ations ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁when ▁several ▁tren ches ▁tot alling ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁ ▁were ▁d ug ▁in ▁the ▁interior ▁near ▁the ▁r amp art ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁site . ▁A ▁tren ch ▁was ▁d ug ▁across ▁the ▁r amp art ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁cross - section . ▁Despite ▁multiple ▁exc av ations , ▁the ▁results ▁have ▁generally ▁been ▁poor ly ▁published ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁the ▁hill fort ▁remains ▁little ▁understood . ▁ ▁The ▁ ▁country ▁park ▁containing ▁the ▁hill fort ▁has ▁been ▁le ased ▁by ▁the ▁Ernest ▁Cook ▁Trust , ▁who ▁own ▁the ▁site , ▁to ▁Le ic esters hire ▁County ▁Council ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁The ▁area ▁is ▁still ▁used ▁as ▁far ml and , ▁mostly ▁for ▁cro ps ▁but ▁with ▁some ▁liv est ock ▁such ▁as ▁c ows ▁and ▁sheep . ▁B urr ough ▁Hill ▁Country ▁Park , ▁which ▁contains ▁the ▁hill fort , ▁is ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁in ▁day light ▁hours . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁a ▁five - year ▁exc av ation ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁site , ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Le ic ester ▁School ▁of ▁Arch ae ology ▁& ▁An cient ▁History ▁with ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Le ic ester ▁Arch ae ological ▁Services ▁( UL AS ). ▁According ▁to ▁Dr ▁Patrick ▁Clay ▁research ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁on ▁farm st ead s ▁and ▁und