National Trust acquires Hambledon Hill

National Trust acquires Hambledon Hill

Updated 8:55am Thursday 7th August 2014 in News

The spectacular Hambledon Hill, one of the finest Iron Age hillforts in Dorset, has been acquired by the National Trust.

Built over 2,000 years ago, the massive earthwork defences lie over one of the most significant early Neolithic landscapes in Western Europe, dating back almost 6,000 years, and is a place that half of British butterfly species call home.

Standing at twice the height of the White Cliffs of Dover and taller than the Shard in London, Hambledon Hill occupies an area of land the size of 50 football pitches. From the summit of the hillfort you can see across three counties Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire and get a real sense of its prehistoric strategic importance.

Jerry Broadway, a National Trust volunteer working on Hambledon Hill, said: When I come here I feel like someone would when they go into St Pauls Cathedral.

When there is no-one else around and I sit on the top of the hill looking at the view I feel very privileged. And to play a small part in looking after the hill is a good feeling.

This is the first hillfort acquired by the National Trust in Dorset for 30 years.

The Trust now cares for seven hillfort sites in a county which is internationally renowned for these special historical places.

Simon Ford, National Trust wildlife adviser, pictured right, said: The beauty of a magical place like Hambledon Hill is the combination of a rich natural and archaeological story that goes back thousands of years.

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National Trust acquires Hambledon Hill