Hengistbury Head

Nearest town:
Christchurch (2km NNW)
OS reference:
SZ174906
OS sheet:
195
Latitude:
50° 42' 50.98 N
Longitude:
1° 45' 12.66 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by goffik

Not the most original view from the seaward end of the Double Dykes

Image credit: Graham Orriss
goffik
goffik Aug 4, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

Looking south along the mighty cross dyke near the main entrance to the site.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

A large but scruffy barrow next to the almost completed visitor centre. The double cross dyke is behind to the south-west.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

Looking east along the cliff edge. How much has dropped into the sea in the last 10,000 years or so?

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

Possible ditch/boundary marker just east of the Coastguard station near the top.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

There are several barrows within the site and I believe this to be the biggest and at the highest point (which they thoughtfully wound the path around). Looking west.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

View from the top with Southbourne, Bournemouth, etc. in the distance to the left and the edge of Christchurch harbour on the right.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

The end of the cross dyke at the southern end cut short by the modern path/entrance.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by A R Cane

Looking east across the huge and formidable double cross dykes to the Head.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Mar 13, 2013
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by formicaant

The bank of the double dykes from Warren hill.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 05/04/2008.
formicaant
formicaant Apr 6, 2008
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by formicaant

The ditch and inner bank from what would have been the original entrance.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 11/07/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jul 11, 2007
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by formicaant

The outer low bank and the inner much taller bank looking north.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 11/07/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jul 11, 2007
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by formicaant

The ditch between the two banks from the seaward end.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 11/07/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jul 11, 2007
Image of Hengistbury Head (Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork) by formicaant

Hengistbury Head from next to the inner rampart.

Image credit: Mike Rowland 11/07/2007.
formicaant
formicaant Jul 11, 2007

Articles

Hengistbury Head

New £1m Hengistbury Head visitor centre nears completion

moss
moss Nov 2, 2013

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.

Once open, the new centre will offer an exhibition area for archaeology, ecology and geology, a dedicated space for learning and community use, outdoor learning areas, wildlife garden, toilets, a shop and work space for centre staff, volunteers and other community groups.

The work has included an eco-build extension to the existing barn cottage which has a range of environmentally-friendly features, including a green roof, solar panels and straw bale walls.

The new centre will give the public the opportunity to see and handle some of the archaeological collections unearthed at Hengistbury Head over the past 100 years. Residents will also be able to get involved as heritage volunteers in the running of the centre and nature reserve.

Stuart Clarke, conservation and countryside manager at Bournemouth council, said: “This is a really exciting project for Hengistbury Head and we look forward to welcoming visitors to explore the new centre which promises to be a fantastic resource for the area.
. .
“Hengistbury Head attracts more than one million visitors every year and for the first time, we will have a unique and dedicated visitor centre where members of the public will be able to come and learn about the area’s rich heritage, including the wildlife, geology and archaeology that can be found here.”

The centre will be open from December 14 until January 5, 2014 before closing for the fit-out to be completed. It will then open fully on February 1, 2014.

bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10763529.New___1m_Hengistbury_Head_visitor_centre_nears_completion/

Hengistbury Head

Plan for Hengistbury Head barn visitor centre submitted

moss
moss Nov 23, 2010

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.

People can comment until 3 December on plans to convert the thatched barn at the site to house displays about the area’s archaeology and wildlife.

The council said developers will provide £300,000 while an application for a £420,000 Lottery grant will be made in February.

‘One million visitors‘

The remaining money for the project could come through government funds.

If approved for funding, the new centre would be completed in 2012.

It will feature displays showing the nature reserve’s plants and animals and their habitats.

The centre will also have archaeology exhibitions about Hengistbury Head, chronicling its history from 60 million years ago when it was beneath a tropical sea, through to the Stone Age when humans hunted and camped there, to the Iron Age when it was an important trading port.

Sue Harmon-Smith, chair of the Hengistbury Head Supporter’s Group, added: “Steeped in history and wildlife, Hengistbury Head is one of the most popular and important nature reserves on the South coast with around one million visitors annually.

“It makes sense that we should have a visitor centre and education facility on the site that we can be proud of.”

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-11811204

Hengistbury Head

Plan for Hengistbury Head barn visitor centre on show

goffik
goffik May 26, 2010

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.

Proposals to convert the thatched barn at the site in Dorset to house displays about the archaeology and wildlife of the area will now go on display.

Residents can see and comment on the plans next to the Hiker cafe from 2 to 6 June. If approved for funding, the new centre would be completed in 2012.

It will feature displays showing the nature reserve’s plants and animals and their habitats.

The centre will also have archaeology exhibitions about Hengistbury Head, chronicling its history from 60 million years ago when it was beneath a tropical sea, through to the Stone Age when humans hunted and camped there, to the Iron Age when it was an important trading port.

Mark Holloway, senior community parks and countryside officer, said: “We plan to use display panels, videos and audio to show off the nature reserve at its best.

“There will be cameras to bring live pictures from nesting birds and activities for children and adults alike to get involved in the conservation of the reserve.”

Bournemouth Borough Council said it hoped to secure most of the funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and through other grants and donations and the centre would be run by volunteers.

A planning application will be submitted during the summer and a funding request will be put to the Heritage Lottery Fund in November.

If agreed by the fund, building work is expected to start in 2011 and be completed by the summer of 2012.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/8705483.stm

Hengistbury Head

formicaant
formicaant Apr 7, 2008

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.

Hengistbury Head

treaclechops
treaclechops Mar 9, 2005

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.

Hengistbury Head

Rhiannon
Rhiannon Oct 7, 2002

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.

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