Maiden Castle, Dorset - Iron Age hillfort Maiden Castle is a hill fort, mostly dating from the Iron Age, situated 2 miles south of Dorchester, in Dorset, England. The earthworks are up to 6 m high, and enclose an area of 18 ha, making it one of the largest hill forts in Europe. The name maiden is believed to derive from the Brythonic mai dun, meaning great hill. The site is maintained by English Heritage. 'Castle' is a common English folk name for prehistoric earthwork sites, referring to the defensive banks and ditches. There is no 'castle' as such on the site. Excavations at the site have dated construction of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure back to around 4000 BC. An extensive bank and ditch as well as a bank barrow burial mound are evident from this period at the eastern end. ?005 Credit:TopFoto / Fortean