Hengistbury Head

The headland of Hengistbury Head has seen human activity since the Paleolithic, when reindeer hunters camped overlooking what was river deltas and plain, and is now the Solent. Later, Mesolithic, mobile hunter gathers, seasonly passed through exploiting the local resources; they were followed by local Bronze Age communities who buried their dead in mounds on the head.  As the Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age, the double dyke defences were constructed and as the Iron Age progress the head became an important trading port. The head continued as important trading port throughout the Roman period. Little evidence remains of all these activities, other than the double dykes. Through the following centuries stone and iron loded stones were regularly quarried, leaving a deep scar across the headland.  During the Second World War the headland was taken over by the military; guns, radar and other defences turned the head into an important military installation, also extensive mines were deployed; clearance took some time and wasn't until the 1950's that most of the Second World War features were removed or destroyed, again leaving very little evidence. There are though the occasional signs of wartime activity, on the shoreline on the harbour side of the head are shattered remains of, what looks like, a defencive pillbox. On this piece above, one of the larger, you can easily make out one of the firing embrasures. Used for recreation now, it's impossible to know what the future holds for this well used headland.