promontory fort, as there is no evidence the extant bank extended around the northern or southern edges of the hilltop, restricted to the east side of the hill. The earliest clearly defensive features can be dated to the Late Bronze Age, with a line of post holes near the outer gateway that might have been a palisade, predating the first phase of embankment at the site (7), or alternately were marker posts related to the construction of the first phase of banking. The first banking is assigned to the later part of the Late Bronze Age, made of layers of sand mixed with stone seen in trenches near the central portion of the medieval curtain wall. Charcoal evidence suggests a possible timber superstructure, and a date of 1300-840 cal BC was recovered (7), however two axes suggest a date between 900 and 700 BC. Other residual material was found in an early Iron Age platform to the rear of the rampart, including residual pottery, metalworking debris, stone artefacts, and remains of high temperature hearths. Although these finds were ex situ, the suggestion is that there was a substantial focus of Late Bronze Age activity around what may have been an entranceway through the embankment. In the outer ward, a significant number of post holes were recorded, and although quite disturbed, many were interpreted as the remains of circular structures such as roundhouses (7, 18), and conjectural evidence suggests at least two buildings belonged to the Late Bronze Age, one of which was in association with an amount of metalworking debris. Earlier features contained macro-botanical evidence of extensive grain processing and storage (7). The evidence for Late Bronze Age Beeston suggests long-term occupation at the site including domestic and specialised (metalworking) activities. Wide contacts were suggested by the diversity of pottery from the site, and similarities were noted in the fabrics from Beeston and The Wrekin and The Breiddin. Changes in the function of the hilltop in the Late Bronze Age may be represented by the apparent grain pits being succeeded by buildings associated with metalworking.

The Early Iron Age is represented by Period 3A (650 – 450 BC) and saw the consolidation and re-building of the defences at Beeston, comprised of a bank and ditch, built over the Late Bronze Age bank, including a surface of stones. A hearth possibly related to iron smithing was recorded (7). The bank was 12m wide to the north of the medieval gateway and 6m wide to the south and the position of the medieval entrance is thought to have been associated with an earlier one. A slab surface and a possible slingstone cache was also found. The southern extension of this ditch was dated to 791 – 410 cal BC.

The Middle to Late Iron Ages are represented by Period 3B (450 – first century BC). This phase demonstrated evidence for the largest scale rampart construction of the prehistoric period. The eastern edge of the rampart was delineated by a line of large boulders, to the north of the entrance. Running parallel to this eastern limit, the western line of the rampart was marked by a deep trench that had been filled with large boulders. The rampart appears, therefore, to have been retained by lines of boulders set within foundation trenches. The core of the rampart was constructed of stone blocks, with upright timbers along the centre of the bank. Radiocarbon dates from charred remains of these timbers suggest the period between 765 – 257 cal BC and the majority of the pottery recovered from the rampart was residual Late Bronze Age, but there was some Iron Age VCP and a leather and copper-alloy vessel found within a pit. The corresponding outer ditch for the Period 3B rampart was recorded on the northern side of the entranceway, and had evidence of having been re-cut.

An east – west aligned track-way was laid within the entrance, formed by layers of pebbles and silt, overlain by stones to create a metalled surface. Sherds of VCP were found within this surface, and a group of post holes south of it suggested a structure. The 146 postholes in the outerward appeared to relate to both Late Bronze and Iron Age activity, but most could not be closely dated. Later disturbances destroyed most traces of occupational surfaces.

The latest date relating to possible activity at the hillfort, prior to the medieval period, came from displaced wood within the Period 3B rampart, 30 cal BC – AD 250 (18). This date, in combination with the finding of nine sherds of Romano-British pottery and two brooches from deposits dating to Period 4 and later in the outer ward, suggests some form of activity took place, but no buildings or structures have been identified. This suggests that from the latest Iron Age (about 200 BC onwards) there was little activity at the site. The site was not necessarily unoccupied, but it is suggested that there was a dramatic change of function and a lack of maintenance of the rampart (18)

<1> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/105, 108-10 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<2> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 8/28 Hough P R 1982 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

<3> Various, Current Archaeology, 91/245-9 Hough P R (N) (Journal/Periodical). SCH1031.

<4> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 23641 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<5> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, no.900 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<6> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 23641 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<7> Ellis P (ed), 1993, Beeston Castle, Cheshire. Excavations by Laurence Keen and Peter Hough, 1968-85 (Book). SCH4335.

<8> Engineering Archaeological Services, 2009, Beeston Castle Geophysical Survey. November 2009, R3174 (Client Report). SCH6416.

<9> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 1993, Chester Archaeology Service Newsletter (Newsletter). SCH6007.

<10> Engineering Archaeological Services, 2010, Beeston Castle Geophysical Survey, June 2010, R3175 (Client Report). SCH6421.

<11> MAP Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 2007, Beeston Castle, Tarporley, Cheshire, R2813 (Client Report). SCH5007.

<12> Matrix Archaeology, 2008, Beeston Castle, Near Bunbury, Cheshire Archaeological Watching Brief (french drain), R2865 (Client Report). SCH5110.

<13> Matrix Archaeology, 2008, Beeston Castle, Near Bunbury, Cheshire Archaeological Watching Brief (Trackway Earthworks), R2866 (Client Report). SCH5111.

<14> Oxford Archaeology North, 2007, Habitats and Hillforts of the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge, Cheshire: Archaeological Condition Survey, R2894 (Client Report). SCH5260.

<15> Engineering Archaeological Services, 2010, Beeston Castle Geophysical Survey, August 2010, R3176 (Client Report). SCH6426.

<16> MAP Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 2007, Beeston Castle, Tarporley, Cheshire (Client Report). SCH5007.

<17> Unknown, Unknown, Recent Discoveries of Prehistoric Material at Beeston Castle (Unpublished Report). SCH7303.

<18> Oxford Archaeology North, 2008, Habitats and Hillforts of the Cheshire sandstone Ridge: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, R2893 (Client Report). SCH5259.

<18> Garner, Dan and others, 2016, Hillforts of the Cheshire Ridge (Book). SCH8403.