New history of famous hill (From Malvern Gazette)

New history of famous hill

11:50am Thursday 28th February 2008 in Latest By Robert Hale

A HISTORIAN and archaeologist has published the fruits of his latest research into the history of British Camp and other sites on the Malvern Hills.

Paul Remfry has devoted years of his life to the study of history and prehistory, and has worked for years surveying, and explaining the history of, numerous castles on the Welsh Marches.

In 1998, Paul published a book about British Camp, which centres on his findings about the castle that stood on its summit in Norman times.

Now ten years on, he has published an updated version, drawing on a decade's worth of further research and fieldwork.

"I think some of the things I found will surprise some people," he said. "Everyone thinks of Herefordshire Beacon as a hill fort, but I came to a different conclusion."

After comparing it to nearby Midsummmer Hill, he has reached the conclusion that Herefordshire Beacon is more likely to have started life as a ritual site - "rather like Silbury Hill", he says. He also thinks that the so-called Red Earl's Dyke is another part of the ritual landscape on the Malvern Hills.

The book also contains detailed investigations of the later history and archaeology of the British Camp, and the earls who contended in the area following the Norman conquest.

The Herefordshire Beacon and the families of King Harold II and the earls of Hereford and Worcester, is available from Paul's website at www.castles99.ukprint.com.