Ham Hill Hillfort
Encyclopedia
Ham Hill Hillfort is an Iron Age
hillfort located on Ham Hill, Somerset
, England. It was also occupied during the mesolithic
and neolithic
periods and later during Roman
and medieval eras. The fort is a Scheduled Ancient Monument
, and the whole of the hill is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest
, a country park
operated by South Somerset
Council, and is visited by over 250,000 people each year.
It covers an area of 210 acres (85 ha), making it one of the largest hillforts in Britain. It is the only one with a public house
in its interior.
. The reason for their emergence in Britain, and their purpose, have been a subject of debate. It has been argued that they could have been military sites constructed in response to invasion from continental Europe, sites built by invaders, or a military reaction to social tensions caused by an increasing population and consequent pressure on agriculture. The dominant view since the 1960s has been that the increasing use of iron led to social changes in Britain. Deposits of iron ore were located in different places to the tin and copper ore necessary to make bronze; as a result, trading patterns shifted, the old elites lost their economic and social status, and power passed into the hands of a new group of people. Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe
believes that population increase still played a role and has stated, "[The forts] provided defensive possibilities for the community at those times when the stress [of an increasing population] burst out into open warfare. But I wouldn't see them as having been built because there was a state of war. They would be functional as defensive strongholds when there were tensions and undoubtedly some of them were attacked and destroyed, but this was not the only, or even the most significant, factor in their construction."
The hill rises to 400 feet (121.9 m) above sea level and towers over the surrounding Parrett
and Yeo
river valleys.
The 3 miles (5 km) ramparts enclose an area of 210 acres (85 ha). The southern part is a rectangle approximately 800 metres (2,624.7 ft) by 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) with a northern spur 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) by 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) making an irregular L shape.
Most of the perimeter is a double bank and ditch (multivallate), with some of the banks being up to 12 metres (39.4 ft) high. There is a major entrance to the south-east, on the line of the modern road, and another to the north-east, following a track from the Church of St Mary the Virgin
at East Stoke in Stoke-sub-Hamdon
.
and neolithic
periods, and then by the Durotriges
tribe, from the 1st century BC.
Archaeological finds, which date the original occupation to the 7th century BC, include bronze-work, chariot parts, iron currency bars, gold and silver coins, cremations and burials. A Glastonbury type
pot has also been recovered.
The site was also important during the Roman
era, with many finds indicating that there was a building on the site, possibly a Roman villa
. It may also have been the site of a fort that provided a point of control for the Fosse Way
. Roman coins, dating from the time of Domitian
to Constantine the Great, were contained in a crock found during the 19th century. Other finds include a vessel containing 338 sestertii, which were given to Somerset County Museum
in 1915 by W. R. Phelps, and two other similar pots of coins that together contained slightly over 1,000 coins from Republican Rome
to the time of Postumus
, which must have been buried at some time after 260. Damaged bronze scales of lorica squamata
, a type of scale armour
, have also been found.
There is less evidence from the Saxon era, although the site might have been occupied during that period. It was definitely occupied during medieval times and was the site of the deserted hamlet
of South Ameldon, which hosted an annual fair and court from 1102 until the 17th century. In the 14th century part of the site was a rabbit warren.
The site, particularly the northern and western areas, has been damaged by quarrying for Hamstone
. In the 1800s there were 24 small quarries operating on the hill employing some 200 men. There are now two quarries, both owned by the Duchy of Cornwall
, after whom the pub is named. A stone circle
was added in 2000 to commemorate all those who have quarried stone on the site since Roman times. It consists of 15 hamstones.
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 located on Ham Hill, 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 was also occupied during the mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
and neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
periods and later during Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
and medieval eras. The fort is 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...
, and the whole of the hill is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, a country park
Country park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
operated by South Somerset
South Somerset
South Somerset is a local government district in Somerset, England.The South Somerset district covers and area of ranging from the borders with Devon and Dorset to the edge of the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 158,000...
Council, and is visited by over 250,000 people each year.
It covers an area of 210 acres (85 ha), making it one of the largest hillforts in Britain. It is the only one with a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in its interior.
Background
Hill forts developed in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, at roughly the start of the first millennium BC1st millennium BC
The 1st millennium BC encompasses the Iron Age and sees the rise of many successive empires, and spanned from 1000 BC to 1 BC.The Neo-Assyrian Empire, followed by the Achaemenids. In Greece, Classical Antiquity begins with the colonization of Magna Graecia and peaks with the rise of Hellenism. The...
. The reason for their emergence in Britain, and their purpose, have been a subject of debate. It has been argued that they could have been military sites constructed in response to invasion from continental Europe, sites built by invaders, or a military reaction to social tensions caused by an increasing population and consequent pressure on agriculture. The dominant view since the 1960s has been that the increasing use of iron led to social changes in Britain. Deposits of iron ore were located in different places to the tin and copper ore necessary to make bronze; as a result, trading patterns shifted, the old elites lost their economic and social status, and power passed into the hands of a new group of people. Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe
Barry Cunliffe
Sir Barrington Windsor Cunliffe, CBE, known professionally as Barry Cunliffe is a former Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford, a position held from 1972 to 2007...
believes that population increase still played a role and has stated, "[The forts] provided defensive possibilities for the community at those times when the stress [of an increasing population] burst out into open warfare. But I wouldn't see them as having been built because there was a state of war. They would be functional as defensive strongholds when there were tensions and undoubtedly some of them were attacked and destroyed, but this was not the only, or even the most significant, factor in their construction."
Description
River Parrett
The River Parrett flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset...
and Yeo
River Yeo (South Somerset)
The River Yeo, also known as the River Ivel or River Gascoigne, is a tributary of the River Parrett in north Dorset and south Somerset, England....
river valleys.
The 3 miles (5 km) ramparts enclose an area of 210 acres (85 ha). The southern part is a rectangle approximately 800 metres (2,624.7 ft) by 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) with a northern spur 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) by 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) making an irregular L shape.
Most of the perimeter is a double bank and ditch (multivallate), with some of the banks being up to 12 metres (39.4 ft) high. There is a major entrance to the south-east, on the line of the modern road, and another to the north-east, following a track from the Church of St Mary the Virgin
Church of St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke
The Church of St Mary the Virgin at East Stoke in Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, England dates from the 12th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building....
at East Stoke in Stoke-sub-Hamdon
Stoke-sub-Hamdon
Stoke-sub-Hamdon is a village and civil parish in South Somerset, situated west of Yeovil, England. The parish is located near the River Parrett, and includes the village of East Stoke.-History:...
.
History
The site was occupied during the mesolithicMesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
and neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
periods, and then by the Durotriges
Durotriges
The Durotriges were one of the Celtic tribes living in Britain prior to the Roman invasion. The tribe lived in modern Dorset, south Wiltshire and south Somerset...
tribe, from the 1st century BC.
Archaeological finds, which date the original occupation to the 7th century BC, include bronze-work, chariot parts, iron currency bars, gold and silver coins, cremations and burials. A Glastonbury type
Glastonbury type pottery
Glastonbury type pottery is a form of Iron Age pottery derived from earlier Gaulish art of the middle La Tène period. It was made in southwestern England and takes its name from the town of Glastonbury in Somerset....
pot has also been recovered.
The site was also important during the Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
era, with many finds indicating that there was a building on the site, possibly a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
. It may also have been the site of a fort that provided a point of control for the Fosse Way
Fosse Way
The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter in South West England to Lincoln in Lincolnshire, via Ilchester , Bath , Cirencester and Leicester .It joined Akeman Street and Ermin Way at Cirencester, crossed Watling Street at Venonis south...
. Roman coins, dating from the time of Domitian
Domitian
Domitian was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.Domitian's youth and early career were largely spent in the shadow of his brother Titus, who gained military renown during the First Jewish-Roman War...
to Constantine the Great, were contained in a crock found during the 19th century. Other finds include a vessel containing 338 sestertii, which were given to 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...
in 1915 by W. R. Phelps, and two other similar pots of coins that together contained slightly over 1,000 coins from Republican Rome
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
to the time of Postumus
Postumus
Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus was a Roman emperor of Batavian origin. He usurped power from Gallienus in 260 and formed the so-called Gallic Empire...
, which must have been buried at some time after 260. Damaged bronze scales of lorica squamata
Lorica squamata
The Lorica squamata is a type of scale armour used by the ancient Roman military during the Roman Republic and at later periods. It was made from small metal scales sewn to a fabric backing. It is typically seen on depictions of standard bearers, musicians, centurions, cavalry troops, and even...
, a type of scale armour
Scale armour
Scale armour is an early form of armour sometimes erroneously called scale mail consisting of many individual small armour scales of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows. Scale armour was worn by warriors of many different cultures as well...
, have also been found.
There is less evidence from the Saxon era, although the site might have been occupied during that period. It was definitely occupied during medieval times and was the site of the deserted hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of South Ameldon, which hosted an annual fair and court from 1102 until the 17th century. In the 14th century part of the site was a rabbit warren.
The site, particularly the northern and western areas, has been damaged by quarrying for Hamstone
Hamstone
Hamstone is the colloquial name given to stone from Ham Hill, Somerset, England. Hamstone is a Jurassic limestone from the Toarcian, or Upper Lias, stage. It is a well cemented medium to coarse grained limestone characterised by its honey-gold colour and marked bedding planes. The stone contains...
. In the 1800s there were 24 small quarries operating on the hill employing some 200 men. There are now two quarries, both owned by the Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
, after whom the pub is named. A stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
was added in 2000 to commemorate all those who have quarried stone on the site since Roman times. It consists of 15 hamstones.