More information : (SZ 077979) Dudsbury (NAT) Fort (NR) (1)
SZ 077979 Dudsbury is an Iron Age hill fort prominently situated
at about 100ft OD on the north bank of the River Stour. The ground
falls precipitously to the river on the south and south west but
slopes gently on the other sides. The defences enclose a rough
semicircular and slightly domed area of about 8 acres and consist of
double ramparts and ditch on the west, north and east although
much of the outer rampart and ditch has been obliterated or severly
damaged. The best preserved portion lies just north of the south
west corner where the inner rampart stands 5ft above the interior
and 13ft above the bottom of the outer ditch. The outer rampart
hare is essentially a scarp which rises 19ft above the bottom of
the ditch. Along the south west side the defences comprise a single
rampart 4 1/2 ft above the interior and some 16ft above an outer
ledge or berm. Near the south corner the bank has been destroyed
by ploughing and there is no trace of a ledge. There are four
entrances to the fort; those to the east and north appear to be
modern but those to south and west and especially the west, which
may have been inturned, are probably the original. Limited
excavation by Heywood Sumner in 1921 in the west half of the
interior and across the west entrance were unproductive; a trench
across the inner ditch to the north west side yielded only Iron
Age `A' type sherds at the bottom of the ditch. The interior of the
hill fort has been under cultivation for many years except for
the north east quadrant which is occupied by a house and garden.
Plan, Hawkes considered Dudsbury as an Iron Age `A' hill
fort in 1931 with possible remodelling in the Iron Age `B' period,
although he was still doubtful about Iron Age `B' in Dorset. (2-4)
OS 1:2500 (1949 and 1959) survey revised. (5)
Notice of additional Scheduled area. (6)
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