Monument record 848/1 - Oakmere promontory fort

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 23/ Harrison W 1905 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<2> Varley W J, 1936, Recent investigations into the origins of Cheshire hill-forts, No 6 (Article in Journal). SCH7314.

Promontory camp defined by deep, irregular ditch lying between degraded ramparts, cutting off ground falling to eastern shore of Oakmere

<3> Forde-Johnston J, 1962, The Iron Age Hillforts of Lancashire and Cheshire, p.21-23 (Article in Journal). SCH6913.

Oakmere stands on a small, triangular tongue of land which projects into the mere of the same name. The southwestern
side of the enclosure is only lOft. Above the level of the mere. From this height the ground rises gently towards the northeast and the artificial defences. The site makes sense tactically only when it is realised that the level of the mere must have been somewhat higher when the defences were built. The present shore line is about 35ft. Beyond the foot of the scarp. This narrow strip of land is, however, only a few inches above the level of the mere.

A rise in level of only a foot or so would have brought the shore line up to the position of the present fence and probably higher. The artificial defences consist of a bank with an outer ditch extending in an arc from the southern to the northern angle of the site. At its highest this bank rises ·6ft. Above the interior and falls a vertical distance of 13ft to the ditch bottom. The latter at its deepest is 6ft. Below external ground level. The depth of the defences front to back is about 100ft. It can be seen from the plan that the ditch varies in depth in different sections and that these sections are quite clearly marked off from each other. They vary in length from 50 to 100ft. This appearance may be interpreted in
at least two ways. It is possible that Oakmere is an unfinished hillfort; the existing remains may represent the stage which the excavation
of the ditch had reached when work on the site came to an end. In a completed hillfort it is normal for the ditch to be of more or less constant depth throughout and it looks as if Oakmere might never have reached this stage. Alternatively, the deeper sections may represent an unfinished attempt to deepen or clear out an existing ditch.

There is a small amount of evidence from excavation. During 1960 the writer was able to dig a section through the defences near their southern end. This showed that the ditch was 50ft. Wide and lOft. Deep below external ground level. It was round-bottomed and dug into the natural sand. Excavation in the bank showed that this was 6ft. High above the old ground surface and 50ft. Wide. No trace of any revetment was found, but too much weight cannot be attached to this, since the section dug was only 3ft. Wide and could easily have passed between the post-holes necessary for a timber revetment. A stone revetment is unlikely, since there is absolutely no stone on the site and none was encountered during the excavation, even in the silting of the ditch.

There are at present four breaks in the defences, two of which are quite clearly modern. The gap between the southern end of the artificial defences and the natural scarp almost certainly represents an original entrance. It is quite clear that the ditch was never carried through to the head of the scarp, thus leaving a causeway about 15ft. Wide. The rampart likewise stops short leaving a corresponding gap. The principle is similar to that at Helsby, Kellsborrow and Bradley. The gap near the middle of the defences is quite clearly modern. From ground examination it is apparent that the material from the bank has been pushed back into the ditch to make a causeway. The next break in the defences, at the northern angle, is also modern. Presumably the rampart was carried around the corner and along the northern side for about 200ft. The scarp
representing this rampart is set back from the conjectural shore line, leaving a corridor between it and the (presumed) water's edge about 40ft. Wide. This way into the enclosure is below and commanded by the rampart for about 200ft. This arrangement again recalls Helsby, since the rampart is, in effect, a large inturn running parallel to a natural feature. The area enclosed is about 2 1/4 - acres. The defences occupy an area of 1 1/4 acres, giving an overall area of about 3 1/2 acres.

<4> Challis A.J. & Harding D.W., 1975, Later Prehistory from the Trent to the Tyne: Catalogue and illustrations., 20/ii/47 Challis A J & Harding D W 1975 (Monograph). SCH7282.

Listed by Challis and Harding as a promontory site enclosure, of 2.5 acres, under hillforts (Iron Age).

<5> Ferguson, A; Drinkwater D, 1977, Field observations from Oakmere hillfort in 1977 (Unpublished Report). SCH7294.

There has been little further investigation of the Oakmere hillfort with the exception of a survey by A.J. Ferguson in 1977. The survey suggested the variations in depth along the course of the ditch may have been as result of either in-filling or that the ditch was not finished.

<6> Longley D, 1979, Prehistoric Sites in Cheshire, p46 (Report). SCH2719.

Oakmere 5760 6780 - Mereside univallate promontory fort.
The enclosure is situated on promontory of glacial outwash sands and gravel extending into Oakmere. The surrounding area is relatively low lying though gently undulating. The approach from the landward side is level and a single bank with external ditch describes an arc across the neck of the promontory.
This bank no longer meets the waters edge at its northern terminal and the deficiency may be explained by the presence of a scarp dropping down to the mere at this point and continuing round the promontory along, approximately the 76m contour. The water level in the mere may very well have been higher in the past so completing the defences. Approximately midway along its length the ditch has been interupted by a causeway and the adjacent bank has a gap through. Forde-Johnson considered these to be modern disturbances effecting entrance to the site and that the original entrance way was found in the south of the site in short gap between the rampart terminal and the crest of the scarp down to the shore. The ditch itself had been irregularly dug although both the bank and the ditch are in a reasonable state of preservation –the bank standing to c. 2m in places. The bank was sectioned in 1960 by Forde –Johnson and was shown to be composed of earth with no evidence for a stone revetment.
The site is at present under grass with tree cover round the periphery of the promontory and gorse on the ramparts. There are no serious threats to the site other than those produced by the vegetational cover and burrowing and grazing animals.

<7> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, no.463 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ56NE12 1979 (Index). SCH2487.

A small Iron Age settlement situated upon a low headland jutting into the NE side of Oakmere.

A rampart across the East side is 15m in width, 1.2m in height internally, 1.5m externally, the outer ditch is up to 15m in width and 1.2m in depth.

At the southern end is a simple original entrance and midway is a modern causewayed entrance. There are no traces if internal structures. Oin the N and SW the site is bouded by natural slopes along the former shore line of the now reduced lake

<9> Various, Aerial photographs, 3.296 Oakmere 1 1981 Williams S R & CUCAP (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

<10> Capstick B, 1981-1987, Field Monument Warden Report, Capstick B 1985 Ches 22 (Unpublished Report). SCH1222.

<11> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p106,113 (Book). SCH3556.

A promontory of glacial outwash sands and gravel protrudes from the eastern bank of Oakmere, A single bank with external ditch describes an arc across the neck of the promontory. Both bank and ditch are reasonably wellpreserved, the bank standing to 2m. Inplaces. Section of bank taken in 1960 showed it to be composed of earth. Woth no evidence of a stone revetment. The site is under grass with tree cover around the periphery and gorse on the ramparts.

<12b> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 25688 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<12a> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 25688 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

The monument includes a univallate (single rampart) promontory fort located on the east bank of Oakmere 300m north west of Corner Farm. It is situated on the level glacial outwash sands and gravels which surround Oakmere. The landscape is gently undulating with open water, the meres, occupying the shallow depressions.
The monument has a single bank with an external ditch which curves around the neck of a promontory jutting out into the Oakmere defining a triangular interior whose sides are approximately 200m long. The approach from the west is level with a small natural gully on the north west side of the fort.
The bank or rampart has been spread by cultivation to 30m wide at its widest point but still stands to a height of 2m through most of its length. The ditch from which the material for the rampart was derived is 18m wide and 1.5m deep on average. At its northern end the ditch is 2.5m deep where it meets the terrace which represents the original water level of the mere at the time of the construction of the fort. At the southern end the ditch has been cut around the terminal of the bank to form a narrow entrance with a steep slope on the southern side.

The southern and northern sides of the fort are naturally defended by steep slopes down to the narrow terrace on the bank of the mere. In the centre of the rampart there is a causeway across the ditch and a gap in the bank which has been formed more recently to make access to the interior for farm machinery.
The interior area is 0.9ha in extent and has been cultivated over many years. There is no visible trace of internal features although significant remains will exist beneath the modern ground surface. The bedrock has been exposed in some areas. There is a suggestion of a defensive bank along the north side to reinforce the slope.

An excavation trench across the bank and ditch in 1960 revealed that the rampart was of simple dump construction possibly reinforced with timber and that the ditch was round bottomed and 2.5m deep at that point.

The fort is unusual in being on the low-lying sandy plain. This suggests that it was a defended settlement in an area of farmland used both for stock rearing and arable. The type of site is one of a group of promontory forts in Cheshire. Most of these are on more commanding positions on spurs overlooking the coastal plain or the wide valley of the Dee.

The promontory fort at Oakmere survives well in spite of the fragility of its construction from the sands and gravels of the Cheshire plain. The rampart and ditch are well defined and the shallow ploughing of the interior will not have severely damaged the evidence of dwellings and settlement remains in the interior.

<13> Archaeophysica, 2012, Oakmere Promontory Fort, Cheshire Geophysical Survey Report, R3565 (Client Report). SCH7321.

Magnetic and twin probe electrical resistance surveys were commissioned to explore the site of the fort at Oakmere as part of an ongoing project examining fortified sites of presumed Iron Age date in Cheshire.
Good evidence for a prehistoric entrance with in-turned banks was found and evidence that a causeway further south is a modern addition associated with a drain or pipe inserted through the earthworks and across the monument. Few signs of internal structure were found, although the electrical resistance data suggests a number of pits may exist. There is also evidence for re-use of the monument within the medieval or later periods in the form of a possible building and associated structures built within the likely prehistoric entrance.

<14> Garner, Dan and others, 2016, Hillforts of the Cheshire Ridge, p.66-70 (Book). SCH8403.

Geophysical survey in 2012 identified a possible inturned entrance with indications of a complex of structures, suggestung re-use of the site at a later period.