Shipton Hill Settlement

The Shipton Hill Settlement is an archaeological site, a defended settlement of the Iron Age, near Shipton Gorge in Dorset [1]. The site is regarded as a defended settlement, a rare monument type; such sites are found in upland areas of south-west England, sometimes situated in prominent locations but smaller than hillforts [1]. They were occupied by small communities, perhaps a single family group [1]. The oval enclosure has natural slopes to the west and east, but is steepened to the north and south [1]. Near the centre of the enclosure is a small circular mound, diameter 10 metres and height 0.2 metres, on which is a modern trig point; the mound may possibly be a bowl barrow [1]. There has been partial excavation: objects found include Iron Age pottery sherds, hammer stones, flint flakes, scrapers and fragments of quern-stone [1].