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<< Our Photo Pages >> Clifton Down Camp - Hillfort in England in Gloucestershire

Submitted by TheCaptain on Thursday, 27 October 2022  Page Views: 23654

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Clifton Down Camp
Country: England County: Gloucestershire Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Bristol  Nearest Village: Clifton
Map Ref: ST56587329  Landranger Map Number: 172
Latitude: 51.456913N  Longitude: 2.626319W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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IanMu4966 visited on 14th Jun 2025 - their rating: Cond: 1 Amb: 4 Access: 5

Ogham visited on 10th Oct 2021 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

coin visited on 19th Apr 2015 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 2 Access: 5

NorthernerInLondon visited - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 4

lboutside visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

Tomleecee TheCaptain hevveh have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 2.4 Ambience: 3.8 Access: 4.4

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by camperman : Aerial view from the East showing the natural defence provided by the Avon Gorge. (Vote or comment on this photo)
An Iron Age hillfort on the eastern side of the sheer Avon Gorge, just to the north of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and now a part of the splendid Clifton Downs parkland. Approximately circular, double ditches and banks run around in a clockwise direction from the northwest to the southeast, with the earthen ramparts now covered in dense tree growth. The southwestern side needs no defending, being on top of a 200 feet sheer cliff. The central area of the fort is grassed over and a splendid place for a picnic, in the middle of which is the Clifton Observatory, with its Camera Obscura, and the tunnel down into the cave which opens out into the sheer rock face of the Avon Gorge partway down to the river.

Just across the other side of the Avon Gorge are two further iron age forts, at Stokeleigh and Burwalls, both now completely wooded over.

It is not really known whether these forts were complimentary to each other guarding a river crossing in the gorge below, or whether they were rivals, with the river Avon forming a natural tribal boundary.
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Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by camperman : Clifton Camp from the North West. The banks and ditches follow the circular line of trees. The Avon Gorge as a back drop. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by Bladup : Lidar image of Clifton Down Camp Source: www.lidarfinder.com (Vote or comment on this photo)

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by camperman : The footpath follows the ditch between the inner and outer banks. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by camperman : The inner rampart is still intact and visible in places. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by camperman : Aerial view from the South West taken above Stokeleigh Camp looking across the Avon Gorge towards Clifton Camp.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : Good News! The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort. This has opened up some magnificent views previously blocked by trees, northwards along the Avon gorge with the river in the bottom, and indeed while I was here I saw the Matthew returning up the river to Bristol after its recent stormy trip from a festival in Brittany.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and the rings of defensive ramparts can now clearly be seen and explored on the northeastern side.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and the three rings of defensive ramparts can now clearly be seen and explored on the northeastern side.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and the three rings of defensive ramparts can now clearly be seen and explored. Northern ramparts; compare to less than a year ago.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and the three rings of defensive ramparts can now clearly be seen and explored. Northwestern entrance path.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and the three rings of defensive ramparts can now clearly be seen and explored. Northwestern entrance path; compare to less than a year ago.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and the three rings of defensive ramparts can now clearly be seen and explored. This is the northern entrance

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain : The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and also added several information boards.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by theCaptain

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : Clifton Down Camp seen here across the Avon Gorge from its neighbour Stokeleigh Camp. (1 comment)

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : Plan of Clifton Camp from Notes on the Clifton, Burwalls and Stokeleigh Camps by Professor C. Lloyd Morgan, Clifton Antiquarian Club 1900.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : view towards the south over the river Avon from the southwest edge of the fort. It needs no defensive ramparts on this side!

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : panoramic view across the southern edge of the fort, looking here towards the southwest from the eastern entrance of the fort.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : view of the ramparts beside the eastern entrance

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : panoramic view across the centre of the hillfort, looking here towards the east from the northwest of the fort. (2 comments)

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : panoramic view across the centre of the hillfort, looking here towards the north from the southwest of the fort.

Clifton Down Camp
Clifton Down Camp submitted by TheCaptain : Remains of the ramparts at the northwestern side

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"Clifton Down Camp" | Login/Create an Account | 7 News and Comments
  
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Re: Clifton Down Camp by Anonymous on Friday, 29 April 2016
Excellent news. I had no idea this camp existed! Another excuse for an adventure
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Clifton Down Camp by TheCaptain on Thursday, 23 May 2013
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Good News! The council has now significantly tidied up the northern part of the fort, and the three rings of defensive ramparts can now clearly be seen and explored. This has also opened up some magnificent views previously blocked by trees, northwards along the Avon gorge with the river in the bottom, and indeed while I was here I saw the Matthew returning up the river to Bristol after its recent stormy trip to a festival in Brittany.

The council have also added several information boards, and will be opening up more and more of the fort over the forthcoming years. Excellent, I will increase the condition rating to a 4 now.
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Clifton Down Camp by DougJ on Wednesday, 09 October 2019
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    I went there yesterday and it is looking great, with lots more detailed information dotted around.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Clifton Down Camp by TheCaptain on Saturday, 20 April 2013
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Driving the scenic way back from football, and noticed that the council have done a major clear up of the hillfort and its ramparts. Obviously one to pay another proper visit to sometime.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Clifton Down Camp by TheCaptain on Thursday, 15 September 2011
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Streetview of Clifton Down Camp looking up from River Avon below.


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Re: Clifton Down Camp by Anonymous on Sunday, 21 August 2011
Not much left to see of this hillfort but an amazing position - really spectacular. I go there everytime I'm in Bristol.

Thanks for giving this stunning place some publicity (in the heart of a city too).

tjj
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Re: Clifton Down Camp by TheCaptain on Wednesday, 17 August 2011
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streetview towards Clifton Down Camp from the "Spenshun Bridge"


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