Hill forts developed in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, roughly the start of the first millennium BC.

They would be functional as defensive strongholds when there were tensions and undoubtedly some of them were attacked and destroyed, but this was not the only, or even the most significant, factor in their construction".

A group of graves containing men, women and children outside the east entrance has been interpreted as war burials, possibly from the Roman conquest.

[5] The southwest area of the hill fort is apparently built over and around preceding Bronze Age burial mounds or tumuli.

A few feet further to the west are two other barrows, over which the great inner rampart passes; these on opening, proved to be sepulchral: in the largest was found a cist containing burned human bones at the depth of two feet; and in the smallest, two skeletons were found, lying from south to north, the head of the smallest reclining on the breast of the other.

The site and surrounding downs are easily accessible by public footpath; however, care must be taken not to stray into the military firing ranges of Salisbury Plain immediately to the northeast.