Prehistoric Dorset (Iron Age)

There was just one Iron Age stop today on our prehistoric odyssey, that of Eggardon Hill, but what a stop. If there's one prehistoric monument Dorset excels at it's Hillforts. Well, Dorset also excels at Barrows, but in this period, the Iron Age, it's Hillforts. Dorset has some of the finest and best preserved Hillforts in the country, an none more so than Eggardon Hill. I'd chosen Eggardon as I knew my friend had not been before, and I love seeing peoples expressions upon visiting some of these sites for the first time. I wasn't disappointed. Set high above the glorious landscape of West Dorset, overlooking the coast and Blackmore Vale and with 360 degree views, you really get a sense of how imposing hillforts must have been and the powerful statement they must have made. A truly stunning site and setting. Eggardon lies within the territory of the Durotriges, an powerful Iron Age tribe who occupied a large number of forts, minted their own coinage  and would have been big players in the region. Eventually, like most of the Iron Age/Celtic tribes who weren't already clients of the Roman Empire, the coming of Vespasian and the Legions did for them ( coincidentally, a Roman road passes nearby). Eggardon Hill has never been excavated, so much about it remains a mystery, a time capsule. What is clear to see though is the defencive strength of the site, positioned towards the end of a high spur it's imposing ramparts and ditches are augmented by naturally steep hillsides on all but one side of its trapezoid -ish shape, the only perceptable weak point being the eastern entrance approached long the flat ridge, although it's the shortest section of rampart and ditch and I should imagine would have been the focus of defence in times of attack. Sections of the southern ramparts appeared confused, a quite common and intentional feature of hillforts designed to disorientate attackers, although looking at aerial views of the site it's clearly evidence of later quarrying. From Eggardons ramparts you can see several other local hillforts, including Dorsets' highest, Pilsden Pen to the west (the flat topped hill in the distance of the bottom photo). I'd not visited the site for years and on arrival was blown away by the views as if a new, all Dorsets' hillforts are worth a visit, but some are really worth a visit, not just for their archaeological nature but for the stunning setting and views, Eggardon is one of those. Lovely.