Dundon Hill Hillfort
Encyclopedia
Dundon Hill Hillfort is an Iron Age
hillfort in Compton Dundon
, Somerset
, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
. South east of the site is a Bronze Age
bowl barrow which was later modified as a Norman Motte, known as Dundon Beacon.
The 5 hectares (12.4 acre) site is guarded by a single bank ranging from 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high, however parts of the site have been damaged by quarrying. Flint
flakes, Bronze Age
pottery, and Iron Age pottery have also been found, which are now in the Somerset County Museum
.
Dundon Hill, also sometimes called Dundon Beacon, stands out prominently in the flat country of King's Sedgemoor
, rising to a height of 270 feet. One writer on ancient earthworks notes that it "looks like a respectable mountain and is in fact a natural island fortress". The whole of the hilltop is enclosed by the single bank of stones and earth.
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hillfort in Compton Dundon
Compton Dundon
Compton Dundon is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated beside King's Sedge Moor and the Polden Hills, south of Glastonbury and north of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 710...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
. South east of the site is a Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
bowl barrow which was later modified as a Norman Motte, known as Dundon Beacon.
The 5 hectares (12.4 acre) site is guarded by a single bank ranging from 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high, however parts of the site have been damaged by quarrying. Flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
flakes, Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
pottery, and Iron Age pottery have also been found, which are now in the Somerset County Museum
Somerset County Museum
The Museum of Somerset is located in the 12th century great hall of Taunton Castle, in Taunton in the county of Somerset, England. The museum is run by Somerset County Council and includes objects initially collected by the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society who own the...
.
Dundon Hill, also sometimes called Dundon Beacon, stands out prominently in the flat country of King's Sedgemoor
King's Sedgemoor
King's Sedgemoor is a piece of rich animal habit and farming land, that forms part of the Somerset Levels in South West England.The area of King's Sedgemoor fell within the Whitley Hundred,...
, rising to a height of 270 feet. One writer on ancient earthworks notes that it "looks like a respectable mountain and is in fact a natural island fortress". The whole of the hilltop is enclosed by the single bank of stones and earth.