These can be found across the Greensand ridge and are impressive not only for their heritage and scale but position in some of the most tranquil parts of the Surrey Hills.
Examples of hillforts can be found at Holmbury, Anstiebury and Felday, near Dorking and at Hascombe and Hillbury, Puttenham.
Defended by banks, ditches and palisades the exact role served by hillforts is unclear. They date from the Iron Age period 200-50BC. They do not appear to have been densely populated and were perhaps enclosures for animals that could be defended in times of crisis. Their strategic location would enable those commanding them to control access to the weald and seasonal grazing lands.
The forts were imposing structures enclosing, in the case of Hascombe, 2.5 ha. At Holmbury the depth of the inner ditch was 2.4 m. They were clearly meant to be defensible with protected gateways and evidence of clay sling bullets and pebbles indicates they did see action. It may have been that this was to protect themselves from wild animals as much as attack from other tribes. The largest of the stones found at Holmbury weighed 150-300 grams.
There have been two excavations at Holmbury Hillfort, in 1930 and again in 1974. Evidence from here and neighbouring forts of Anstiebury and Hascombe has narrowed down the dates of construction for all three to between 150 and 50BC, 70 BC being favoured.
Visit
Why not get hold of a copy of Along and around the Greensand Way, a delightful book with detailed route descriptions and OS maps.