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<< Our Photo Pages >> Bagendon - Hillfort in England in Gloucestershire

Submitted by 4clydesdale7 on Saturday, 24 September 2011  Page Views: 20074

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Bagendon
Country: England County: Gloucestershire Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Cirencester  Nearest Village: North Cerney
Map Ref: SP018064  Landranger Map Number: 163
Latitude: 51.756286N  Longitude: 1.975324W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
no data Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
2 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

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4clydesdale7 visited on 23rd Sep 2011 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 4 This was a mammoth task but great fun - need more time to the E of River Churn to look for Bagendon 2 (if it exists)

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon D (Vote or comment on this photo)
Over the last 100 years the focus of archaeology in England has shifted away from the Romans towards more localised topics - and such is very much the case more recently in Gloucestershire - instead of the Romans in Gloucester, Cirencester and Kingscote, we now hear much more about our forbears who tried to resist the Romans. Around here this means the Dobunni, one of the Celtic tribes.

From their original territory of South Gloucestershire and North Wiltshire they expanded into North Gloucestershire, the Forest of Dean, parts of Herefordshire and Worcestershire and then South Warwickshire - now rather than being regarded as a hillfort Bagendon is now thought to be their major settlement. They built many Hillforts around their expanded territory e.g those over the Avon Gorge at Clifton, probably Old Sodbury (before the Romans modernised it) Abbey Camp, Bury Hill, Crickley Hill, Dyrham Camp, Nottingham Hill and so on - there are over 110 mentioned in G.B.Witts 1883 list.

One factor that has stood out for more than 150yrs is that the architecture of the Bagendon site could not be described remotely as 'defensive' - and so even though there has been very little investigation by way of excavation, Bagendon has now become an ancient settlement - the Capital of the Dobunni.

The Bagendon site consists, in the main, of a considerable number of earthworks which may now be conveniently divided into separate groups indeed even Pastscape have adopted this method - the groups are:-

(a) Bagendon Dyke A - SP01810688 which essentially follows the line of Cutham Lane N-S and is a bank with ditch to the E
(b) Bagendon Dyke B - SP01990664 which lies about 80m to the NE and then E of northern part of Dyke A
(c) Bagendon Dyke C - SP01930641 which lies about 25m to the E of the southern part of Dyke A
(d) Bagendon Dyke D - SP01640611 which lies 200m to the SW of the southern end of Dyke A and runs almost at at a right angle to it in an ENE-WSW direction over a NNW facing scarp
(e) Bagendon Dyke E - SP01580599 which lies 100m to the W of Dyke D and runs in the same ENE-WSW direction
(f) Bagendon Dyke H - SP00240671 which lies 750m further to the W running in a N-S direction in a wood on the W side of Bagendon village
(g) Bagendon Dyke I - SP01020772 which lies 50m to the W of Scrubditch Farm and runs in a E-W direction some 500m N of Dyke A
(h) Bagendon Dyke J - SP01780721 which lies 100m outside Dyke B running first N-S and then (at its northern end) SE-NW
(i) Bagendon Dyke X - SP99900639 which lies 250m to the SW of Dyke H and runs in a N-S direction over the W end of a modern quarry
(j) Perrotts Brook Dykes - SP010060 which lie 100m to the S of Dykes D & E and from their eastern end run in a W direction and then uphill to the NW

These Dykes (if extended ) would enclose an area of two square miles (somewhat large for a Hillfort) with 7 springs and command over a major crossroads of the day for two Ancient Trackways 'The White Way' N/S (for salt) and 'The Welsh Way' E/W (an excellent position for trade) - there are some authorities (G.F.Playne - Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club Transactions Vol 6 p212 and G.B. Witts in his Archeological Handbook of the County of Gloucester 1883) who venture the opinion that there are similar earthworks about 1km to the E across the River Churn but there does not seem to be evidence (on the ground or on old maps) to support this.
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Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon A (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by camperman : Bank and ditch parallel to the road named Welsh Way. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by camperman : Bank and ditch running parallel to Cutham Lane. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by camperman : An aerial view of Bagendon Oppida looking north. The highlighted lines are the location of earthworks, existing banks and ditches and others which have been ploughed out and are visible as crop marks from above. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon E (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Perrotts Brook Dyke - W end

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon X

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon J

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon I - Scrubditch

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon C

Bagendon
Bagendon submitted by 4clydesdale7 : Bagendon B

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"Bagendon" | Login/Create an Account | 7 News and Comments
  
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Re: Bagendon by Anonymous on Sunday, 28 May 2017
I have heard that there was a lady who led an excavation at Bagendon, and discovered the remains of a wood Henge.
But I can't recall her name or the year
[ Reply to This ]

Iron Age excavations at Bagendon by Andy B on Friday, 19 July 2013
(User Info | Send a Message)
We missed this one but "Durham University have been excavating a banjo style enclosure within the Late Iron Age Bagendon 'oppidium' complex since 2012 and the current excavation hopes to provide further evidence on the chronology of the enclosure. This work is part sponsored by the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society"

http://www.archaeologyfestival.org.uk/events/212
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Bagendon by 4clydesdale7 on Saturday, 24 September 2011
(User Info | Send a Message)
Over the last 100 years the focus of archaeology in England has shifted away from the Romans towards more localised topics - and such is very much the case more recently in Gloucestershire - instead of the Romans in Gloucester Cirencester and Kingscote, we now hear much more about our forbears who tried to resist the Romans - in Gloucestershire - this shews itself in the burgeoning interest in the Dobunni, one of the Celtic tribes - from their original territory of South Gloucestershire and North Wiltshire they expanded into North Gloucestershire, the Forest of Dean, parts of Herefordshire and Worcestershire and then South Warwickshire - now rather than being regarded as a hillfort Bagendon is now thought to be their major settlement - they built many Hillforts around their expanded territory e.g those over the Avon Gorge at Clifton, probably Old Sodbury (before the Romans modernised it) Abbey Camp, Bury Hill, Crickley Hill, Dyrham Camp, Nottingham Hill and so on - there are over 110 mentioned in G.B.Witts 1883 list -

One factor that has stood out for more than 150yrs is that the architecture of the Bagendon site could not be described remotely as 'defensive' - and so even though there has been very little investigation by way of excavation, Bagendon has now become an ancient settlement - the Capital of the Dobunni -

The Bagendon site consists, in the main, of a considerable number of earthworks which may now be conveniently divided into separate groups indeed even pastscape have adopted this method - the groups are:-

(a) Bagendon Dyke A - SP01810688 which essentially follows the line of Cutham Lane N-S and is a bank with ditch to the E
(b) Bagendon Dyke B - SP01990664 which lies about 80m to the NE and then E of northern part of Dyke A
(c) Bagendon Dyke C - SP01930641 which lies about 25m to the E of the southern part of Dyke A
(d) Bagendon Dyke D - SP01640611 which lies 200m to the SW of the southern end of Dyke A and runs almost at at a right angle to it in an ENE-WSW direction over a NNW facing scarp
(e) Bagendon Dyke E - SP01580599 which lies 100m to the W of Dyke D and runs in the same ENE-WSW direction
(f) Bagendon Dyke H - SP00240671 which lies 750m further to the W running in a N-S direction in a wood on the W side of Bagendon village
(g) Bagendon Dyke I - SP01020772 which lies 50m to the W of Scrubditch Farm and runs in a E-W direction some 500m N of Dyke A
(h) Bagendon Dyke J - SP01780721 which lies 100m outside Dyke B running first N-S and then (at its northern end) SE-NW
(i) Bagendon Dyke X - SP99900639 which lies 250m to the SW of Dyke H and runs in a N-S direction over the W end of a modern quarry
(j) Perrotts Brook Dykes - SP010060 which lie 100m to the S of Dykes D & E and from their eastern end run in a W direction and then uphill to the NW

These Dykes (if extended ) would enclose an area of two square miles (somewhat large for a Hillfort) with 7 springs and command over a major crossroads of the day for two Ancient Trackways 'The White Way' N/S (for salt) and 'The Welsh Way' E/W (an excellent position for trade) - there are some authorities (G.F.Playne - Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club Transactions Vol 6 p212 and G.B. Witts in his Archeological Handbook of the County of Gloucester 1883) who venture the opinion that there are similar earthworks about 1km to the E across the River Churn but there does not seem to be evidence (on the ground or on old maps) to support this
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Bagendon by Arjessa on Tuesday, 27 September 2011
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    You only mention the sites pertaining to the NORTHERN DOBUNNI, and fail to list sites of the SOUTHERN DOBUNNI, those of Dolebury Hillfort, Worlebury Hillfort and the Mendip area, including the Silver Mine.

    The tribe was split in two during the Roman Invasion when those in the North gave in to Roman rule, while their Southern Cousins fought on bravely, resulting in the complete destruction of Worlebury Hillfort by the Second Legion.

    Further, the Dobunni weren't Celts, they were Beaker People. it would be more correct to say "British Tribes", not Celtic.
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: Bagendon by 4clydesdale7 on Sunday, 02 October 2011
      (User Info | Send a Message)
      I most certainly welcome a discussion about the Dobunni - I fear however that I must disagree with you on several points -

      Every authority I have read states that the Dobunni were a Celtic Tribe probably formed by disenchanted members of the Atrebates and the Catuvellauni in a loose alliance during the 1st Century B.C. - the two factions did not formally amalgamate until one leader was accepted by all - that leader being Anted.

      He was able to bring together two separate tribes formed as a result of earlier disagreements between their respective overlords Bodvoc and Corio. Bodvoc ruled over the former Northern Dobunni and Corio over the Southern Dobunni (who occupied the Gloucester area). Anted brought the two sides together and they remained together under his successor (and probably his son) Eisu (AD 30).

      Trouble first arrived from the Atrebates (whose coinage was rejected by the Dobunni)- it was also the Atrebates who originally pursued a pro-Roman policy not the Dobunni - the alliance between Northern and Southern Dobunni fractured again their two factions preferring 'the old arrangement'.

      The Northern Dobunni fell under the influence of the extraordinarily powerful Catuvellauni who were following their renowned 'subjugation of neighbours' policy - the Catuvellauni were then defeated by the Romans in AD43 although a faction of the Catuvellauni/Northern Dobunni fought on under the 'famous' Caractacus.

      I accept that the Romans founded Glevum first (as stated earlier that area was Southern Dobunni territory) but the main object of their attention in the South West then became the Cornovii rather than the Southern Dubonni. It was the Roman 12th Legion (some still say the 2nd Legion) that overcame Celtic Tribal resistance.

      [ Reply to This ]

Re: Bagendon by mishkin on Friday, 09 March 2007
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Taken from; A Guide to Prehistoric Britain - Nicholas Thomas. 1960

Recent excavations (think 1956) has established that the area protected by the Bagendon earthworks (200 acres) was the tribal capital of the Dobunni, after they had come under the control of the powerful Belgic Catuvellauni from Essex and Herts about 15 AD.. A mint was established at Bagendon.
The area was well provided with water and the natural protection of forests and surrounding hill-slopes. Along the northside the bank of Scrubditch (SP010077) still stands nearly 10 foot high, its ditch faces south, also a bank and ditch along the east side., traces of other banks along this side but levelled by cultivation. Banks were also traceable (1960s) to the south side following the road called the Welsh Way, though the ditch is silted up the bank is still clear and is/was a field boundary.
The Romans established Cirencester as a main town/fort, so presumably Bagendon was deserted after the occupation.

[ Reply to This ]

Re: Bagendon by Anonymous on Saturday, 28 December 2002
There once was probably a long barrow in Bagendon inthe field called Whirlestone field. A victorian history of the village says that it was probably destoyed in 1792 with enclosure when extensive walling took place. "Similar narrow thingstones, very well matched and evenly bedded" were used in the wall - like the ones at Belas Knapp barrow. Wihtin quarter of a mile were ten massive slabs serving as styles, possibly the slabs from the barrow.
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