Belsar's Hill facts for kids
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Belsar's Hill: earthwork and ditch
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 Location in Cambridgeshire
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| Location | Cambridgeshire, England |
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| Coordinates | 52°18′43.6″N 0°5′10.0″E / 52.312111°N 0.086111°E |
| Type | Hillfort |
| Area | 6 acres (24,000 m2) |
| History | |
| Founded | Iron Age |
Belsar's Hill is an ancient site in Cambridgeshire, England. It is a type of old fort called a hillfort. People think it was first built a very long time ago, during the Iron Age. Later, it might have been used again when the Normans came to England. This place was important because it was surrounded by wet, marshy land called fens. It was a good spot to defend.
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What is Belsar's Hill?
Belsar's Hill is shaped like an oval. It covers about 6 acres, which is roughly the size of four or five football fields. When it was built, it was like a dry island in the middle of a very wet area. This made it hard for enemies to reach.
The fort had strong defenses. It likely had a wide ditch, about 10 to 15 meters across. That's like two or three cars parked side-by-side. There was also a high bank or wall, called a rampart, which was about 2 to 4 meters tall. A modern track, built in the 1800s, now cuts through the hill. This track is believed to follow the path of an even older road called the Aldreth Causeway.
History of Belsar's Hill
Historians believe Belsar's Hill was first built during the Iron Age. This was a time when people made tools and weapons from iron. The fort's location was important. It was on the border between the lands of two ancient tribes, the Iceni and the Catuvellauni. Also, it looks similar to other Iron Age forts like Wandlebury.
Norman Conquest and Hereward the Wake
It is thought that Belsar's Hill was used again during the Norman Conquest. This happened in the 11th century when William the Conqueror and his Norman army took over England. During this time, the Normans were fighting a local uprising led by a hero named Hereward the Wake.
The hillfort was in a very good position on the Aldreth Causeway. This was the main road to Ely, which was a very important place for Hereward's resistance. The name "Belassise" might come from an old French phrase meaning "well seated" or "well placed." This also suggests a link to the Normans. Some people even think Belsar's Hill might have been a Norman castle called the Castle of Aldreth.
Hereward's troops famously retreated to the Isle of Ely. This area was surrounded by fens, which were too wet for the Norman cavalry (soldiers on horseback). The Normans tried to build a long road across the fen, but their heavy armor made it sink. Eventually, the Normans found a way across the marshy land.
Images for kids
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3D view of the digital terrain model
