Maiden Castle

Maiden Castle Review

About 2 mi southwest of Dorchester, Maiden Castle is one of the most important pre-Roman archaeological sites in England. It's not an actual castle but an enormous Iron Age hill fort of stone and earth with ramparts that enclose about 45 acres. England's Neolithic inhabitants built the fort some 4,000 years ago, and many centuries later it was a Celtic stronghold. In AD 43 invading Romans, under the general (later emperor) Vespasian, stormed the fort. Finds from the site are on display in the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester. To experience an uncanny silence and sense of mystery, climb Maiden Castle early in the day. Leave your car in the lot at the end of Maiden Castle Way, a 1½-mi lane.