<< Our Photo Pages >> South Cadbury Castle - Hillfort in England in Somerset
Submitted by PaulH on Monday, 10 September 2012 Page Views: 74184
Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: South Cadbury CastleCountry: England County: Somerset Type: Hillfort
Nearest Village: Sparkford
Map Ref: ST62812515 Landranger Map Number: 183
Latitude: 51.024508N Longitude: 2.531642W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
Rulebritannia visited on 8th Feb 2013 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 5 Access: 3 This is Camelot for me, I love this place, everything about it says ancient power and status.
woodini254 visited on 1st Oct 1994 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Impressive hillfort well worth a visit.
graemefield visited on 1st Jun 1990 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3
hevveh Tomleecee DrewParsons Arjessa have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3 Ambience: 4.33 Access: 3.33
The Web Site of the South Cadbury Environs Project is here.
The earliest evidence from excavations is of a Neolithic occupation before 3000 BC. This was followed by bronze age and unfortified iron age occupations.
Between 500 and 200 BC the hill top was fortified, when the ramparts that are still spectacular were added. They enclose a site of 8 hectares. There is possible evidence of a temple from this time as well as a smithy and a number of house foundations.
As with other hill forts in southern England there is evidence that the Romans attacked it. There are finds of Roman military equipment and the foundations of a Roman military building within the fort itself.
Now for the most interesting bit. Around 470 AD the innermost rampart was refortified using recycled Roman stone, on top of which a wooden walkway was added. A sturdy wooden gatehouse was included through which passed a 3m wide cobbled road. Within the ramparts a timber "feasting hall" was built; in this hall were found large numbers of sherds of Mediterranean pottery - signs of a high status site where someone or a group were able to afford costly foreign imports.
It could well represent the capital of the Dumnonian Kings, which took over from the then deserted Roman regional capital of Ilchester. In this way it is similar to the Deiran site of Yeavering Bell in Northumberland. In both places local Britons reoccupied the most spectacular local hillfort in the immediate post-Roman era. For an article on Yeavering Bell watch this space...
It has been suggested that the name Cadbury comes from "Cado's fort". Cado was a 6th century AD Dumnonian King. The location of South Cadbury is certainly plausible as a base for the chieftain (Arthur ?) who lead the Britons to victory over the advancing Saxons at "Mons Badonis". The location of this battle is unknown, but place name evidence certainly suggests a halt in the westward tide of Saxon settlements being established. If memory serves this boundary was in the middle of Wiltshire. The pause in Saxon settlement was for 50 years or so, and corresponds to the time of South Cadbury's post Roman occupation. For more on this period of history see David Nash Ford's website.
South Cadbury probably went out of use in the 7th century.
Access is not particularly easy as the approach along a footpath from beside South Cadbury church is still very steep (car park is a little further down the road on the opposite side to the church). Ten minutes stiff climb is amply rewarded by one of the most beautiful views in England.
Most hill forts are magnificent but rather bleak in their setting; on a fine day in high summer South Cadbury seems more like an upwardly projecting part of the garden of Eden. In almost every direction you look lush fields are broken into a patchwork by small woods and coppices.
The slopes of the fort have been softened over the years by the mature trees that now cling on to the hillsides with spectacular effect. Only as you approach the summit do you emerge from the blanket of tree cover to explore the ramparts and enjoy the spectacular vistas. A lovely place for a picnic.
Note: Hillforts in the west of Britain Symposium, Saturday 6 October. See also links to Clas Merdin: Tales from the Enchanted Island
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