- Old Winchester Hill
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Old Winchester Hill grid reference SU643205 is a chalk hill in Hampshire, England surmounted by an Iron Age hill fort and a Bronze Age cemetery. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. The hill fort has never been fully excavated.[1]
Contents
Location
Despite its name the hill is around 11 miles (18 km) from Winchester. It lies to the east of Corhampton on the eastern side of the Meon Valley, opposite Beacon Hill. The South Downs Way and Monarch's Way long distance footpaths cross the summit of the hill, which reaches 197 metres (646 ft).
In March 2009, it became part of the South Downs National Park.
Archaeology
On the summit of the hill is an Iron Age hill fort. Within the hill fort can also be found Bronze Age barrows. The barrows date from between 4500 and 3,500 BC whilst the fort itself is believed to be Celtic in origin. More modern archaeology dates from World War II when the British Army used the hill as a mortar testing range. Some unexploded Ordnance may still remain in 'fenced-off' sections of the hill however grazing hill-sheep access all areas so danger to the casual walker is likely to be low.[2]
Wildlife
The hill is the Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve managed by English Nature. This unimproved chalk downland is home to a number of butterfly species, including the Adonis Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Essex Skipper, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Silver-spotted Skipper, Small Heath, Small Skipper, and the Speckled Wood. There is also a diverse bird population, including the Green Woodpecker, commonly seen feeding amongst the many anthills (which are also very important for in the lifecycle of the Lycaenidae butterflies) and the Turtle Dove. Many species of orchid can be found on the hill or in the immediate vicinity including the Fly, Bee and Frog Orchids.[1]
References
Coordinates: 50°58′49″N 1°05′08″W / 50.98033°N 1.08543°W
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire Basingstoke Canal · Beacon Hill, Warnford · Blackwater Valley · Boulsbury Wood · Bourley and Long Valley · Burghclere Beacon · Butser Hill · Catherington Down · Cheesefoot Head · Chichester Harbour · Dibden Bay · Ebblake Bog · Fleet Pond · Foxlease And Ancells Meadows · Galley Down Wood · Greywell Tunnel · Hurst Castle And Lymington River Estuary · Itchen Navigation · Ladle Hill · Langstone Harbour · Lymington River · Lymington River Reedbeds · Mottisfont Bats · New Forest · Noar Hill · Old Winchester Hill · Pamber Forest and Silchester Common · Portsmouth Harbour · River Avon System · River Itchen · River Test · Selborne Common · Southampton Common · Sowley Pond · St. Catherine's Hill · Trodds Copse · Woolmer Forest
Neighbouring areas: Berkshire · Dorset · Isle of Wight · Surrey · West Sussex · Wiltshire
Categories:- Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire
- National Nature Reserves in England
- Hills of Hampshire
- Monarch's Way
- Hill forts in Hampshire
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