Kinver Edge and the Rock Houses
This is a National Trust site at the frontier between Staffordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. It has several points of interest:
- Red sandstone rock houses (Holy Austin houses), of surprising comfort for troglodyte settlements, still inhabited in the 1960s.
- An untouched (unexcavated) Hill Fort, from 3000 years ago.
- Outstanding views (from the fort) of several shires, including of the Wrekin, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
- High sandstone ridges and peculiar rock formations, carved by people, especially Nanny's rock and Vale's rock.
- Numerous walks in beautiful, hilly woodland.
The rock houses may have inspired Tolkien for his hobbit holes.
We visited the site on 8 January (2023).
Luz by one of the rock houses.
It is surprisingly cozy inside.
And also very pretty: Nature as the ultimate architect.
A smaller one (not open to visits).
The national trust gentleman providing insights by the chimney.
Clear view of the juxtaposition of bricks and rocks.
A path by the ramparts of the Hill Fort.
An unexcavated 3000 years old fortification.
A village and countless treasures lay dorming underneath.
After the rain.
View of Shropshire.
On the top of Kinver Edge.
At the bottom, the most interesting formation of the area: Nanny's rock.
A five compartments cavern, never turned into a house, but probably still inhabited at some point (a 'Margaret of the fox earth' was recorded to have died there in 1617).
It used to be known as 'Meg-o-Fox-Hole'. It is now the receptacle of many engravings.
On the top of Vale's Rock, another similar formation that was turned into a house.
Passing by Nanny's rock again, at sunset.
A bit of light and time left to play.
