Arbury Banks, Hertfordshire

{{Short description|Hill fort southwest of Ashwell, Hertfordshire, England}}

File:Arbury Banks Hertfordshire Digital Terrain Model.jpg

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

File:Arbury banks.jpg Arbury Banks is a hill fort southwest of Ashwell, Hertfordshire, England.

It was probably first constructed during the late Bronze Age, 1000-700 BC. Standing at {{cvt|90|m|ft}} above sea level, it is one of a line of six similar hill forts along the northern Chilterns that includes Wilbury Hill Camp southwest of Letchworth. Excavations in the 1850s traced Arbury Banks' horseshoe-shaped ramparts and identified two opposed north-north-west and south-south-east entrances. Evidence was also discovered for several enclosures or buildings inside the fort.

Arbury Banks has been suggested as a possible location for the Battle of Watling Street, where a small Roman force destroyed the army of Boudica.[https://www.academia.edu/241523/The_Boudican_Revolt_Countdown_to_defeat Grahame A. Appleby, "The Boudican Revolt: countdown to defeat", Hertfordshire Archaeology and History Vol. 16 (2009), pp. 57-65]

The site is a scheduled monument.{{National Heritage List for England |num=1008981 |desc=Arbury Banks Iron Age hillfort|access-date=13 November 2013}}

Ordnance Survey grid reference: {{gbmappingsmall|TL261387}}