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Hillforts & Barrows
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moss
moss
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Edited Sep 25, 2012, 08:36
Re: Hillforts & Barrows
Sep 25, 2012, 08:34
drewbhoy wrote:
Evergreen Dazed wrote:
Yes, used as a claim to the land but I also believe the 'fear factor', as discussed earlier, would have been important. The 'watchful eye' in the barrow as I think Tiompan put it. Certainly hillforts are defensive structures but they may have been more about deterrent, a warding off, rather than showing a willingness to engage in conflict?


Could also be a show of power or basically trying to see who are the best builders. Mither Tap being a good example, the highest hillfort for miles (except for Tap Of North) and just down the road The Barmekin near Echt, a 5 ringed defensive circuit before entering the fort. Just a thought.


Funnily enough I started reading a book last night about how some hillforts were reused by the british after the withdrawal of the romans, their function a safe place to live, establish a community, and keep their animals fenced in.
Outside of Bath there are several Cotswold hillforts, Solsbury, Horton, Sodbury Camp, (an impressive large fort reused later by the Romans) and then Stantonbury, Lansdown Camp (which also had barrows in) and Bathampton.
There is a point presumably from late B/A when a defensive secure place was needed from violent upheaval, over population and a place for cattle as well.
Foel Drygarn is extraordinary in that with its three large cairns it takes up virtually all the inner top space, the huts lower down within the banks.
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