Monument record MDO1541 - Iron Age univallate enclosure at The Bend, Long Bredy

An irregular oval enclosure in the form of a bank and ditch encircling around 12 acres on a prominence on the ridgeway, and interpreted as a possible hillfort. This monument was first observed on aerial photographs, and is very reduced by ploughing, with only small sections surviving as discernible earthworks. In 1964 small-scale excavations revealed that the ditch was at least 20 feet wide and 8 feet deep. Relatively limited dating evidence was recovered, but the excavator was confident that the form of the feature indicated an Iron Age date. Oval enclosure is visible as cropmarks and low earthworks on aerial photographs, it lies on the top of Eggardon ridge and is probably Iron Age in date.

An Iron Age univallate enclosure on the Eggardon ridgeway, about 12 acres in internal area, crossed by the Axminster to Dorchester Roman road. Two parts of the bank and ditch survive, about 70 ft across but very spread, but most of the remainder has been levelled by ploughing. A few Iron Age sherds were found in plough soil. A small section of the ditch in 1964 recovered no datable finds and only one side of the ditch was discovered. The monument was probably not a hillfort as such.Celtic fields cover the down, but it is not possible on superficial examination to determine their relationship with the enclosure. Romano British pottery covering an area 60ft in diameter was noted in ploughsoil on the east side of the enclosure. RCHME note a D-shaped enclosure, open on the west side, north east of the enclosure and Radley mentions an earthwork fragment of another enclosure west of the main enclosure and north of the road. A collection of Roman pottery and smelting wastes was found in two ditches immediately to the east of the enclosure. <1-3> A large sub-oval enclosure is visible as cropmarks and low earthworks on aerial photographs, it lies on the top of Eggardon ridge and is probably Iron Age in date. The enclosure is 355m by 215m in size and is cut by the Axminster-Dorchester Roman Road. <4-6>

Record last edited

Jan 25 2024 8:13PM