Page:VCH Herefordshire 1.djvu/292

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A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE MOUNTS + Church Aston Tlmp (Class D) AsHTON. See Eye. Aston Tump. — Three miles and a half south-west of Ludlow. The position occupied by the tump has no natural defence, but a moat was cut around the mount and the waters of the stream were made to flow therein, thus affording considerable protection from the east-north-east. The base of the moat is now only a few feet below the surrounding level, and practically flat, but was once much deeper, and

' filled with water at all times. The

mount is named upon the i-in. maps of the Ordnance Survey a ' tumulus,' but its position near the church and its water moat indicate that it was constructed for defensive purposes. Brampton Bryan : Lower Pedwardine. — This small work, 5 miles north-east of Presteigne, is probably not in its original form, or if so, was of very slight importance. It stands upon the eastern slope of some high land, and the position had no natural defence beyond any that the stream on the north may have afforded. The earthwork now consists of a slight mount, 10 ft. above the ground on the east, cut off from the higher land on the west by a rampart. The hollow trench on the north and east has been used as a road, and may not have formed part of the defensive work, as there is no trace of its continuation south or west. We prefer, therefore, to class this as a simple mount stronghold. Brilley : CwMMA Mound. — Three miles and a half south and south-west of Kington. This small work, apparently a castle mount, is situated in a position lacking any natural defence. The entrenchments, never of import- ance, consist of a small irregular mount cut out of the slope of the hill falling towards the stream, the ballast from the moat being thrown inward to heighten the mount. Upon the south-west a slight rampart has been made to form a bank to the moat, round which the stream may once have washed. BucKTON Tump. — One mile and a half south-west of Leintwardine. The position of this small work is naturally defended on the south by the River Teme. The mount is of unusual form, being oval and having the western portion higher than the rest, an arrangement which may or may not be part of the original plan. The moat surrounding the mount was evidently once much deeper, and water from the stream could either 224 0*0 5 ,, ^ "«  Lowers PbclMardina farm- • Lower Pedwardinf Mount, Brampton Bryan CwMMA Mound, Brilley