Eggardon Hill [Eggardun] Hillfort : The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map:

<< Our Photo Pages >> Eggardon Hill - Hillfort in England in Dorset

Submitted by TimPrevett on Friday, 15 March 2024 Page Views: 32415

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Eggardon Hill Alternative Name: Eggardun
Country: England County: Dorset Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Bridport Nearest Village: Powerstock
Map Ref: SY54129472 Landranger Map Number: 194
Latitude: 50.750257N Longitude: 2.651709W
Condition:

5	Perfect
4	Almost Perfect
3	Reasonable but with some damage
2	Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1	Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0	No data.
-1	Completely destroyed

5 Ambience:

5	Superb
4	Good
3	Ordinary
2	Not Good
1	Awful
0	No data.

4 Access:

5	Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4	Short walk on a footpath
3	Requiring a bit more of a walk
2	A long walk
1	In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0	No data.

4 Accuracy:

5	co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4	co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3	co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2	co-ordinates of the nearest village
1	co-ordinates of the nearest town
0	no data

5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

ForestDaughter Andy B SumDoood would like to visit

ajd001 visited on 1st Jan 2016 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Views of around 60 miles to Start Point in south Devon.

RedKite1985 visited on 1st Jan 1998 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

TimPrevett have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 4

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One of the best hillforts in Dorset. Some complain that the problem with hillforts is that they are on hills! Eggardon Hill is minimum effort, maximum reward, and is best approached on the promontory from the east, having come along the line of the Roman Road.

It requires very little to appreciate it, and its position. As a comparison, it needs even less effort than the Dorset Maiden Castle or the Old Oswestry Hillfort in Shropshire - both of which are easy ascents.

Car parking is best on the much wider section of the road next to the north east corner of the fort, and then using the footpath a little way to the east that runs south-west - north-east.

The southern half of the fort is owned by the National Trust, and the northern half is private, but is bisected by a path running east-west.

There are two Bronze Age barrows within the Iron Age fort, as well as more modern remains. Field boundaries, and a huge octagonal feature run across the interior, but are well disguised by taller grass, thistles and nettles in summer. The octagonal feature has been described as an arboretum, or coppice, and was also used to give navigational assistance to sea farers.

Two original entrances to the fort are on the south east, and north west sides. These are not inturned like many hillforts, but cut through the ramparts at a steep diagonal angle to offer greater defence.

On the southern ramparts of the fort, there is evidence that the fort suffered a substantial landslide of the ramparts here during its Iron Age life. This is shown by disturbed ramparts being reworked into line with the other ramparts, and can be seen from the aerial photographs (links above).

One wonders how the eastern defences worked effectively, as it is by far the most vulnerable side, lacking the natural steepness the other sides have.

It is worth having a couple layers of clothes available when paying a visit; we went on a warm August day, and still there was a fresh breeze up there; one can only imagine how penetrating it must get at other times of the year. It is also possible for a thick fog to quickly appear here.

A very impressive location, with a near 360 degrees panorama, and is worth a visit for the views alone.
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