Pontesford Hill Fort

Pontesford Hill near Pontesbury is the site of an Iron Age hillfort built around 600 B.C. making it a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a designated SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) for its value to wildlife.

Pontesford Hill and nearby Earl's Hill are said to look like a dragon sleeping in the landscape. They're both topped with forts. Mary Webb, who based her writing in Shropshire, elaborated a tale about Pontesford in her first book, 'The Golden Arrow'. The arrow was said to have been lost during a fight over the local territory, and never found.

The hills became Shropshire Wildlife Trust's first nature reserve in 1964. Earls Hill is PreCambrian in origin, being formed approximately 650 Million years ago as a result of volcanic activity.