Vespasian's Camp, Iron Age hillfort in Amesbury, England
Vespasian's Camp is an Iron Age fortification near Amesbury featuring defensive banks up to 6 meters high and ditches about 10 meters wide. The site extends roughly 730 meters from north to south across the landscape.
The name Vespasian's Camp comes from 16th century historian William Camden, though no evidence connects the Roman general to this location. The fort itself was built during the Iron Age, centuries before the Roman period.
The site is part of the Stonehenge World Heritage complex and links Iron Age military architecture with earlier Neolithic ritual landscapes used for gatherings.
The site sits less than 3 kilometers from Stonehenge between the River Avon and the A303 road at the edge of Amesbury. Access is straightforward from the road, though sturdy footwear is recommended due to uneven ground and banks.
Nearby Blick Mead reveals Mesolithic settlements with evidence of large-scale feasting and tool making. These discoveries suggest the region served as an important gathering place for people thousands of years before this Iron Age fort was built.
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