The British Iron Age is known for its hillforts. Grouped within these is currently a relatively under researched sub-category known as ‘marsh-forts’, defined by their setting in wetland environments. This has derived from the descriptive way in which we distinguish other categories of hillfort, such as promontory or contour forts. My research focuses on moving from such descriptive definitions of marsh-forts to analytical categorisations based on the relationships between site and landscape architecture.

My GIS-based MA research focused on the analysis of seven marsh-fort sites, resulting in the hypothesis that there are two distinctive types of marsh-fort defined by relationships between constructed architecture and wetland context.

To test this hypothesis, I will be expanding my MA research to all identified examples, and undertaking targeted fieldwork of a selection. The data collection stage of my research can be split into three main phases:

1. Critical analysis of all 34 sites in Britain currently defined as marsh-forts using GIS-based modelling (lidar, geology, archaeology) and site visits, resulting in the creation of detailed desk-based assessments (DBAs). This will result in an initial classification of different types of marsh-fort.
2. A selection of sites with different architectural details will then be selected for borehole surveys with stratigraphic analysis of transects, targeted radiocarbon dating of basal deposits, and GIS-based modelling used to characterise wetland.
3. Of the sites targeted in phase two, one will be selected for targeted excavation focused on gathering further dating evidence of cultural layers for comparison with previous data collected from excavation of Sutton Common and the Berth.

The data will then be used to determine and re-classify different types of ‘marsh-fort’ and assess how these relate to wider themes of Iron Age landscape architecture.

This project has potential to significantly impact on future study of hill-forts and the Iron Age. A more nuanced approach, built upon critical assessment, has the potential to redefine the classification of marsh-forts, exposing complexity and generating new avenues of research.