Badbury Rings is an iron age hill fort in east Dorset, England, dating from 800 BCE and in use until the Roman occupation of 43CE. The 330 ft (100 m) high, 7 hectare fort is encircled by three 40 ft (15 m) ramparts and four Bronze Age round barrows indicating an earlier occupation. The fort is situated at the cross of two Roman roads, between Dorchester, Old Sarum (Salisbury), Bath and Hamworthy (Poole).

Dorset fell to the Saxons late in the Saxon invasion of England, being held up by Bokerley Dyke on the Roman Road from Old Sarum. Local historian Roy Carr (2001) has suggested that the Saxons were held off by the threat of an army in the west, perhaps stationed at Badbury Rings. Carr has suggested that such a force could be one of the sources of the legends of King Arthur, and that Badbury could be the "Badon" of the legend of the Battle of Mons Badonicus.

The site, on the dip slope of Cranborne Chase, is now part of the Kingston Lacy estate owned by the National Trust, with free access.

External links

• The Dorset Page: Badbury Rings (http://www.thedorsetpage.com/locations/Place/B010.htm)
• The Heritage Trail (http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/early%20ages/badbury%20rings.htm)

References

• Carr, R., 2001. "Badbury or Badon" in Dorset life no 267 p5-7.
• Pitt-Rivers, Michael, 1970. Dorset. London: Faber & Faber.