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HER:  Dorset MDO1341 (None)
NMR:  ST 60 NW 4 (198817)
SM:  None
NGR:  ST 6300 0780
X:  363035  Y:  107738  (OSGB36)
Possible univallate, contour hillfort dominating low rising NE-SW ridge leading up to the high chalk of the Dorset Downs at W edge of Blackmoor Forest., from the middle of the clay lands of Blackmore Vale. Moderate surrounding slopes. Sub-oval, c. 310m N-S by 190m, enclosing c. 3.6ha. Slight bank, c. 8m wide, 0.3m high internally and 0.7m externally, with occasional traces of outer ditch. Bank barely traceable on NW and a scarp on most of SE and SW sides sides. Two possible causewayed entrances on NE and SW, c. 4m wide, latter inturned. Bank in woodland which covers site and ditch in pasture outside except on NE where both bank and ditch both in pasture. Part destroyed. On 1st Ed. OS map (1888-89). Minimal investigations, undated.
Citizen Science:  ✓
Reliability of Data:  Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation:  Unconfirmed
X:  -281270  Y:  6597959  (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude:  -2.526691679019042  Latitude:  50.86789361486597  (EPSG:4326)
Country:  England; None
Current County or Unitary Authority:  Dorset
Historic County:  Dorset
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Leigh; Hermitage
Part-destroyed.
| Extant   | ✓ |
| Cropmark   | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed   | ✓ |
Bank in woodland which covers site and ditch in pasture outside except on NE where both bank and ditch both in pasture.
| Woodland   | ✓ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation   | ✗ |
| Parkland   | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing)   | ✓ |
| Arable   | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken   | ✗ |
| Bare Outcrop   | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland   | ✗ |
| Heath   | ✗ |
| Built-up   | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
Possible univallate, contour hillfort dominating low rising NE-SW ridge leading up to the high chalk of the Dorset Downs at W edge of Blackmoor Forest., from the middle of the clay lands of Blackmore Vale. Moderate surrounding slopes.
| Contour Fort   | ✓ |
| Partial Contour Fort   | ✗ |
| Promontory Fort   | ✗ |
| Hillslope Fort   | ✗ |
| Level Terrain Fort   | ✗ |
| Marsh Fort   | ✗ |
| Multiple Enclosure Fort   | ✗ |
| Hilltop   | ✗ |
| Coastal Promontory   | ✗ |
| Inland Promontory   | ✗ |
| Valley Bottom   | ✗ |
| Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop   | ✗ |
| Ridge   | ✓ |
| Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp   | ✗ |
| Hillslope   | ✗ |
| Lowland   | ✗ |
| Spur   | ✗ |
Dominant Topographic Feature:  Ridge
| North   | ✗ |
| Northeast   | ✗ |
| East   | ✗ |
| Southeast   | ✗ |
| South   | ✗ |
| Southwest   | ✗ |
| West   | ✗ |
| Northwest   | ✗ |
| Level   | ✓ |
Altitude:  112.0m
Boundary Type:  Parish/Townland
None.
Reliability:  D - None
| Pre 1200BC   | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC   | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC   | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50   | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400   | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800   | ✗ |
| Post AD800   | ✗ |
| Unknown   | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort:   | None |
| Post Hillfort:   | None |
On 1st Ed. OS map (1888-89).
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   | OS map. |
None.
None
| None   | ✓ |
| Spring   | ✗ |
| Stream   | ✗ |
| Pool   | ✗ |
| Flush   | ✗ |
| Well   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
None
| No Known Features   | ✓ |
| Round Stone Structures   | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures   | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms   | ✗ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence   | ✗ |
| Pits   | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
None
| No Known Excavation   | ✓ |
| Pits   | ✗ |
| Postholes   | ✗ |
| Roundhouses   | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures   | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks   | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
| Nothing Found   | ✗ |
None
| No Known Geophysics   | ✓ |
| Pits   | ✗ |
| Roundhouses   | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures   | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks   | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
| Nothing Found   | ✗ |
None
| No Known Finds   | ✓ |
| Pottery   | ✗ |
| Metal   | ✗ |
| Metalworking   | ✗ |
| Human Bones   | ✗ |
| Animal Bones   | ✗ |
| Lithics   | ✗ |
| Environmental   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
None
| APs Not Checked   | ✓ |
| None   | ✗ |
| Roundhouses   | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures   | ✗ |
| Pits   | ✗ |
| Postholes   | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
Two possible causewayed entrances on NE and SW, c. 4m wide, latter inturned.
| 2:   | None |
| 2:   | None |
Guard Chambers:  ✗
Chevaux de Frise:  ✗
| 1. Other Forms (North east):   | Causewayed. |
| 2. In-turned (South west):   | Causewayed. |
Slight bank, c. 8m wide, 0.3m high internally and 0.7m externally, with occasional traces of outer ditch. Bank barely traceable on NW and a scarp on most of SE and SW sides sides.
| Area 1:   | 3.6ha. |
| Total:   | 3.6ha. |
Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.
None
| ✗   | None |
| ✗   | Part destroyed. |
| NE Quadrant:   | 1 |
| SE Quadrant:   | 1 |
| SW Quadrant:   | 1 |
| NW Quadrant:   | 1 |
| Total:   | 1 |
| Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
| Univallate   | ✓ |
| Partial Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Unknown   | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
| Univallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Multivallate   | ✗ |
None
| None   | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank   | ✓ |
| Stone Wall   | ✗ |
| Rubble   | ✗ |
| Wall-walk   | ✗ |
| Evidence of Timber   | ✗ |
| Vitrification   | ✗ |
| Other Burning   | ✗ |
| Palisade   | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank   | ✗ |
| Berm   | ✗ |
| Unfinished   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
None
| None   | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank   | ✗ |
| Stone Wall   | ✗ |
| Murus Duplex   | ✗ |
| Timber-framed   | ✗ |
| Timber-laced   | ✗ |
| Vitrification   | ✗ |
| Other Burning   | ✗ |
| Palisade   | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank   | ✗ |
| Berm   | ✗ |
| Unfinished   | ✗ |
| No Known Excavation   | ✓ |
| Other   | ✗ |
| ✗   | None |
| ✓   | Occasional traces of outer ditch. |
Number of Ditches:  1
| ✗   | None |
Barker, K. and Seaward, D.R. 1990. Boundaries and landscape in Blackmoor: the Tudor manors of Holnest, Proc Dorset Natur Hist Archaeol Soc, 112, 5-22.
RCHME 1952. An inventory of the historical monuments in Dorset, Vol 1, West Dorset, London: RCHM.
Atlas of Hillforts:
Wikidata:
This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and should be cited as:
Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk
Document Version 1.1