Lodge Hill Fort

Lodge Hill Fort is the site of an ancient hillfort, above Caerleon on the outskirts of the city of Newport, Wales. Speculation has it that it may once have been the site of Camelot - the castle of the legendary King Arthur.

It was built and occupied by early Welsh tribes. The warlike Silures were resident there around the time of the Roman invasion of the area. They put up a fierce resistance to the Romans, but the Silures and Lodge Hill were eventually subdued - either by force, or by persuasion.

It's been speculated that, after the Romans left, the fort may have been reoccupied by a local warlord who led resistance against a Saxon takeover of the area. This warlord may have been King Arthur, and Lodge Hill could have been the actual site of Camelot, although it's impossible to be sure.

Archaeological investigations of the fort site in the summer of 2000 were led by Dr Ray Howell from the University of Wales. Numerous small finds were made, and numerous layers of occupation were discovered. Lodge Hill featured in the University of Wales Institute of Digital Learning's video Reclaiming King Arthur, featuring Dr Howell.