Hillfort and Horses on the North Downs Way
The Kent Wildlife Trust organised a great day out at Bigbury hill fort today. Through the work of Kathryn Barton and many others, visitors to the Blean were treated to the spectacle of woodland management being undertaken by working horses. Part of this work will include opening up the ancient iron-age hill camp and its earthworks and ramparts that for far to long have been left exposed to the ravages of visitors and users of the site, many of whom have been completely unaware of the historic significance of Bigbury Camp.
It was pointed out to me at the Hillfort and Horse open day that within the distance of a mile the ancient woodland of the Blean contains the sites of what might be one of the first documented battles to take place in Britain when the camp was overun by the Roman' 7th Legion in 54 BC as well the site of the last armed uprising on the British mainland in May 1838. All this history and right on the North Downs' Way National Trail only two miles from Canterbury.
More can be found out about the work of the Kent Wildlife Trust on 01227 719506.
A short history brief about Bigbury Camp can be found on the Walk Awhile site at http://www.walkawhile.co.uk/ancestural-vacation.html
