Blackbury Camp, Iron Age hillfort in Southleigh, England
Blackbury Camp is an Iron Age hillfort with an oval layout surrounded by earthen ramparts. The site displays multiple defensive layers with a distinctive entrance complex designed to control access to the settlement.
This settlement was built between 300 and 100 BC and served as a center for local Iron Age communities. The fortified site was eventually abandoned, but its earthwork defenses have survived for over 2000 years.
Archaeological excavations in 1954 uncovered multiple artifacts including pottery, iron slag, slingstones, whetstones, spindle whorls, and bronze fragments.
The site is freely accessible and can be visited during daylight hours, with the nearby village of Beer providing amenities. The paths across the earthworks require sturdy footwear, especially after rain when the ground becomes muddy.
The entrance features a triangular earthwork called a barbican that reinforced the defensive gateway. Excavations during the 1950s uncovered post holes showing that wooden gates once stood at the entrance, revealing the sophistication of its entry control.
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