<< Our Photo Pages >> Brent Knoll Camp - Hillfort in England in Somerset
Submitted by TheCaptain on Saturday, 27 November 2004 Page Views: 26340
Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Brent Knoll CampCountry: England County: Somerset Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Burnham-on-Sea Nearest Village: East Brent
Map Ref: ST34115097 Landranger Map Number: 182
Latitude: 51.254072N Longitude: 2.945541W
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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I have visited· I would like to visit
lucasn saw from a distance on 30th May 2017 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4
achiersnakes visited on 14th Jun 2016 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3 Amazing site. Very steep climb from a footpath through a field (possible bridle-path). Site has a great view from the top and large area in the middle. Recognisable henge. Very nice place to visit.
jlfern2 visited on 1st Jan 2011 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4
TheCaptain SteveC AnnabelleStar have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3 Ambience: 4.33 Access: 3.67
Over the years the knoll has been sculpted and adapted my man for various uses. Bronze Age and Iron Age people set up forts and encampments on the summit which became a focus for religious activity. The Romans built a temple and fortifications there, and referred to the hill as “The Mount of Frogs”. Roman coins of the Emperor Trajan (AD98 -117) and Septimus Severus (AD145 - 211) have been found on the Knoll. Legend claims this hill to be the site of Mons Badonicus, with its King Arthur connections. The Anglo-Saxons made good use of the Knoll, and on its eastern slopes is the site of a battle in AD875 when the Saxons drove away the Vikings. Hence, the "Battleborough Grange" Hotel, and Battleborough Lane.
The Knoll was even used during the last world war as a look out post, and modifications and the remains of gun emplacements built by the Home Guard can be seen. Today it is still used for celebratory purposes, such as jubilee beacons, and indeed the name Brent is probably derived from an old word for beacon. I like the name Frog Island better !
The view from the top of the Knoll is exceptional, with a massive view in all 360 degrees. To the west is the Bristol Channel, with its islands, and Wales over on the far shore. In the foreground can be seen Burnham-on-Sea, Brean Down and up to Weston-Super-Mare further north. Round to the north, and the Mendip Hills come into view, with Crooks Peak and Cheddar Gorge standing out. Then to the east over the Somerset levels in the distance can be seen Glastonbury Tor and the Polden Hills which come round to the south. Then it’s round to Bridgwater Bay, with the Quantock Hills and Exmoor beyond that.
As for the ancient remains on the top of the hill, the top has probably been slightly flattened, with stone and rubble built ramparts completely surrounding the summit, and although these are not particularly large, they are very steep on the outer face, no doubt helped by the steepness of the hillside. Within these ramparts, are all sorts of lumps, bumps and hollows, which includes a large crescent shaped mound roughly in the middle. The entrance to the fortifications would have been, and still is, from the north east, and external fortifications for these can be seen.
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