Scheduled Monument: Bat's Castle: a small multivallate hillfort and associated outwork (1007667)

The monument includes a small multivallate hillfort and an associated cross-ridge outwork. Situated on the first line of hills rising above the coastal plain, the site overlooks the Bristol Channel, and inland commands views to Dunkery Hill. The fort, roughly circular in shape and enclosing 1.2ha, is at one end of a short ridge on the summit of a gently sloping hilltop, with a steep drop to the south-west. It can be seen from at least four other defensive enclosures. The defences include an inner and outer rampart, separated by a ditch. The ramparts, which are of rubble construction, survive up to 2m high, and the ditch up to 2m deep. The two entrances to the interior are on the east and west sides of the fort. These consist of a simple gap and causeway on the west, whilst on the east the banks are inturned. Outside the eastern entrance the ditch and second bank turn out to flank a 45m approachway, which appears to be a later addition. Slight ridges and furrows can be seen in the interior of the fort running NNE/SSW. These may be recent, as local knowledge suggests that the fort was used to grow potatoes in World War II. To the south-east of the hillfort is an outwork. This crosses the other end of the ridge to the hillfort and the bank is of similar scale and construction, c.200m long, but with no outer rampart. It follows a sinuous course, zigzagging in the middle and fading out at either end, with no apparent gap. Short lengths of low bank survive running from near its northern tip, and these may be remnants of a contemporary field system. Excluded from scheduling are all modern fences and posts, although the ground beneath these is included.