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Hengistbury Head

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork

<b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R CaneImage © A R Cane
Nearest Town:Christchurch (2km NNW)
OS Ref (GB):   SZ174906 / Sheet: 195
Latitude:50° 42' 50.98" N
Longitude:   1° 45' 12.66" W

Added by Rhiannon


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News

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Hengistbury Head visitors' centre opens to public

THE new visitors' centre at Hengistbury Head welcomed the public through its doors on the 14th December, full news article on the Daily Echo website...

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10878222.Hengistbury_Head_visitors__centre_opens_to_public/
texlahoma Posted by texlahoma
21st December 2013ce

New £1m Hengistbury Head visitor centre nears completion


WORK to create a brand new £1million Hengistbury Head visitor centre is almost complete and it will be welcoming visitors from December 14.

Construction work has taken place over the last year at the thatched barn adjacent to the Iron Age Double Dykes... continues...
moss Posted by moss
2nd November 2013ce

Plan for Hengistbury Head barn visitor centre submitted


Update on Goff's news May 2010 - one step nearer to getting a new centre built!

Plans for a visitor centre at a Dorset nature reserve have been submitted.

The borough council has been planning to create a £1m visitor centre at Hengistbury Head for the past 10 years... continues...
moss Posted by moss
23rd November 2010ce

Plan for Hengistbury Head barn visitor centre on show


A nature reserve in Bournemouth is set to get a new visitor centre.

The borough council has been planning to create a visitor centre at Hengistbury Head for the past 10 years... continues...
goffik Posted by goffik
26th May 2010ce
Edited 26th May 2010ce

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Photographs:<b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by goffik <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by A R Cane <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by texlahoma Maps / Plans / Diagrams:<b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant <b>Hengistbury Head</b>Posted by formicaant

Fieldnotes

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This visit I had time to have a proper look at this site. The feature you see when you first get here is an impressively big pair of banks and ditches, known as the double dykes. These are the main defensive feature for the settlement. They run north to south and cut across the narrowest point here.
Behind the banks is a field called Barn field in which there is a large bowl barrow in pretty good condition.
The next feature is Warren hill which is 90 metres in height and has steep sea cliffs on one side. It is a steep climb all the way round this hill, and it is an easily defensible position. On the hill there are several round barrows, the most easy to see was a low bowl type, gorse covered another 2 low ones.
formicaant Posted by formicaant
7th April 2008ce

I remember visiting Hengistbury Head many years ago whilst accompanying my grandmother on a weekend break away from home. As I recall, there is some variety of motorised train ( several carriages hitched to the back of a tractor/land rover) which takes one round the promontory. The whole thing is home to masses of heathland flowers and wildlife; I recall Grandma saying that there was lots of ling growing there. It was very cold and windy, and for some reason I kept thinking about Willan & Searle's '1066 And All That' in which they claimed that it was the spot Hengist and Horsa landed, then started agriculture - or something. Those of you who have read it will know what I'm on about. Good views though. treaclechops Posted by treaclechops
9th March 2005ce

Stumped for somewhere to go at the weekend, someone suggested Hengistbury Head. Should have known it was going to be swarming with people considering it's surrounded by Christchurch and Bournemouth (and the sea). But go on a cold day and I expect you could have most of the paths to yourself, and the beach. It's a sandy promontory, falling into the sea. The site's been occupied for 12,500 years! and some important mesolithic evidence has been found there. Neolithic tools have been found, though they don't think there was a settlement. Also there are Bronze Age barrows, and some pretty enormous Iron Age double dykes cutting the point off from the mainland.
All the people almost spoiled it, but I should have expected them and it was a lovely day anyway. There are some massive concrete paths for the masses, but if you wanted to stray down the smaller tracks I think you'd get some peace. Most people were as usual 100m or less from the car park and the caff.
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
7th October 2002ce

Links

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Hengistbury Head - History and Geology


Bill Rees's site gives a comprehensive all-round description of the headland.
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
7th October 2002ce
Edited 4th April 2007ce