Bigbury Camp: Bigbury Hillfort: Bigbury Wood Hillfort

• Harbledown, Canterbury, Kent.
• OSGB – TR116576.
• Scheduled Monument.
• Monument Number 1005169.

An Iron Age semi-circular contour hillfort covering approximately 10.1 hectares. The entrance is located at the eastern side, which is staggered, and there is a narrow approach to the western side and a possible entrance, but here it is badly damaged by the road and gravel quarrying.

There is an annex of 2.8 hectares located at the north side of the site, possibly used for livestock. This is defended by a ditch with an inner bank.

The site is defended by a single bank and ditch, and at the annex by two ditches.

The Pilgrim’s Way passes through the annex, and the Hambledon Road crosses through the eastern entrance

Northern half enclosed by woodland.

Southern half on private land. This area has been ploughed down.

Archaeological finds include metal tools, horse and vehicle fittings, chains with a collar attached – for slaves, pottery sherds dating to the Iron Age. Post holes from hut circles.

350 BC              Dates from.

54 BC                Rumoured to have been where the local people, the Cantiaci tribe, living in the Canterbury area, went when Julius Caesar landed in Kent.

54 BC                Possibly attacked by Julius Caesar and the 7^th Legion.

1861                 Gravel excavation uncovered some artefacts.

1933                 Excavated.

1962-1963          Excavated.

1978-1980          Excavated.

1980                 Excavated.

References & Bibliography.

Allason-Jones. L. 2011. Artefacts in Roman Britain: Their Purpose and Use. Cambridge University Press.

Brown. I. 2009. Beacons in the Landscape: The Hillforts of England and Wales. Windgather Press.

Gould. N. 1862. February 26^th. Journal of the British Archaeological Association, Volume 18, pp. 272-273.

Hussey. R. C. 1874. The British Settlement in Bigbury Wood. Archaeologia Cantiana: Being Transactions of the Kent Archaeological Society Volume 9, pp. 13-15.

Ingleton. R. 2013. Fortress Kent. Casemate Publishers.

Jessup. R. F., & Cook. N. C. 1936. Excavations at Bigberry Camp, Harbledown. Archaeologia Cantiana, Vol. 48, pp. 151-169.

Manning. W. 1964. The Plough in Roman Britain. The Journal of Roman Studies, 54, 54-65. doi:10.2307/298651.

Manning. W. 1972. Ironwork Hoards in Iron Age and Roman Britain. Britannia, 3, 224-250. doi:10.2307/526028.

Sparey-Green. C.    Bigbury Camp, Harbledown, Canterbury. Canterbury Archaeology 2010-2011: 35^th Annual Report of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. pp. 27-28.