List of hillforts in the Peak District facts for kids
A hillfort is an ancient type of fort built on a hill. These forts were often used as safe places for people and their animals during times of trouble. They were usually built during the Iron Age or Bronze Age, thousands of years ago.
The Peak District, a beautiful area in England, is home to many of these old hillforts. Most of them are found inside the Peak District National Park. These sites are very important and are usually protected as Scheduled Monuments, which means they are special historical places.
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Exploring Peak District Hillforts
Let's discover some of the interesting hillforts you can find in the Peak District. Each one tells a story about the people who lived there long ago.
Ball Cross Hillfort
Ball Cross is a small hillfort located near Bakewell in Derbyshire. It's a "promontory fort," which means it was built on a piece of land that sticks out, making it naturally protected on some sides. Things found here show that people lived or used this spot during the Iron Age and Bronze Age.
Burr Tor Hillfort
Near Great Hucklow in Derbyshire, you'll find Burr Tor. This was once an oval-shaped prehistoric enclosure. It's quite large, about 400 meters long and 170 meters wide. Today, this ancient site is part of Camphill Airfield, which is used by the Derbyshire and Lancashire Gliding Club.
Carl Wark Hillfort
Carl Wark is a fascinating fortified area near Hathersage in Derbyshire. It's built on a rocky outcrop of Millstone Grit. This fort is about 180 meters long and 60 meters wide. Experts believe it dates back to the Iron Age, and there's also evidence that it was used during Roman times.
Castle Dike Hillfort
In South Yorkshire, near Langsett, is Castle Dike. This site features an earthwork bank and ditch, which are the remains of an Iron Age hillfort or enclosure. It's about 90 meters long and 50 meters wide, located on the flat top of Gilbert Hill. It's a "univallate" hillfort, meaning it had a single defensive wall or rampart.
Castle Naze Hillfort
Castle Naze is an Iron Age hillfort located near Chapel-en-le-Frith in Derbyshire. It's a "promontory hillfort" on Combs Moss. The fort has a triangular shape, with each side being about 200 meters long, making it a strong defensive position.
Castle Ring Hillfort
Near Youlgreave in Derbyshire, you can find Castle Ring. Today, it looks like an oval earthwork ditch, about 5 meters wide and 100 meters across, with inner and outer banks up to 2 meters high. Even though it hasn't been dug up by archaeologists, it's thought to be an important part of the Bronze Age landscape of Harthill Moor.
Fin Cop Hillfort
Fin Cop is an Iron Age hillfort located near Ashford in the Water in Derbyshire. It sits in the beautiful Monsal Dale. This fort was built between 440 BC and 390 BC, making it a very old and significant historical site.
Mam Tor Hillfort
Mam Tor, often called the "Shivering Mountain," is a famous hill near Castleton in Derbyshire. At its summit, there's a "univallate" fort. This fort is quite large, about 400 meters long and 300 meters wide. Nearby, there are also ancient burial mounds called "bowl barrows" that date back to the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age.
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