Southwold Earthworks National Historic Site — Local services in Southwold

An interesting site, a little off the beaten path.

I think we must have been there at the wrong time or something because I have seen photos and read other reviews that make it seem like it's well-kept and mowed regularly, but our impression was the opposite.

The grass was quite long when we were there and it seemed rather unkept, which I think made the interesting Earthworks harder to see and photograph. We encountered a snake and lots of different bugs in the long grass, which we were not well prepared for as we were expecting more of a walk on a mown area than a hike through tall grasses.

I would very much like to go back again, hopefully when it has been mown, but we will definitely go more prepared for wilder conditions next time (ie, long pants and closed shoes),...

A fortified village once stood on this Attiwandaron Prehistoric Site, which was occupied by the Neutral peoples from about 1500 to 1650 AD. The Southwold Prehistoric Earthworks became a National Historic Site in 1923, and is now under the care & protection of Parks Canada.

The raised earth foundation of the pallsade is all that remains of the village that was once home to several hundred people. Multi-unit wood dwellings or longhouses housed entire extended families related by a common maternal ancestor.

Attiwandaron is a name from the Huron-Wendat language that refers to the confederacy of Iroquoian peoples living north of Lake Erie who remained neutral in the conflict between the Huron-Wendat and the League of Five...

Disappointed! The grass was quite long and when walking down path to get to actual site our feet was covered in orange, not sure what that was all about. There were 2 port-a-johns at very back that were disgusting. I think we would have enjoyed visit much more if grounds had been better maintained. Sad for a National Historic Site. There are also no signs on main road to even let you know there was a site down...