Ruperra Iron Age Hillfort

Our friends from The Cotswolds visited midday; it's Julia's birthday and she wanted to spend the day with us which is a lovely thought.

The weather was very nice and after a cuppa we set off on a walk from the house, along the river bank and climbed up to the top of Ruperra Iron Age Hillfort in use from 700BC to 100AD The views from the 12th century motte now on top of it are stunning, overlooking the Bristol Channel, Cardiff, the Severn Bridges, our village and a lot more.

Another couple were sat inside the motte having lunch and it was nice of the chap to volunteer to take a group photo. I set the camera up and he captured us nicely, so I say I was part of the creative process and it's part my photo!  :)

I did take some other photo's but it was hard to stop and be creative as Steve is a prolific talker - so this blip pic is the one I like best. He's very well travelled all over the world, a tour guide, and a Doctor of History, He's not at all boring and is a big footie fan, and as I love history, we get along just fine. Mrs BB and Julie share a love of wine!


Ruperra hill fort lies within what would have been the tribal territory of a people the Romans called the Silures, who were a fiercely independent nation inhabiting the vale of Glamorgan, Gwent and the valleys. The Roman historian Tacitus describes them as short, dark, curly-haired people more like those of North Africa than other Britons. This has led some to theorise they may have been descendants of the ancient, pre-Celtic people of Britain.


About 1100 AD a huge heap of earth for a Norman type motte or castle was piled up on the top of the ridge. On the top of the motte a wooden castle would have stood, ensuring a good defensive outlook over the surrounding countryside. The castle, of which nothing remains, is thought to have been part of the Norman takeover of south east Wales, falling into disuse once Caerphilly Castle was built in 1274. There is also a theory that the Welsh could have built the wooden castle to stop the Norman takeover. It is one of three local mottes, the others being the original Castell Coch and Castell Morgraig (the ruins of the latter are located behind the Traveller’s Rest pub on Caerphilly mountain).