esters hire . ▁Find s ▁from ▁the ▁site ▁date ▁from ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁Mes ol ith ic , ▁indicating ▁the ▁area ▁has ▁seen ▁human ▁activity ▁over ▁an ▁extended ▁period ▁of ▁time , ▁however ▁it ▁is ▁likely ▁that ▁a ▁settlement ▁was ▁only ▁created ▁in ▁the ▁Late ▁Bron ze ▁or ▁Early ▁Iron ▁Age . ▁The ▁subsequent ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁hill fort ▁is ▁unclear . ▁As ▁yet ▁it ▁is ▁uncertain ▁whether ▁the ▁settlement ▁outside ▁the ▁hill fort ▁was ▁contemporary ▁with ▁the ▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁hill fort ▁or ▁represent ▁a ▁different ▁phase ▁of ▁activity ▁on ▁the ▁site . ▁The ▁period ▁of ▁most ▁int ensive ▁activity ▁at ▁B urr ough ▁Hill ▁was ▁between ▁ 1 0 0   BC ▁and ▁AD   5 0 . ▁Arte fact s ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁settlement ▁had ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁trade ▁links . ▁Tow ards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Age , ▁the ▁fort ▁gradually ▁de grad ed . ▁A ▁layer ▁of ▁refuse ▁be ars ▁test ament ▁to ▁this ▁and ▁contains ▁Roman ▁pot tery . ▁It ▁is ▁likely ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁still ▁in ▁use ▁between ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁centuries   AD , ▁at ▁which ▁point ▁Britain ▁was ▁under ▁Roman ▁control . ▁During ▁the ▁Roman ▁period , ▁habit ation ▁was ▁focused ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁fort . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁medieval ▁period , ▁the ▁interior ▁of ▁the ▁hill fort ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area ▁was ▁far med ; ▁traces ▁of ▁r idge ▁and ▁fur row ▁still ▁mark ▁where ▁the ▁fields ▁were ▁pl ough ed