Oakmere hill fort facts for kids

The Oakmere hill fort is an ancient Iron Age fortress. It's one of many large, strong settlements built across Britain during the Iron Age. But it's special because it's one of only seven such forts in Cheshire, England. Today, it's a protected site called a Scheduled monument. Even though it's on low ground, it's still called a hill fort.

Why Were Hill Forts Built?

Hill forts started appearing a very long time ago, around 1000 BC, during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. People built them for different reasons. Some experts think they were military bases, built to defend against invaders from other parts of Europe. Others believe they were built by the invaders themselves.

Another idea is that as more people lived in Britain, there was less land for farming. This caused tension between communities. Hill forts might have been safe places for people to go when these tensions led to fighting.

Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe suggests that these forts offered a safe place for communities during times of trouble. He believes they weren't built because there was always war. Instead, they were strongholds that could be used for defense when needed. Sometimes, these forts were attacked and destroyed, but their main purpose was to provide safety.

Where is Oakmere Hill Fort?

There are over 1,300 hill forts in England, but most are in the south. Only seven are found in Cheshire. Oakmere hill fort is one of three forts in the southern part of Cheshire. The others are Eddisbury hill fort and Kelsborrow Castle.

Oakmere hill fort is located at 53°12′22″N 2°38′08″W / 53.206022°N 2.635518°W / 53.206022; -2.635518. Like all the hill forts in Cheshire, it sits on a central ridge that runs through the county. This fort is on low ground, on a triangular piece of land that sticks out into a lake called Oakmere.

How Was the Fort Protected?

Today, the water in Oakmere lake is about 10 ft (3.0 m) below the fort's defenses. There's also a 35 ft (11 m) gap between the lake and the fort. But when the fort was built, the water level was higher. This meant the lake was closer to the fort, providing a natural defense.

People built strong walls, called ramparts, around the south-west and north sides of the fort. They also dug a ditch in front of these walls. The rampart still stands about 6 ft (1.8 m) high. The ditch is now about 6 ft (1.8 m) deep, but it was originally 10 ft (3.0 m) deep. The space between the inner wall and the outer edge of the ditch is about 100 ft (30 m).

The ditch's depth isn't the same everywhere. This might mean the fort was never fully finished. Or, perhaps the people living there tried to dig the ditch deeper later on. The main entrance to the fort was on the southern side. It looks similar to the entrances of other nearby hill forts like Bradley, Helsby, and Kelsborrow.

What Do We Know About Its History?

In 1960, an archaeologist named James Forde-Johnston dug up parts of Oakmere hill fort. He focused on the southern defenses. His work showed that the ditch was once 50 ft (15 m) wide and, in some places, 10 ft (3.0 m) deep.

Over time, the site has been disturbed, and there are now two modern breaks in the defenses. In 1995, Oakmere hill fort became a Scheduled monument. This means it's a protected site, and no one can make changes to it without permission.