Iron Age Hillfort, Eggardon Hill

Summary

This hillfort dates from the early Iron Age.

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Description

Iron Age hillfort consisting of three concentric sets of ramparts and ditches enclosing an area of 8 hectares. The fourth largest hillfort in Dorset occupying a level chalk spur with land falling steeply to north-east and south-west. Excellent views to the west across the Marshwood Vale and to the coast. The two entrances through the defences take advantage of the level approach to the site from the north-west and south-east. The parish boundary bank between Askerwell and Powerstock is followed by a stock fence that passes through the entrances and divides the hillfort inhibiting access and interpretation.

There are two Bronze Age round barrows within the hillfort. One has been levelled by ploughing in the north half of the hillfort the southern barrow remains as an earthwork but has been disturbed by excavation twice. An unrecorded antiquarian excavation and in 1965 by George Rybot who also carried out sample excavations of pits and boundary banks that can be seen as earthworks in the southern part of the hillfort. These have been dated to about 500 BC.

An octagonal banked enclosure that overlies the banks and pits is thought to have been constructed around a clump of trees planted by Isaace Gulliver in 1776. He owned Eggardon Farm and was a smuggler, the plantation is thought to have served as a land mark for boats used for contraband.

Eggardon like Badbury gave its name to a Saxon district meeting place or 'hundred'.

The National Trust owns only the southern half of this hillfort.

Very fine downland over the banks and ditches and the interior. There is some slight erosion along the scarp of the inner rampart, quite probably caused by cattle poaching. Otherwise in very good condition.
Archaeological Comments - Site:110521*0 Fragmentary pottery finds from about 50 yards to the north-west of the ramparts include sherds of coarse sandy ware which need not be pre-Roman, there are two hand-made rims from jars with thickened lips, one neckless, the other with short upright neck. These would seem to be of Iron Age 'A' character, notably the necked jar which has oblique finger-nail imprints on the rim giving the impression of a corded pattern.
Many 'Chesil Beach' sling stones, and part of a rotary quern, have been observed at the western approach to the hill-fort, as a result of ploughing.

In 2013, David Stewart carried out a geophysical survey across the whole hillfort. The magnetometry survey revealed numerous round houses with pits within them and the octagonal enclosure overlying also linears both crossing and being crossed by round houses.

Land Use and Historical Ownership of NT property at Eggardon Hill and adjacent area [SNA62551].

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