Oswestry Hillfort, Oswestry, Shropshire

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Old Oswestry hillfort stands out as one of Britain's most well-preserved hillforts, dating back to the Iron Age (800 BC to AD 43). Built and occupied during this period, the hill was first settled in the Neolithic era. A wooden palisade built around 1000BC marks the beginning of settlement in the Bronze Age, accompanied by internal round houses. The impressive main ramparts and entrances visible today were constructed in four major phases, expanding from top to bottom throughout the Iron Age. The large size and intricate defences of the site suggest that it was a significant tribal centre. The Wat's Dyke boundary, which stretches 64km from Basingwerk in Flintshire to Maesbury, Shropshire, incorporates the hillfort's ramparts as part of its alignment. Dating back to the 9th-8th century AD, this dyke likely served as a border for the Mercian kingdom. During World War I, military training took place within the hillfort, and trenches were dug in its interior. Explosives were used to create craters, while Wilfred Owen, a poet born nearby, completed his army training here.