Buckland Rings Iron Age hillfort

19.08.2021, 10:25

Archaeology

The Iron Age was a period consisting of several centuries before, and up to, the Roman Invasion of Britain in AD43. During the Iron Age, there were many settlements constructed with what is considered defensive banks and ditches surrounding an area of occupation within. These hillforts vary widely in size and shape, depending on the natural topography of which was always used to the advantage of the people in creating a natural/man-made delineation between outside and inside.

These hillforts are continually being studies by many disciplines including Archaeologists and Geophysicists. This interest is because of the lack of written documentation and understanding of these features and time before the Roman invasion. The hillforts have had many theories developed about their uses as no one knows their exact purpose.

KB Surveys Ltd had the fantastic opportunity to survey Buckland Rings in partnership with the New Forest National Park Authority and Bournemouth University.

The survey produced images of some major features on this site pertaining to the Iron Age occupation over several centuries.

Buckland Rings Iron Age hill fort holds the status of Scheduled Monument meaning it is legally protected and cannot be distributed without obtaining Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC).

Buckland Rings Iron Age hillfort holds the status of Scheduled Monument meaning it is legally protected and cannot be distributed without obtaining Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC).

The GPR managed to possibly identify:

-Roundhouses

-Internal segregation

-Trackways

-Entrance Way

-Pits

This GPR study has been added to the previous geophysical studies performed on this site, including Magnetometry and EM, and has helped New Forest National Park Authority present a paper and oral presentation on the re-visiting and comparison of surveys done 25 years ago and today.

Collected GPR data has provided many more features than the Magnetometry and EM surveys ever did and has opened up new research possibilities for this site and others like it.