Archaeologists open up Nesscliffe excavation for public tours this Sunday

Archaeologists excavating at Nesscliffe Hillfort are opening the site for visitors interested in exploring their recent discoveries.

The team from the University of Oxford and the University of Southampton will lead small groups of visitors around the site this Sunday (14 August 2022) at half-hourly intervals between 10am and 4pm.

Visitors will see the stone entranceway to the hillfort fully exposed by the excavations, including a pair of exceptionally well-preserved guard chambers, all dating to 500BC. Nearby, a deep ditch cut into solid rock can be seen and also indications of a wooden gateway structure.

Elsewhere on the site traces of a possible Iron Age roundhouse are being explored, first seen by geophysical survey of the hillfort interior.

Members of the tea at work at the entrance of the hillfort.

Anyone wanting to explore the works should gather on the path leading up to Oliver’s Point, which is signposted from both the Pines and Oaks car parks.

Organisers warn that due to the hilly nature of the site and the proximity of open excavations, tour participants will need to be steady on their feet and wearing suitable footwear.

Alternatively, a small open-air exhibition will be available at the starting point, with archaeologists on hand to explain the site and answer questions.

Nesscliffe Hills and the Cliffe Countryside Heritage Site, managed by Shropshire Council, cover two wooded hills and a heather covered ridge, and gives expansive views over the Shropshire countryside and Welsh hills.

Nesscliffe Hill is an impressive Iron Age hillfort, but also with later Roman occupation and has already been subject of excavations that have revealed some interesting finds.