Bigbury Camp, Iron Age contour fort in Harbledown and Rough Common, England
Bigbury Camp is an Iron Age hillfort in Harbledown and Rough Common, near Canterbury in England. It follows the natural contours of a hill and is surrounded by a deep ditch with an earthen bank behind it.
The site was built during the Iron Age as a defended settlement for the community living there. In 54 BC, Roman legions attacked and overran it, forcing the inhabitants to leave.
People lived and worked here during the Iron Age, leaving behind tools and pottery that show their daily lives. As you walk through the site, you can sense how farming and craft shaped this community.
The site is freely accessible and can be explored on foot along clear paths that cross the grounds. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, as the ground can get slippery after rain.
Excavations at the site uncovered a slave chain, pointing to connections with the slave trade across continental Europe. This find shows the settlement was part of wider networks that went far beyond its local surroundings.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
