Oldbury hillfort
Encyclopedia
Oldbury hillfort is a large Iron Age
hill fort
near the village of Ightham
, Kent
, England
.
It covers the top of a hill that would have provided commanding views over one of the main routes in and out of the Weald
and covers an area of 50 ha. A natural spring
within the fort would have provided water to the occupants making it a very attractive spot. The eastern side of the hill is very steep and so earthwork defences were constructed only on the other sides.
Excavations in 1938 and 1983–4 concluded that there was little evidence of permanent occupation and that the hill fort had been built hurriedly and abandoned by 50 BC. Piles of slingstones and evidence of burning were taken to indicate that the fort may have been violently conquered, perhaps by Julius Caesar
during his Roman invasion of Britain.
The site is owned by the National Trust
and open to the public. The Middle Palaeolithic Oldbury rock shelters
are located on the eastern slopes of the hill.
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...
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...
near the village of Ightham
Ightham
Ightham is a village in Kent, England, located approximately four miles east of Sevenoaks and six miles north of Tonbridge. The parish includes the hamlet of Ivy Hatch....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It covers the top of a hill that would have provided commanding views over one of the main routes in and out of the Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
and covers an area of 50 ha. A natural spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
within the fort would have provided water to the occupants making it a very attractive spot. The eastern side of the hill is very steep and so earthwork defences were constructed only on the other sides.
Excavations in 1938 and 1983–4 concluded that there was little evidence of permanent occupation and that the hill fort had been built hurriedly and abandoned by 50 BC. Piles of slingstones and evidence of burning were taken to indicate that the fort may have been violently conquered, perhaps by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
during his Roman invasion of Britain.
The site is owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and open to the public. The Middle Palaeolithic Oldbury rock shelters
Oldbury rock shelters
Oldbury rock shelters are a complex of Middle Palaeolithic sites situated on the slopes of Oldbury hillfort near Ightham in the English county of Kent....
are located on the eastern slopes of the hill.