Last week I took some
American visitors to look at Maiden Castle in Dorset. It was certainly not what
they were expecting, as there was no sign of any of the traditional mediaeval
castles which have captured the imagination over the centuries, and which
have been portrayed in countless Hollywood films.
Maiden Castle is an iron
age hill fort dating from about 300 BC which totally dominates the skyline of
that part of the country. It completely overwhelms the person who sees it for
the first time. The true extent of the ramparts are only appreciated when you
start to walk up the steeply sloping entrance. You pass a truly formidable
series of banks and ditches some of which rise 80 feet from the previous
trough. And on top of these would have been wooden stockades for further
defence. There are up to five ridges and troughs around a two mile perimeter
with the land in the centre comprising the living area with huts and storage
areas for food, tribal meeting places and animal stockades.
This hill fort was in
constant use until slings and arrows proved to be inadequate against the better
technology of the Romans whose armaments and ruthless discipline soon
prevailed. The fort was sacked in 44 AD by a General who later became the
Emperor Vespasian. The fort then fell into decline until the Romans left, and
then in about 550 AD it was rumoured to have been brought back into use by the
legendary King Arthur.
On a rather morbid note,
excavations have revealed bodies dating back to roman times which were
seriously mutilated, so the repercussions from withstanding Roman power seemed
to have been severe. For those who are interested in the more emotional aspects
of defending a hill fort, I portray a suggested scenario in chapter 19 of my
book Catacombs of the Damned. Imagination is certainly assisted if you go there
on a dark and turbulent winter night. You can feel the fear and desperation of
the defenders as they began to understand the forces arrayed against them.
Catacombs of the Damned is available in paperback and on Kindle:
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