449 Dr Wendy Morrison ~ Adventures With Hillforts
Table of Contents
Today’s Topic
I’m excited to introduce this week’s guest, Dr. Wendy Morrison. I’ve been mildly obsessed with Iron Age hillforts ever since I first walked the Ridgeway National Trail back in 2016. My obsession only deepened when I walked the trail a second time in 2020, and I was inspired to visit all the hillforts near the Ridgeway.
I feel such an indescribable connection to hillforts. Is it the sensation that I’m walking in the shadows of ancient people? Is it something spiritual? Dr. Morrison and I discuss this and more.
I hope this episode inspires you to get outdoors and visit your local hillforts or other ancient sites.
Banner image of Barbury Castle is my own.
What You’ll Learn
- What are hillforts and why should we care about them
- Why there’s no such thing as a “typical” hillfort
- Where to find hillforts in the landscape
- The dangers to hillforts in modern times
- How we can help keep hillforts and ancient sites safe
- How to report heritage crime on ancient sites
- Why do we feel such a deep connection to hillforts
Things We Discussed
- Walking The Ridgeway National Trail: Hillforts Along The Ridgeway
- Ancient Sites to Explore: Hillforts Near The Ridgeway National Trail
- Box ramparts
- Sir Barry Cunliffe
- Atlas of Hillforts
- Gary Lark and Ian Ralston
- Maiden Castle in Dorset
- Seven Ways Plain
- Radiocarbon dating
- Maiden Bower hillfort
- Bulstrode Camp in Gerrard’s Cross
- Lidar
- Ivinghoe Beacon
- Yeavering Bell in Northumberland
- Pulpit Hill
- Boddington Camp hillfort
- Castle Hill, also known as Wittenham Clumps
- #hillfortswednesday on Twitter
- Archaeologist Miles Russell
About Dr. Wendy Morrison
Dr. Wendy Morrison currently works for the Chilterns Conservation Board as Project Manager of the NLHF funded Beacons of the Past Hillforts project. She also is Senior Associate Tutor for Archaeology at the Oxford University Dept for Continuing Education. She is Chair of the Hillfort Study Group and President of the Marlow Archaeology Group.
She has over a decade’s excavation experience in Southern Britain, the Channel Islands, and India and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
Dr. Wendy’s links
Related Episodes
- 442 Cara Wilde ~ Connecting With the Land
- 421 Cara Wilde ~ Adventures With Stone Circles
- 413 Holly Worton ~ The Benefits of Getting Outdoors + How to Get More from Your Adventures
- 410 Holly Worton ~ Adding a New Layer to Your Outdoor Adventures (now with downloadable transcript!)
- 376 Holly Worton ~ Long Distance Walks: Time and Space to Think and Reflect
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