Images

Image of Madmarston Hill (Hillfort) by jacksprat

The view from left to right of Madmarston Hill (where the hillfort was sited), Round Hill and Jester’s Hill.

Image credit: Barry Lalanne
Image of Madmarston Hill (Hillfort) by jacksprat

Madmarston’s neighbour, Jesters Hill, can be seen in the background to the left of the image. Jester’s hill is not thought to have been built upon.

To the right of the image you can make out darkened lines near the brow of the hill. These are remains of the earthworks.

Image credit: Barry Lalanne
Image of Madmarston Hill (Hillfort) by jacksprat

Although the site has been farmed for many years it is possible to make out the remains of the earthworks. You can’t really see from these pictures unfortunately!

Image credit: Barry Lalanne
Image of Madmarston Hill (Hillfort) by jacksprat

Madmarston Hill, approaching from the southeast, along the Roman Road

Image credit: Barry Lalanne

Articles

Madmarston Hill

In the North Oxfordshire countryside, about one mile from the village of Tadmarton, you will find a triangle of steeply banked hills. They are known as Jester’s Hill, Round Hill and Madmarston Hill.

Madmarston Hill is the site of an ironage hillfort which dates back to circa. 200 BC. The site is now used for farming purposes and nothing remains of the original fort, although it is possible from the west and east, to detect the remains of the earthworks that would have surrounded it. The earthworks enclose a site of around seven acres.

A roman road, now a bridle way, popular among horse riders and walkers, runs south along the site so it is possible to get a good view of the place, despite the land being private.

The site was the interest of an archaelologist, P J Fowler, and he spent two years from 1957-58 excavating the site. Several row barrows were uncovered and pits containing fractures of pot, animal bone as well as a natural spring were also discovered.

Madmarston hill and Jesters hill are both natural formations and both plateau to an even flat summit. Madmarston was presumably chosen as the site for a fort as it is a rounder formation to its longer narrower neighbour.

The Ordnance Survey map of the fort (ref SP386389) illustrates the remains of the earthworks on the hill in good detail.

Miscellaneous

Madmarston Hill
Hillfort

‘Madmarston Iron Age hill fort, occupied from 200BC to 50AD., was defended by three banks and a ditch, now much reduced by ploughing.‘

‘A History of Oxfordshire’ by Mary Jessup

Sites within 20km of Madmarston Hill