Here’s the glorious multivallate Iron Age hillfort (and Roman fort) atop #HodHill #Dorset @nationaltrust looking east in this aerial photo from 2016 © Jo and Sue Crane

A thread to celebrate #HillfortsWednesday

Double ramparts define the 22ha hillfort of Hod Hill #Dorset except on the W with a single bank. Quarry pits form a line behind the ramparts. A Roman fort occupies the NW

Digital terrain model planlauf/TERRAIN from @HenryRothwell http://www.digitaldigging.net/hod-hill-dorset/
#HillfortsWednesday

The 2.6ha Roman fort at Hod Hill dates to c AD 44-52. It reused the N and W ramparts of the hillfort and was defended on its S and E sides by a rampart and 3 ditches

Excavations in 1951-8 revealed much of the internal structure

#HillfortsWednesday

It was thought the Roman army built a fort on Hod Hill after laying siege to the Iron Age hillfort (as shown in this excellent reconstruction painting © Nick Skelton @nationaltrust)

Now it seems the hillfort was abandoned a good century before the Romans

#HillfortsWednesday

Excavations at Hod Hill found iron projectiles from a Roman ballista. Ian Richmond thought these had been fired into the hillfort during a siege. It seems more likely they were fired from the Roman fort during catapult practice

Ballistae © Mariusz Kozik

#HillfortsWednesday

Most discussion of Hod Hill #Dorset @nationaltrust centres on the death of the Iron Age hillfort. We wanted to focus on its life, therefore conducted a geophysical survey of the interior

Here it is

© Dave Stewart and Bournemouth University #HillfortsWednesday #LoveGeofiz

The most striking features on our geofiz of Hod Hill are the 10-15m diameter Iron Age roundhouses which are so densely packed that they often overlap

Some are set within enclosures. All cluster alongside a road system that branches out from the NE gate

#HillfortsWednesday

The so-called chieftain’s hut at Hod Hill #Dorset which was thought had been the target of a Roman artillery attack, was not the largest enclosed house built inside the hillfort as the geophysical survey shows

Sometimes we spend hours looking at this plot

#HillfortsWednesday

Tantalising close ups of our geophysical survey inside Hod Hill

An Iron Age roundhouse with gulley, internal post ring, storage pits, hearth and SE facing entrance

A section of road bordered by rows of 4 post structures - (possibly granaries)

#HillfortsWednesday #LoveGeofiz

Hod Hill #Dorset for #HillfortsWednesday:

The view to the North of the Iron Age ramparts to the Iwerne Valley and the view NW to the River Stour

Proper lovely

More of Hod Hill #Dorset for #HillfortsWednesday :

the northern bivallate ramparts of the hillfort looking East;

the Eastern circuit of the Roman fort where it intersects with the Iron Age earthworks;

the Southern inner scarp with quarry pits

Gates that pierce the circuit of Iron Age ramparts on Hod Hill in #Dorset:

the Steepleton Gate (Iron Age) in the NE;

the Water Gate (Roman) in the NW;

the Home Gate (medieval) in the SE

Happy #HillfortsWednesday everyone !