Castle Ring is an

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

hill fort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...

, situated high up on the southern edge of

Cannock Chase Cannock Chase, often referred to locally as The Chase, is a mixed area of countryside in the county of Staffordshire, England. The area has been designated as the Cannock Chase National Landscape, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and muc ...

(The Chase),

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...

, England. It is the highest point on The Chase with an elevation of . Castle Ring Digital Terrain Model

It is near the village of Cannock Wood, south of

Rugeley Rugeley ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Cannock Chase District, in Staffordshire, England. It lies on the north-eastern edge of Cannock Chase next to the River Trent; it is north of Lichfield, southeast of Stafford, northeast of ...

and north of

Burntwood Burntwood is a former mining town and civil parish in the Lichfield District of Staffordshire, England. It is approximately west of Lichfield and north east of Brownhills, with a population of 26,049 and forming part of Lichfield district. T ...

, adjacent to the Heart of England Way. There are excellent views over The Chase, the Trent Valley and Staffordshire more generally. The public are free to walk around it as there is a path.

History

Castle Ring is thought to have first been occupied 500 BCE by an Ancient British (Celtic) tribe named the Cornovii. It was abandoned 43 CE as a consequence of Romans occupying the area. Apart from perimeter earthworks, little remains visible. Parts of the ground in the ring appear to have been ploughed, but there is no consensus as to whether this was carried out in prehistoric times, or in the medieval period, when a hunting lodge was also built in the ring. The remains of this lodge are still visible.

References

External links

Ancient Britain - Castle Ring

Web site of Heart of England Way Association

From 'The Megalith Map'
* Hill forts in Staffordshire Tourist attractions in Staffordshire Hills of Staffordshire Cannock Chase {{England-hist-stub

History

See also

References

External links