ARCHAEOLOGISTS working in Little Doward Woods near Symonds Yat have discovered a nationally significant 130-metre Iron Age causeway among 87 previously unrecorded features.

Another exciting feature was an Iron Age well in addition to the site of an already-known ancient well, said Dr George Nash of Border Archaeology.

Commissioned by the Woodland Trust to survey possible sites in the woods, Dr Nash and his team were 'very pleased' with their work on and around the site of the Iron Age hilltop fort and burial mounds.

"The most significant was a previously unknown hollow way leading up to the fort which we discovered," he said. "It is definitely of Celtic origin."

The causeway ran for several yards with banks and ditches to either side, and like most of the finds in the area had been obscured – and preserved – by trees.

"We have also managed to increase the number of finds in this particular area from around nine to something like 94, which is very satisfying," said Dr Nash, who is co-author of the book The Pre-History of Herefordshire published in 1994. Another book, The Pre-History of Breconshire, is to be published soon.

"Among our other finds there were also a lot of post-medieval banks and ditches from the enclosure period around the 1840s."

Like most Trust-managed woodlands much of the Doward area is open to the public, although it is important to minimise disturbance, they say.

"While visitors are encouraged to find out more about these often little-known woodland treasures they are urged always to leave them as they find them," says the Woodland Trust.

Details and news of the Trust's work can be obtained on http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk">www.woodland-trust.org.uk