Monument record MDO122 - Tree enclosure or sea beacon known as 'The Octagon', Eggardon Hill, Askerswell

In 1872 local antiquarian Charles Warne described the origins of The Octagon as follows: 'To spare further antiquaries the mortification of being led into error, it is incumbent on me to give some account of this small enclosure, about three-fourths of an acre in extent, and octangular in design, with its surface covered by small depressions.

The history is soon told – it was prepared for a plantation, to serve as a land mark from the channel, for the direction of certain vessels engaged in the contraband trade, when homeward bound.

Roberts in his “Social History of the Southern Counties” speaking of the extent to which this contraband trade attained, says “a smuggler named Gulliver kept forty or fifty men constantly employed, who wore a kind of livery, powdered hair, and smock frock, from which they attained the name of “White Wigs,” Gulliver amassed a large fortune and lived to a good old age.”

A part of Eggar-Dun was his property, and the enclosure alluded to was made by him. He became celebrated as a contrabandist, and of his “dealings and darings,” so many anecdotes are still remembered, that although he has long passed away, his deeds are likely to remain traditionary in Dorset for many generations.' (2)

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1980, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1978, 64 (Serial). SDO78.

‘The Octagon. In the centre of the hillfort there is an octagonal enclosure formed by a low bank and outside ditch. This earthwork cuts Features 57, 48 and 49 and the bank running between the points marked P and O (Fig. 14). The Octagon was sectioned in 1963 by the trench through Feature 57 (Fig. 18) and the ditch may be seen to cut the filling of the pit. Both bank and ditch were composed of flinty soil (layer 8). It was recorded that this octagonal earthwork was built in the late eighteenth century to protect a coppice planted by Isaac Gulliver, owner of Eggardon Hill who was a smuggler alleged to have planned the feature as a sea-mark to guide his ships into the coast (Warne, 1872).’

<2> Warne, C, 1872, Ancient Dorset (2nd Edition) (Monograph). SWX1971.

Record last edited

Dec 7 2024 7:06AM