Hillforts to see

Ten hillforts, and what their keepers say

English Heritage, the National Trust, Historic Environment Scotland, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Hampshire County Council look after these sites.

England

Maiden Castle, Dorset

Maiden Castle in Dorset is one of Europe’s largest Iron Age hillforts, covering more than 50 football pitches. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle At its height Maiden Castle was the main Iron Age settlement in south Dorset, with over 100 roundhouses. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle

The first Maiden Castle was a single rampart and ditch enclosing the size of ten football pitches. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle About 2,400 years ago its defences were pushed west to enclose three times the area; the inner rampart became 2km long. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle

When it was first built, its gleaming white chalk ramparts would have towered over the landscape. English Heritage: Maiden Castle The hillfort was built over a Neolithic causewayed enclosure made about 5,500 years ago. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle

In the eastern gateway the Wheelers found a large Iron Age cemetery; 34 skeletons from the very end of the Iron Age had terrible injuries. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle

Around AD 370 a Romano-British temple was built inside the long-deserted hillfort. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle A bronze plaque of Minerva, found in 1882, suggests the temple was dedicated to her. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle

Thomas Hardy lived close by and visited the 1880s dig at the temple. English Heritage: History of Maiden Castle

Old Oswestry, Shropshire

Old Oswestry in Shropshire is one of the best-preserved hillforts in Britain, and stayed in use for almost 1,000 years. English Heritage: History of Old Oswestry Hillfort Old Oswestry covers 40 acres inside its ramparts. English Heritage: Old Oswestry Hillfort

Old Oswestry has five sets of ramparts, the outermost being the newest; in places they are over 6 metres high. English Heritage: Description of Old Oswestry Hillfort Excavations in 1939 showed its ramparts were built in four main phases, not all at once. English Heritage: History of Old Oswestry Hillfort

Large rectangular pits flank the western entrance; nobody knows what they were for. English Heritage: Description of Old Oswestry Hillfort

Pottery from the Wiltshire area and salt containers from Cheshire reached Old Oswestry: proof of long-distance trade. English Heritage: History of Old Oswestry Hillfort A pottery crucible in one hearth at Old Oswestry shows people were melting bronze there. English Heritage: History of Old Oswestry Hillfort

After it was abandoned, the hillfort was built into a 40-mile earthwork called Wat’s Dyke. English Heritage: History of Old Oswestry Hillfort In the First World War it was a training area; the poet Wilfred Owen finished his army training there. English Heritage: History of Old Oswestry Hillfort

Uffington Castle, Oxfordshire

Uffington Castle on Whitehorse Hill encloses about 220 by 160 metres inside a chalk bank about 12 metres wide. English Heritage: History of Uffington Castle, White Horse and Dragon Hill Its inner rampart was once lined with sarsen stones. English Heritage: History of Uffington Castle, White Horse and Dragon Hill

Uffington lies beside the Ridgeway, an ancient route from Dorset to the Wash. English Heritage: History of Uffington Castle, White Horse and Dragon Hill The White Horse beside it is 111 metres long and has been dated to between 1740 and 210 BC. English Heritage: History of Uffington Castle, White Horse and Dragon Hill

Local legend links the horse with St George and the Dragon, which is how nearby Dragon Hill got its name. English Heritage: History of Uffington Castle, White Horse and Dragon Hill

At Uffington, each large round hut probably housed an extended family. English Heritage: History of Uffington Castle, White Horse and Dragon Hill

Danebury, Hampshire

Danebury in Hampshire is one of the most studied Iron Age hillforts in Europe. Hampshire County Council: Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort Local Nature Reserve Danebury was built about 2,500 years ago and lived in for nearly 500 years. Hampshire County Council: Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort Local Nature Reserve

Barry Cunliffe led digs there from 1969 to 1988, uncovering 57% of the inside. Hampshire County Council: Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort Local Nature Reserve They found 73 roundhouses, 500 rectangular buildings and thousands of deep storage pits. Hampshire County Council: Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort Local Nature Reserve

Finds include more than 180,000 pieces of pottery and 240,000 bits of bone. Hampshire County Council: Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort Local Nature Reserve Finds from Danebury are on show at the Museum of the Iron Age in Andover. Hampshire Cultural Trust: Museum of the Iron Age

A community of 300 to 400 people lived at Danebury for more than 400 years. Hampshire County Council: Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort Local Nature Reserve

Cissbury Ring, Sussex

Cissbury Ring is the largest hillfort in Sussex; its ditch and ramparts enclose about 65 acres. National Trust: Cissbury Ring Cissbury’s hillfort was built around 400 BC and used for defence for around 300 years. National Trust: History of Cissbury Ring

Long before the hillfort, Neolithic people mined flint at Cissbury: there are around 270 pits, up to 12 metres deep. National Trust: History of Cissbury Ring

Coins struck between 1009 and 1023 suggest there was once a mint at Cissbury. National Trust: History of Cissbury Ring In Tudor times Cissbury was part of a chain of warning beacons; watchers could see 78 miles of coast. National Trust: History of Cissbury Ring

After 100 BC the inside of Cissbury was used for farming, with fields marked out by banks. National Trust: History of Cissbury Ring

Hambledon Hill, Dorset

Hambledon Hill in Dorset is one of the best-preserved Iron Age hillforts in Great Britain. National Trust: Hambledon Hill It rises steeply to 190 metres, with views into Wiltshire and Somerset. National Trust: Hambledon Hill

Its defences, with three ramparts, can still be seen, and you can spot the footprints of Iron Age roundhouses. National Trust: Exploring Hambledon Hill

28 kinds of butterfly have been recorded there, including the Adonis blue. National Trust: Hambledon Hill

Old Sarum, Wiltshire

An Iron Age hillfort may have been set up at Old Sarum about 400 BC. English Heritage: History of Old Sarum Old Sarum uniquely combines a medieval royal castle and cathedral inside an Iron Age fortification. English Heritage: History of Old Sarum

After the Norman Conquest a motte was thrown up in the middle of the hillfort. English Heritage: History of Old Sarum In 1226 the cathedral moved to nearby Salisbury. English Heritage: History of Old Sarum

Three Roman roads met outside the east gate of the hillfort, then called Sorviodunum. English Heritage: History of Old Sarum Old Sarum was a “rotten borough” that elected members of Parliament until 1832. English Heritage: History of Old Sarum

Blackbury Camp, Devon

Blackbury Camp in Devon is an oval about 200 by 100 metres, with a rampart now about 3 metres high. English Heritage: History of Blackbury Camp Its most remarkable feature is a triangular earthwork in front of the entrance; it may have been a holding area for cattle. English Heritage: History of Blackbury Camp

Digs in the 1950s at Blackbury found a hut, a cooking pit, an oven, pottery and a hoard of over 1,000 slingstones. English Heritage: History of Blackbury Camp

Blackbury is now hidden in woodland, a favourite place for picnics. English Heritage: History of Blackbury Camp

In Devon and Cornwall most Iron Age hillforts sit on hill slopes or ridge ends overlooking springs or valleys, probably for farming rather than defence. English Heritage: History of Blackbury Camp

Scotland

The Brown and White Caterthuns, Angus

The Brown and White Caterthuns in Angus are two large hillforts about 1 kilometre apart on neighbouring hills. Historic Environment Scotland: Brown and White Caterthuns They could be seen as one site with two summits. Historic Environment Scotland: Brown and White Caterthuns

Radiocarbon dates show the Brown Caterthun was built between 700 BC and 200 BC. Historic Environment Scotland: Brown and White Caterthuns, history and stories Its ramparts were burned, rebuilt and remodelled in several phases. Historic Environment Scotland: Brown and White Caterthuns, history and stories

The White Caterthun’s great stone fort would have stood several metres high. Historic Environment Scotland: Brown and White Caterthuns, history and stories Inside it are roundhouse remains and a deep rock-cut cistern. Historic Environment Scotland: Brown and White Caterthuns, history and stories

Historic Environment Scotland says we do not know exactly what the Caterthuns were used for. Historic Environment Scotland: Brown and White Caterthuns, history and stories

Wales

Castell Henllys, Pembrokeshire

Castell Henllys in Pembrokeshire is the only Iron Age village in Britain with roundhouses rebuilt on the very spot they stood 2,000 years ago. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park: About Castell Henllys Its costumed guides play members of the Demetae tribe, who lived in that corner of Wales. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park: About Castell Henllys

Castell Henllys is one of the most extensively excavated Iron Age sites in the UK. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park: About Castell Henllys

From the Atlas: the highest and the biggest

The highest example is in County Kerry, followed by sites such as Ingleborough, South Barrule on the Isle of Man and Ben Griam Beg in Sutherland. University of Edinburgh: Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland site launched

Two of the very biggest sites are in County Wicklow; others are on Ham Hill in Somerset and at Hengistbury Head in Dorset. University of Edinburgh: Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland site launched

Some of these sites give dates as “years ago” and some in years BC. More on when sources disagree.

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