What is the name of the huge pre-Roman hill fort near Dorchester?
"Durnovaria Durnovaria is the Latin form of the Brythonic name for the Roman town of Dorchester in the modern English county of Dorset. The first element in the name ""*durno-"" may mean ""fist"" (Welsh ""dwrn"" ‘fist, knob’) the second may be related to Old Irish ""fáir ~ fóir"" denoting a confined area or den. Another and more consistently Brythonic derivation might be from ""Fawr"" Welsh meaning 'great' (c.f Vortigern) hence 'great fist'. The pre-Roman population centre in the area appears to have been at the hill fort of Maiden Castle, south-west of the town centre. The inhabitants appear to have"
"the fort quickly with little struggle before moving on to Maiden Castle. There is no evidence that the Romans settled at Abbotsbury Castle as they did at some other hill forts. Abbotsbury Castle Abbotsbury Castle is an Iron Age hill fort in south west Dorset, England, situated on Wears Hill above the village of Abbotsbury, seven miles west of Dorchester and the famous hill fort at Maiden Castle. It is situated on a high chalk hill overlooking the English Channel, and in its day was the front line of defence from invasion. The earthworks cover an area of about ,"
"the parish there was a Neolithic sacred site, now largely destroyed by gravel pits. On one of the Sinodun Hills on the opposite side of the Thames, a ramparted settlement was inhabited during the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Two of the Sinodun Hills bear distinctive landmarks of mature trees called Wittenham Clumps. Adjacent to the village is Dyke Hills which is the remains of an Iron Age hill fort. Dorchester's position close to the navigable Thames and bounded on three sides by water made it strategic for both communications and defence. The Romans built a ""vicus"" here, with a"
"Poundbury Hill Poundbury Hill hill fort () is the site of a Middle Bronze Age enclosure. It is roughly rectangular and it is likely that it was designed to command views over the River Frome and the Frome valley to the north. The main entrance to the fort is on the eastern end. It overlooks the county town of Dorchester, Dorset, England. It was first excavated in 1938. Details of the fort's serial development were discovered. In the 4th century BC, the banks were faced with timber and a deep V-shaped ditch was dug. The banks were enlarged and strengthened"
"day, the Isle of Wight is visible from the top. Badbury Rings Badbury Rings is an Iron Age hill fort in east Dorset, England. It was in the territory of the Durotriges. In the Roman era a temple was located immediately west of the fort, and there was a Romano-British town known as ""Vindocladia"" a short distance to the south-west. Badbury Rings sits above sea level. There are two main phases of construction; the first covered and was defended by multiple ditches, while the second was more than twice the size, covering and defended by a single ditch and rampart."
"Dorchester, Dorset Dorchester ( ) is the county town of Dorset, England. It is situated between Poole and Bridport on the A35 trunk route. A historic market town, Dorchester is on the banks of the River Frome to the south of the Dorset Downs and north of the South Dorset Ridgeway that separates the area from Weymouth, to the south. The area around the town was first settled in prehistoric times. The Romans established a garrison there after defeating the Durotriges tribe, calling the settlement that grew up nearby Durnovaria; they built an aqueduct to supply water and an amphitheatre"
"Abbotsbury Castle Abbotsbury Castle is an Iron Age hill fort in south west Dorset, England, situated on Wears Hill above the village of Abbotsbury, seven miles west of Dorchester and the famous hill fort at Maiden Castle. It is situated on a high chalk hill overlooking the English Channel, and in its day was the front line of defence from invasion. The earthworks cover an area of about , of which about are inside the ramparts. The fort was occupied by the Celtic Durotriges tribe, but when the Romans invaded in AD 43, the second Augustian legion of Vespasian took"
"piece for piano four hands. Maiden Castle, Dorset Maiden Castle is an Iron Age hill fort south west of Dorchester, in the English county of Dorset. Hill forts were fortified hill-top settlements constructed across Britain during the Iron Age. The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the site consists of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure and bank barrow. In about 1800 BC, during the Bronze Age, the site was used for growing crops before being abandoned. Maiden Castle itself was built in about 600 BC; the early phase was a simple and unremarkable site, similar to many other hill forts"
"to the east. Lyscombe Hill Lyscombe Hill (262 metres, 860 feet high) is a hill near Melcombe Bingham about 14 kilometres north-northeast of Dorchester in the county of Dorset, England. It is part of the Dorset Downs and is listed as a so-called HuMP. There is evidence of ancient settlement in the area, including tumuli, dykes and an Iron Age hillfort, known as Nettlecombe Tout (258 m), near the summit at ST737737, and at the end of the hill spur of the same name. Nearby on the summit ridge of the Dorset Downs are Ball Hill to the west and"
"Maiden Castle, Dorset Maiden Castle is an Iron Age hill fort south west of Dorchester, in the English county of Dorset. Hill forts were fortified hill-top settlements constructed across Britain during the Iron Age. The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the site consists of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure and bank barrow. In about 1800 BC, during the Bronze Age, the site was used for growing crops before being abandoned. Maiden Castle itself was built in about 600 BC; the early phase was a simple and unremarkable site, similar to many other hill forts in Britain and covering ."
"Dorchester Castle Dorchester Castle was a motte and bailey castle in the market town of Dorchester, Dorset, southern England (). The date that the castle was built is unclear. Between 1154 and 1175 it was in possession of the Earl of Cornwall and it had become a royal possession by 1185. Both Henry III and John spent money on the castle. It appears to have been disused from about 1290 and there are references to its stonework being reused by the Chidlock family to build Dorchester Greyfriars in 1309. Certainly it was abandoned by 1422. Dorchester Prison occupies its site"
"Dogbury Hill At , Dogbury Hill is one of the highest hills in the county of Dorset, England. It is the site of a prehistoric hill fort. Dogmore Hill rises just a few hundred yards north of the village of Minterne Magna in the Blackmore Vale and east of the A352 about 14 kilometres from Dorchester. Its summit area is covered by the Dogmore Plantation and a lane runs over the hill and along the ridge to the southeast, passing close to the summit. There is a bridleway running roughly east to west across its northern flank and along the"
"Maumbury Rings Maumbury Rings is a Neolithic henge in the south of Dorchester town in Dorset, England (). It is a large circular earthwork, 85 metres in diameter, with a single bank and an entrance to the north east. It was modified during the Roman period when it was adapted for use as an amphitheatre, and the site was remodelled again during the English Civil War when it was used as an artillery fort guarding the southern approach to Dorchester. The monument is now a public open space, and used for open-air concerts, festivals and re-enactments. Maumbury Rings is a"
"Hambledon Hill Hambledon Hill is a prehistoric hill fort in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale five miles northwest of Blandford Forum. The hill itself is a chalk outcrop, on the southwestern corner of Cranborne Chase, separated from the Dorset Downs by the River Stour. It is owned by the National Trust. Its earliest occupation was in the Neolithic when a pair of causewayed enclosures were dug at the top of the hill, one smaller than the other. They were linked by a bank and ditch running northwest–southeast. Two long barrows, one in length, also stood within the complex"
"Lyscombe Hill Lyscombe Hill (262 metres, 860 feet high) is a hill near Melcombe Bingham about 14 kilometres north-northeast of Dorchester in the county of Dorset, England. It is part of the Dorset Downs and is listed as a so-called HuMP. There is evidence of ancient settlement in the area, including tumuli, dykes and an Iron Age hillfort, known as Nettlecombe Tout (258 m), near the summit at ST737737, and at the end of the hill spur of the same name. Nearby on the summit ridge of the Dorset Downs are Ball Hill to the west and the Dorsetshire Gap"
"Badbury Rings Badbury Rings is an Iron Age hill fort in east Dorset, England. It was in the territory of the Durotriges. In the Roman era a temple was located immediately west of the fort, and there was a Romano-British town known as ""Vindocladia"" a short distance to the south-west. Badbury Rings sits above sea level. There are two main phases of construction; the first covered and was defended by multiple ditches, while the second was more than twice the size, covering and defended by a single ditch and rampart. Bronze Age round barrows in the vicinity demonstrate an earlier"
"as is the adjacent Neolithic causewayed camp. Hambledon Hill Hambledon Hill is a prehistoric hill fort in Dorset, England, situated in the Blackmore Vale five miles northwest of Blandford Forum. The hill itself is a chalk outcrop, on the southwestern corner of Cranborne Chase, separated from the Dorset Downs by the River Stour. It is owned by the National Trust. Its earliest occupation was in the Neolithic when a pair of causewayed enclosures were dug at the top of the hill, one smaller than the other. They were linked by a bank and ditch running northwest–southeast. Two long barrows, one"
"associated with the castle: Dorchester Castle Dorchester Castle was a motte and bailey castle in the market town of Dorchester, Dorset, southern England (). The date that the castle was built is unclear. Between 1154 and 1175 it was in possession of the Earl of Cornwall and it had become a royal possession by 1185. Both Henry III and John spent money on the castle. It appears to have been disused from about 1290 and there are references to its stonework being reused by the Chidlock family to build Dorchester Greyfriars in 1309. Certainly it was abandoned by 1422. Dorchester"
"have been the largest village in northern Europe for a brief period. At in diameter, the henge is the largest in Britain and recent evidence suggests that it was a complementary monument to Stonehenge. The name comes from the civil parish in which the site is located – Durrington, meaning ""the farm of doers people"" (doer-deer, ing-people/tribe, tun-farm/settlement), and the large henge banks that surround it. The ""Dur"" prefix is commonly found in this region of England; the Durotriges Celtic tribe inhabited this area before their defeat by the Romans in the mid first-century A.D. Also, Dorchester was originally Durnovaria,"
"Eddisbury hill fort Eddisbury hill fort, also known as Castle Ditch, is an Iron Age hill fort near Delamere, Cheshire, in northern England. Hill forts are fortified hill-top settlements constructed across Britain during the Iron Age. Eddisbury is the largest and most complex of the seven hill forts in the county of Cheshire. It was constructed before 200–100 BC and expanded in 1–50 AD. In the 1st century AD, the Romans slighted the site. It was reoccupied in the 6th–8th centuries AD, and an Anglo-Saxon burh was probably established at Eddisbury in 914. In the medieval and post-medieval periods quarrying"
"Mellor hill fort Mellor hill fort is a prehistoric site in North West England, that dates from the British Iron Age—about 800 BC to 100 AD. Situated on a hill in Mellor, Greater Manchester, on the western edge of the Peak District, the hill fort overlooks the Cheshire Plain. Although the settlement was founded during the Iron Age, evidence exists of activity on the site as far back as 8,000 BC; during the Bronze Age the hill may have been an area where funerary practices were performed. Artefacts such as a Bronze Age amber necklace indicate the site was high"
"digging. Mellor hill fort Mellor hill fort is a prehistoric site in North West England, that dates from the British Iron Age—about 800 BC to 100 AD. Situated on a hill in Mellor, Greater Manchester, on the western edge of the Peak District, the hill fort overlooks the Cheshire Plain. Although the settlement was founded during the Iron Age, evidence exists of activity on the site as far back as 8,000 BC; during the Bronze Age the hill may have been an area where funerary practices were performed. Artefacts such as a Bronze Age amber necklace indicate the site was"
"and a limestone revetment was added, in circa 50 BC. Just outside the fort was a large Romano-British cemetery. The majority of burials date to the late Roman era of the 4th century AD, although the cemetery was in use from the Neolithic times to the Middle Ages. The cemetery, located on the northeast side of the hill fort, was excavated during the 1970s. The northern and eastern sides of the hillfort's outer defences were damaged by the construction of the Roman aqueduct which supplied the settlement of Durnovaria (Dorchester) with fresh water from a reservoir around away. The aqueduct"
"entire settlement has shown that the site covers 25 hectares. It appears to have been one of the biggest Roman towns in Dorset, second only to Dorchester (""Durnovaria""). It is likely that the town was the ""Vindocladia"" listed in the ""Antonine Itinerary"" as the only named place between Old Sarum (""Sorviodunum"") and Dorchester. The Roman fort is a rectangular enclosure with straight sides and rounded corners, surrounded by triple ditches. It measures around and encloses about . It is located on the east side of the town. Pottery picked up on the ground in 1975 suggested a mid 1st-century date"
"Blackmore Vale. The area of Minterne, Dogbury Hill and High Stoy was the setting for Thomas Hardy's novel, ""The Woodlanders"", Minterne House being referred to as Great Hintock House. The 1990s TV film of Hardy's ""Tess of the d'Urbervilles"" was made on Dogbury Hill. Dogbury Hill At , Dogbury Hill is one of the highest hills in the county of Dorset, England. It is the site of a prehistoric hill fort. Dogmore Hill rises just a few hundred yards north of the village of Minterne Magna in the Blackmore Vale and east of the A352 about 14 kilometres from Dorchester."
"Hod Hill Hod Hill (or Hodd Hill) is a large hill fort in the Blackmore Vale, north-west of Blandford Forum, Dorset, England. The fort sits on a chalk hill of the same name that lies between the adjacent Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase. The hill fort at Hambledon Hill is just to the north. The name probably comes from Old English ""hod"", meaning a shelter, though ""hod"" could also mean ""hood"", referring to the shape of the hill. The fort is roughly rectangular (), with an enclosed area of . There is a steep natural slope down to the River"
"park next to the north rampart. Lambert's Castle is about 1.5 km to the north. Coney's Castle Coney's Castle is an Iron Age hill fort in Dorset, England. The name ""Coney"" is from the Old English for ""rabbit"" (Latin ""cuniculus""), suggesting medieval use as a domestic warren, as at nearby Pilsdon Pen. The fort is on a narrow north-south ridge reaching a height of 210 m, with linear ramparts across the ridge, steep natural slopes to the west, and a high artificial rampart with ditch to the east. A small lane runs along the ridge, bisecting the fort. The lane"
"Richmond and his final report was published in 1969. Today the hill is an important calcareous grassland habitat, home to spectacular wild flowers and butterflies. Hod Hill Hod Hill (or Hodd Hill) is a large hill fort in the Blackmore Vale, north-west of Blandford Forum, Dorset, England. The fort sits on a chalk hill of the same name that lies between the adjacent Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase. The hill fort at Hambledon Hill is just to the north. The name probably comes from Old English ""hod"", meaning a shelter, though ""hod"" could also mean ""hood"", referring to the shape"
"resisted the Roman invasion and their war cemetery was excavated in the 1930s by Mortimer Wheeler. It later became the site of a 4th-century Romano-British temple. The site of present-day Dorchester may have originally been a small garrison fort for the Legio II Augusta established shortly after the Roman conquest. When the military moved away, around AD 70, Durnovaria became a civilian settlement, apparently the ""civitas Durotrigum"" of the tribal confederacy of the Durotriges. Shafts were dug to deposit ritual foundation items. An organised street plan was laid out, ignoring earlier boundaries, the streets lined with timber-slot structures; public buildings"
"the Roman administration. The name, however, survived to become the Anglo-Saxon ""Dornwaraceaster"" and modern 'Dorchester'. The residents of modern-day Dorchester are known as ""Durnovarians"". The town still has some Roman features, including part of the town walls and the foundations of a Roman town house, which are freely accessible near County Hall. There are many Roman finds in the County Museum. The Romans built an aqueduct to supply the town with water but only a few traces remain at nearby Whitfield Farm. Near the town centre is Maumbury Rings, an ancient British earthwork converted by the Romans for use as"
"struggle at Maiden Castle and Badbury Rings but current opinion amongst archaeologists is that these, and Hod Hill, also fell with ease. There is, however, a find of 130 skeletons at Spetisbury which show that the invasion was not entirely peaceful. Dorset has many notable Roman artefacts, particularly around the Roman town Dorchester, where Maiden Castle was taken early in the Roman occupation. In the grounds of the County Council offices is a Roman house with well preserved mosaic floors and an aqueduct fed by waters of a tributary of the Frome impounded behind an earthen dam, with a covered"
"significant, factor in their construction"". Black Ball Camp Black Ball Camp is an Iron Age hill fort South West of Dunster, Somerset, England on the northern summit of Gallox Hill. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It is also known as British Camp and is possibly associated with Bat's Castle. It has a high rampart and a deep ditch. At the beginning of the 20th century the foundations of a stone tower were visible however this is no longer present. Hill forts developed in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, roughly the start of the first millennium BC. The"
"History of Colchester Colchester is a historic town located in Essex, England. It served as the first capital of Roman Britain and is oldest recorded town in Britain. The gravel hill upon which Colchester is built was formed in the Middle Pleistocene period, and was shaped into a terrace between the Anglian glaciation and the Ipswichian glaciation by an ancient precursor to the River Colne. From these deposits beneath the town have been found Palaeolithic flint tools, including at least six Acheulian handaxes. Further flint tools made by hunter gatherers living in the Colne Valley during the Mesolithic have been"