Dorset hill fort bought by National Trust

AN Iron Age hill fort has been bought by the National Trust for £450,000, the BBC reports. Built more than 2,000 years ago, Hambledon Hill, near Blandford Forum in Dorset, stands at 620ft and spans the size of 50 football pitches.

The trust said its historical uses included communal occupation, farming, feasting, conflict, and burial.

It is the first hill fort acquired by the trust in Dorset for 30 years and joins its six other sites in the county, including Hod Hill, Lamberts Castle, Badbury Rings and Pilsdon Pen.

The National Trust said it decided to buy the site to secure its future, and ensure maintenance and access for the public was maintained.

The chalk grassland is home to at least five species of orchids, while 28 species of butterfly have been recorded at the site over the years.

From its summit visitors can see across three counties: Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire.

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