What are Iron Age hill forts?
Hill forts were built on hilltops and surrounded by huge banks (mounds) of soil and ditches. They were protected by wooden walls which kept enemies out. They were home to many people, who would have lived in wooden houses with thatched roofs made out of straw. Strongholds such as hill forts were built for protection.
When were hill forts built?
The first hillforts were probably built shortly after 900 BC in the later Bronze Age but the main building phase did not begin until five or six generations later, between 800 and 700 BC.
What did Iron Age hill forts look like?
The forts were surrounded by walls and ditches and warriors defended their people from enemy attacks. Inside the hill forts, families lived in round houses. These were simple one-roomed homes with a pointed thatched roof and walls made from wattle and daub (a mixture of mud and twigs).
What did an Iron Age fort look like?
What would a hill fort have looked like?
Some hill forts were almost like small towns. They were full of wooden houses with thatched roofs made of straw. These hill forts gave the tribes an excellent view, allowing them to see enemies coming from miles away.
How many hill forts were there in the Iron Age?
Although some hill forts were built in the Bronze Age, the Iron Age saw a massive rise in hill fort construction. More than 3000 Iron Age hillfort-like structures have be located in Britain. Some of the largest hill forts had an areas of more than 30 acres within their defensive walls.
Where are the Iron Age hillforts in the Blackdown Hills?
At Castle Neroche, there are earthen ramparts where an impressive, Iron Age hillfort and a Norman castle once stood. Watch an introduction to iron age hillforts in the Blackdown Hills AONB. If playback doesn’t begin shortly, try restarting your device. Videos you watch may be added to the TV’s watch history and influence TV recommendations.
Where are the hillforts in Sussex?
Most of the hillforts in Sussex take advantage of the high ground of the South Downs ridge and are quite evenly distributed between East Sussex and West Sussex.
When did hill forts become common in Britain?
When southern-Britain became part of the Roman Empire, many hill forts seem to have been abandoned. However, in areas of Britain largely untouched by Roman rule – Wales, the West Country and Scotland – hill forts were used into the Early Medieval period.