1.

Crocksydam Camp or Moody Nose is an unusual prehistoric and Romano-British coastal promontory fort situated on the southern limestone cliffs of the Castlemartin Training Area. A single rampart with an external ditch, c. 107m long, curves around to enclose the coastal promontory; the limited interior encloses around 0.42 hectare. There is one main gate in the north side, well-defined by coarse walling of large limestone blocks, with a second smaller gap in the defences on the east side. This secondary gap may be linked to a large, irregular area of excavation or quarrying in the southeast part of the fort interior which may represent antiquarian digging or twentieth-century military disturbance.

Crocksydam is an unusual promontory enclosure, sited in an inconspicuous natural coastal ‘bowl’ or concavity in the cliffs, overlooked from higher crags on the approaches to the north and northeast, and tilted west. Thus it is principally visible from across the bay from neighbouring Flimston Bay coastal promontory fort (NPRN 94227). It is approached from the north via a deep natural canyon between limestone crags which could be considered to have been part of the formal approach to the monument in prehistory. The largely featureless interior is centred upon the higher limestone cliff-top crag or ‘nose’ which may have been a significant feature in prehistory.

Excavation, in around 1930 (BBCS 5 (1931), 394-5), produced Romano-British pottery from what appears to have been a building of some kind. A list of pottery and bone fines from Crocksydam held by National Museum Wales is appended below, and shows a good percentage of traded wares including amphora. James in Archaeology in Wales (1988, AW28, 39) noted that the defences were apparently bivallate. However the fort has been resurveyed for the EU-Funded CHERISH Project in 2020-21, including new detailed topographic survey and high resolution drone photogrammetry. The new survey work confirms a single univallate defence and few other structural features within or outside the rampart.

Toby Driver and Louise Barker, CHERISH Project/RCAHMW, 5th May 2023.

2.

Crocksydam coastal promontory fort is a study site within CHERISH Project. New ground survey and photography, with UAV photogrammetry, was undertaken in August 2020.

A 3D model of the site from the UAV photogrammetry can be found on Sketchfab: https://skfb.ly/owuMX

In August 2022 CHERISH installed two fixed survey markers (survey nails in two limestone outcrops/blocks) near to Flimston Bay Camp and Crocksydam Camp. The markers and their associated location coordinates (BNG) will enable accurate monitoring and change detection of these sites going forward. Details are:

E2 Primary Station Marker - Easting: 193555.1547; Northing: 194447.1301; Height: 48.7356

E6 Secondary Control Point - Easting: 193465.171; Northing: 194510.5118; Height: 48.8422

See CHERISH Monitoring Network - FC_E2 and FC_E6 control markers Event Report: 04/08/2022 for full details including Witness Diagrams (CHERISH Survey Report No. CH/RCAHMW 48 and Data Archive RCCS35)

Louise Barker, CHERISH - RCAHMW, December 2023

CHERISH (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands) was an EU-funded Wales-Ireland project (2017-2023) led by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, in partnership with the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland, Aberystwyth University: Department of Geography and Earth Sciences and Geological Survey, Ireland. https://cherishproject.eu/en/

Crocksydam: finds in National Museum Wales

30.613/2.1 Mortarium rim sherd in pinkish-white ware. No.1 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.2 Mortarium rim sherd in pinkish-white ware, probably from the same mortarium as 30.613/2.1. No.1 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.3 Mortarium rim sherd in similar pinkish-white ware but with a different rim form. No.1 in the BBCS report

30.613/2.4 Oxford colour coat flanged bowl rim. Form copying samian Dr. 38, Young (1977) Type C51, AD 240-400. No.2 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.5 Oxford colour coat flanged bowl rim. Form copying samian Dr. 38, Young (1977) Type C51, AD 240-400. No.2 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.6 Flange from an Oxford colour coat flanged bowl. Probably from the same bowl as 30.613/2.4

30.613/2.7 Flange from an Oxford colour coat flanged bowl rim. Joins to rim 30.613/2.5

30.613/2.8 Black Burnished ware flanged and beaded bowl rim, probably late 3rd / 4th century. No.3 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.9 Black Burnished ware bead dish rim, probably 2nd / early 3rd century. No.3 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.10 Black Burnished ware jar rim. No.3 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.11 Footring, probably burnt remains of an Oxford colour coat vessel. No.4 in the BBCS report.

30.613/2.12 – 13 Mortarium body sherds of similar fabric to 30.613/2.1 – 3

30.613/2.14 Mortarium body sherd. Joins to rim 30.613/2.3.

30.613/2.15 Body sherd with band of rouletting. Grey ware with an oxidized, orange, outer face, which has traces of a red colour coat.

30.613/2.16 Body sherd, possibly burnt Black Burnished ware.

30.613/2.17 Body sherd, oxidized ware with traces of a red colour coat.

30.613/2.18 Roman amphora sherd.

30.613/2.19 Undated burnt bone fragment.

Site Record

Crocksydam Camp or Moody Nose coastal promontory fort