Iron-Age Hillforts
| Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:12 St John |
The hillforts initially listed below are selected from some in central southern England – in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire – to which we hope you will add others from further afield. Archaeologists can tell a great deal about our pre-Roman history from the humps and bumps of hillforts, as some of the links provided will show. Danebury – 12 acres (Nether Wallop, Hampshire)     This hillfort is included here as a ‘type site’ as few forts have been so intensively excavated as Danebury. It was investigated most recently over a period of 19 years between 1969-88. It was built about 2600 years ago in the middle of the 6th century BC, and occupied and defended for the next 500 years by a populations of up to 350 ancient Britons. Over this time it became a fully developed hillfort unlike some others which were only occasionally occupied. The description and explanations of Danebury at the link below are worth reading to understand the history that was shared by many of the other hillforts listed here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danebury Membury Hillfort – 34 acres (M4 Membury Services, Berkshire/Wiltshire)     http://www.digitaldigging.co.uk/maps/wiltshire/hillforts/hillforts_ia_ wiltshire_membury_hillfort.html Walbury Hill – 82 acres (Combe, Berkshire)     http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=4529 Grimsbury Castle – 8 acres (Hermitage, Berkshire)     http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/grimsbury_castle.html Perborough Castle – 14 acres (Compton, Berkshire)    Eleven on site views at: http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/4620/perborough_castle.html Ramsbury Corner – 8 acres (Cold Ash, Berkshire)    Bussock Camp – 11 acres (Winterbourne, Berkshire)    http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7721 “Caesar’s” Camp – 17 acres (Bracknell, Berkshire) (Despite its misleading name, this is an “iron age” hillfort)    http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/caesars_camp.html http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/leis-caesars-camp# Further 8 photos at: http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1263/caesars_camp_bracknell.h tml Borough Hill – 1 acre (Winterbourne, Berkshire)  This and other hillforts in ‘historic’ Berkshire are listed and described at: http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/hillforts.html HILLFORTS ALONG THE RIDGEWAY ON THE OXON-WILTS BORDER http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/research/research_projects/ridgeway Segsbury Camp – 27 acres (Wantage, Oxon) (Also known as ‘Letcombe Castle’)     http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/research/research_projects/ridgeway/segsbury http://www.pegasusarchive.org/ancientbritain/segsbury_camp.htm (15 extra photos) http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=6961 Uffington Castle – 9 acres (Woolstone, Oxon)     http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/research/research_projects/ridgeway/uffington http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/uffington_castle_hillfort.html http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=6964 Alfred’s Castle – 2 acres (Ashbury, Oxon) An Iron Age Hillfort on chalk sub-soil which was reused in Roman times to enclose a Roman villa.  http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/research/research_projects/ridgeway/alfreds Liddington Castle – 18 acres (Liddington,Wiltshire)     http://www.digitaldigging.co.uk/maps/wiltshire/hillforts/hillforts_ia_ wiltshire_liddington_castle_hillfort.html Further 15 photos at: http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3080/liddington_castle.html Barbury Castle – 25 acres (Ogbourne St Andrew, Wiltshire)     http://www.digitaldigging.co.uk/maps/wiltshire/hillforts/hillforts_ia_ wiltshire_barbury_castle_hillfort.html |
|---|---|
| Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:54 Gazbryn |
I'r chwith o'r lun Castell Allt-goch A castell goetre i'r chwith; ddwy gaer oes haearnTo the left is Allt-goch castle to the left of it is Goetre Castle; two iron age hill forts |
