Bodbury Ring Hillfort larger than originally thought 

Bodbury Ring hillfort is on the north side of the Carding Mill Valley near Church Stretton , in Shropshire. National Trust own and managed the site.

It is an iron Age settlement that was built on a hill and fortified around its perimeter to protect the inhabitants from their enemies.

Archaeologists from Time Team and the Universities of Chester and York using LIDAR sensors, mounted on aircraft.

LIDAR, which stands for Laser Imaging, Detection, And Ranging, is a method for determining ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected light to return to the receiver. It is used to make digital 3-D representations of areas on the Earth's surface and the ocean bottom.

The LIDAR has produced hi-resolution laser-scan data, which shows that Bodbury Ring Hillfort, on the north side of the Carding Mill Valley near Church Stretton, was six times larger than was originally thought.

The investigations were part of a collaboration with the Universities of Chester and York, and Stepping Stones, a National Trust, led conservation project in the Shropshire Hills which aims to reconnect isolated patches of wildlife habitat by restoring a network of hedgerows, verges, woodland and wetlands.

Analysis of the data shows that the earthworks of Bodbury Ring are only a small part of a much larger hillfort which once enclosed the entire ridgetop of Bodbury Hill. This larger hillfort shares some characteristics with examples known to have originated in the Late Bronze Age.

It is thought that the earthworks of Bodbury Ring, were later downsized to form a smaller, more easily defended fort at the southern tip of the original hillfort. This possibly took place in the Middle Iron Age. This prehistoric downsizing may have resulted from increased tension in the region, reflecting possible changes in the geopolitical landscape of the times.

Close by, on the northern side of Bodbury Hill, the remains of a probable Roman Iron Age enclosed settlement have also been identified for the first time.

Photograph: National Trust