VILLAGERS from Sutton and Marden have responded to a call from Historic England to form a community group to conserve a well-known landmark and heritage asset for future generations.

Sutton Walls is a scheduled monument which comprises the remains of an Iron Age hillfort and is of great historical significance.

It was settled by the Romans and is inextricably linked to the story of King Ethelbert and King Offa.

The monument has suffered in the past and is categorised as ‘At Risk’ on the Historic England, Heritage At Risk register.

Sutton Walls Conservation Group hope to lease the site and undertake a Conservation Management Plan to safeguard the hillfort for future generations.

They are holding an Open Day on March 17 from 10am to 2pm at Sutton Village Hall.

Jez Bretherton, from Historic England, will speak about the project at 11am and this will be followed by a talk by eminent archaeologist Dr Keith Ray entitled ‘A thumbnail sketch of the history of Sutton Walls, from before Caractacos until after Kathleen Kenyon’.

Dr Ray is the author of The Archaeology of Herefordshire and helped carry out excavations in Sutton St Nicholas with Channel 4’s Time Team from 1999 to 2002.

A selection of artefacts found on Sutton Walls from the collections of Herefordshire Museum Service will be on display.

There will also be displays on the history and ecology of Sutton Walls as well as activities for children.

For further details email suttonwallscg@gmail.com