Lescudjack Hill fort

Hill fort

A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...

is the name given to the unexcavated Iron Age

Iron Age

The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...

 settlement located in Penzance

Penzance

Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...

, Cornwall

Cornwall

Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...

. The name might originate from the Cornish

Cornish language

Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...

 words lan (enclosure) and scosek (shielded)- shielded enclosure or, more likely, "nans" (valley) and "cosek" (wooded). It is positioned on the summit of a steep hill in the east of Penzance and consists of a single rampart enclosing an area of 3 acres (12,140.6 m²). The site has been damaged and contains allotments and an open area of land which has recently been cleared of thick undergrowth.It is reported that a small lead-copper mine was situated "just outside" the ramparts, however all trace of this appears to have vanished.

In 2004 this land was purchased by Penwith District Council and Penzance Town Council for £45,000 following a series of campaigns in the local community including a campaign conducted by the then Lescudjack Infants School (now part of the Pensans Primary School). According to Penwith District Council's website, a full archaeological survey is being conducted by Cornwall County Council

Cornwall County Council

Cornwall Council is the unitary authority for Cornwall, in England, United Kingdom. The council, and its predecessor Cornwall County Council, has a tradition of large groups of independents, having been controlled by independents in the 1970s and 1980s...

's Historic Environment Servicehttp://www.penwith.gov.uk/index.cfm?Articleid=16733. The site is also subject to a management plan jointly agreed by Penzance Town Council and Penwith District Council.

The site traditionally was referred to as a castle and Castle Road which runs alongside the site was named after it. There are also several roads nearby named Lescudjack, two schools have used the name and the local Sure Start

Sure Start

Sure Start is a UK Government initiative applying in England, originating with HM Treasury, with the aim of "giving children the best possible start in life" through improvement of childcare, early education, health and family support, with an emphasis on outreach and community development...

 is called Lescudjack.http://www.lescudjack.org.uk/

The hill fort was formally handed over to public use on the 21st of December 2007 as part of the Montol Festival

Montol Festival

The Montol Festival is an annual heritage, arts and community festival in Penzance, Cornwall held between the 16th and 22nd of December each year. The festival is a revival or reinterpretation of many of the traditional Cornish midwinter customs & Christmas traditions formerly practiced in and...

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