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.
