The Long Mynd

From Ars Magica

I believe this picture shows Carding Valley, directly behind Church Stretton, with the roman road running before it. Dominating the rear of the picture is the Long Mynd massif. An enormous gurt lump of geography, with many valleys, streams, and an ancient greenway, known as the Portway running along the ridge.

Bodbury Ring

One of the nearest archaeological sites to Church Stretton, is the Bodbury Ring.

A small univallate hillfort, survivng from the Iron Age as a ring with a commanding view across the area. It possibly incorporates an earlier cross dyke. The Ring immediately overlooks Carding Mill Valley, on the eastern edge of The Long Mynd. Caer Caradoc (Church Stretton) and The Lawley are to its east, and The Wrekin is obvious on the skyline to the north-east. All these are also the sites of hillforts and settlements.

[From the Megalithic Portal and Megalithic Map Website]

Description: This spectacular aerial photograph shows the strong strategic location of Bodbury Ring Iron Age (700 B.C. - A.D. 43) hillfort near Church Stretton. The steep hill slopes on two of the three sides of this fort would make the settlement very difficult to attack. This photograph is also of interest because it shows a long linear earthwork running away from the hillfort and following the hill summit. This is known as a "cross dyke" and is thought to pre date the hillfort. There are various different interpretations for the function of cross dykes. They might have been used to mark territorial limits or internal boundaries within communities. They might also have been used as trackways, cattle droveways or defensive earthworks. This cross dyke probably dates to the Bronze Age (2300 B.C. - A.D. 43). (Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust).

[From the Secret Shropshire Website]

Nearby archaeological sites (relative to Bodbury Ring):
0.7km	SW	The Devil's Mouth Cross Dyke	Misc. Earthwork
1.9km	W	Long Mynd A	Round Barrow(s)
2.0km	NW	Robin Hood's Butts (Shropshire)	Round Barrow(s)
2.0km	NE	Castle Hill (Shropshire)	Hillfort
2.0km	N	High Park Cross Dyke	Ancient Village or Settlement
2.2km	W	Boiling Well (Long Mynd)	Round Barrow(s)
2.3km	W	Long Mynd C	Round Barrow(s)
2.4km	W	Shooting Box Disc Barrow	Round Barrow(s)
2.8km	SW	Barrister's Plain Cross Dyke	Ancient Village or Settlement
3.2km	SW	Long Mynd B	Round Barrow(s)
3.3km	E	Caer Caradoc (Church Stretton)	Hillfort
3.4km	W	Pole Cottage	Round Barrow(s)
4.6km	NW	Ratlinghope Hill Camp	Hillfort
5.1km	NW	Castle Ring (Stitt Hill)	Hillfort
6.2km	NW	Leasowes Barrow	Round Barrow(s)
6.3km	SW	Botley Stone	Ring Cairn
8.7km	NW	The Stiperstones	Cairn
8.9km	S	Strefford Henge	Henge
9.0km	NW	The Paddocks	Stone Row / Alignment
9.6km	NW	Castle Ring (Stiperstones)	Hillfort