More information : [Centred at TQ 5820 5620] Oldbury Camp [NR] (1)
Oldbury, an Iron Age Hillfort of the early 1st century AD, partly remodelled as a result of the Roman invasion. The site comprises a rampart and ditch which originally ran continuously around about two-thirds of the summit, enclosing an area of about 123 acres. The remaining third was probably no more than a wooden stockade above the formidable cliffs along the eastern side. Trial trenches of five selected sites revealed no traces of settlement within the fort, but continuous settlement in the area from Palaeolithic times onward is indicated by the mid-Palaeolithic rock shelters which have revealed traces of habitation on the eastern slopes [see TQ 55 NE 26 and 32]. Finds included pottery, glass beads, slingstones, querns, a whetstone and coins. [Full excavation report follows.] (2-3)
Oldbury Camp - Iron Age Hillfort, in good condition, as described above. The southern half of the site is wooded and is National Trust property. The northern half is privately owned and is under orchards. A 25" survey has been made. (4)
25" survey of 7.3.61 unchanged. (5)
Further excavations were carried out at Oldbury in 1983-4. It was hoped to relate the excavations to those carried out in 1938 by Ward-Perkins; however, the defence sections of 1983 and 1984 yielded no clear evidence for two periods at Oldbury and the suggestion of Belgic refortification, as had previously been suggested, seems untenable. The hillfort seems to have been rapidly constructed on a massive scale, never occupied in a permanent fashion, and abondoned by circa 50 BC. What later activity there is can probably be related to occupation in the area by a Romanised native population, which regarded the site as a convenient quarry. Evidence was revealed for occupation in the southern half of the hillfort, albeit short-lived, and conceivably related to a construction period. Three radiocarbon dates were provided by the British Museum. Charcoal from a small hearth on the old ground surface beneath the main rampart in the 1983 defence section gave a terminus post quem of 2310 + or - 50 before present (360 BC). Charcoal from a small hearth in the interior of the hillfort near the south end gave a reading of 1840 + or - 40 before present (110 AD). Charcoal from trench 9 of 1983 and trench 3 of 1984 gave a reading of 1910 + or - 80bp (40 AD); if it is contemporary with the adjacent gully which yielded later Iron Age pottery the date is quite acceptable within the standard deviation. (6-10)
Oldbury hillfort, brief description. (11-13)
Oldbury "ancient stonghold of the Britons". (14)
Oldbury Hill, description of camp and surrounding area. (15)
[TQ 582 561] Oldbury Hill and Styants Wood. Acquired by the National Trust in 1945 under the will of Mr H A Hooker. Managed by Kent County Council. Covenants given by Mr Philip Cawne in 1945 over 11.5 acres, covering part of the ramparts of the hill fort, and the site of two rock shelters of the Middle Palaeolithic period. [See TQ 55 NE 26 and 32.] (16)
Later La Tene Cremations. (17)
Summary of the history of the hillfort after first excavations. (18)
Topographical description of Oldbury Camp. (19)
[TQ 582 566] Ightham, Oldbury. Two pedestal urns, each containing calcined bone, which were buried in the outer defences of the hillfort, close to the north-east gate, after their completion circa 43 AD. (20) |