The entrances to the hillfort were originally simple gaps in the ramparts, but they were rebuilt during the Iron Age to form complex entrance corridors.
To make the entrances more secure, the inner rampart was extended outwards on each side, forming two lengthwise ramparts. These, together with inner ditches, protected a sunken entrance roadway.
These entrance corridors meant that people entering and leaving the fort could be closely monitored, and any attackers had to run the gauntlet of an entrance passage over 100 metres long. They could be constantly under attack from defenders along the tops of the flanking banks.
To either side of the western entrance, a series of large rectangular pits can be seen. The purpose of these pits is unknown, but suggestions have included storage pits, water tanks, quarry pits, shelters for industrial activity or simply additional obstacles against attack.
Aerial photography has shown evidence of possible Iron Age settlements and field systems nearby. Surplus agricultural produce from these farms could have supported the inhabitants of the hillfort, and perhaps supplied the labour needed to construct and repair the ramparts. It is possible that Old Oswestry was a place of refuge for this outlying population at times of conflict.
Disclaimer
The text and pictures on this page are derived from the 'Heritage Unlocked' series of guidebooks published in 2004. We intend to review, update and enhance the content in the near future as part of the Portico project, whose objective is to provide information on the history, significance, research background and sources for all English Heritage properties.
