Maiden Castle an extremely large and very complex Iron Age hillfort in Dorset UK
It's made up of huge multiple ramparts and once was home to a few hundred people during the Iron Age (800BC - 43AD)
During the excavations of Maiden Castle it was revealed that occupation on the hilltop dated back to over 6000 years ago around about the Neolithic period.
Maiden Castle Hillfort has been subjected to various extensions on the original Neolithic designs. Extra defences have been added throughout the years. See the photos of the Maiden Castle ruins of the Roman occupation below. Now taken over by the pretty tame wild sheep that now live in peace around the grounds of Maiden Castle hillfort
The Romans took over Maiden Castle hillfort in AD43 forcing the inhabitants to move to the relatively new town of Dorchester previously known as Durnovaria
There are two entrances into Maiden Castle hillfort on the Western and Eastern
sides. And after taking a walk up onto the top of the hill, you can see it is a
very impressive hillfort. Attack looks neigh on impossible and people could be
closely watched coming in and going out. It was a very hot sunny day when we
walked around Maiden Castle hillfort and the wind was very strong. We couldn't imagine how hard life must have been in Neolithic times for these people living within the security of the hillfort.
There is rumour that the huge banks and ditches may have been built as a show of strength, after experiencing the extreme weather during a very warm spell, I'm more inclined to believe that the banks were built as a defence against the extreme English weather, to keep the Neolithic residents cosy and protected against wind and rain up on Maiden Castle hillfort Dorset
