Everything about Hod Hill totally explained
Hod Hill (or
Hodd Hill) is a large
hill fort in the
Blackmore Vale, 3
miles north-west of
Blandford Forum,
Dorset,
England.
The fort sits on a
chalk hill that's detached from the
Dorset Downs and
Cranborne Chase.
The
hill fort at
Hambledon Hill is just to the north.
The fort is roughly rectangular (by ), with an enclosed area of . There is a steep natural slope down to the
River Stour to the west, the other sides have an artificial
rampart, ditch and
counterscarp (outer bank), with an additional rampart on the north side. The main entrance is at the south-east corner, with other openings at the south-west and north-east corners.
The hill was fortified by the
Celtic
Durotriges in the
Iron Age.
Radiocarbon analysis suggests a date of 500 BC for the main rampart. There is extensive evidence of settlement within the fort, including platforms for
roundhouse huts.
The hill was captured in
AD 43 by the
Roman Second Legion (Augusta), led by
Vespasian, who had already captured
Maiden Castle and other hill forts to the south. Eleven iron
ballista bolts have been found on the hill, but there are no other signs of a struggle, suggesting the Durotriges surrendered to the superior Roman army.
The Romans built a
camp in the north-west corner of the original fort, occupied by a mixed force of 720 legionaries and auxiliaries. The fort was used as a base for about 5 or 6 years, but passed out of use by about
AD 50, when troops were withdrawn for the campaigns against
Caractacus in
Wales, and the remaining men were moved to a new fort further west at
Waddon Hill.
The site was excavated in the 1950s by Ian Richmond and his final report was published in 1969.
Today the hill is an important
calcareous grassland habitat.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Hod Hill'.
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