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{{Short description|Hillfort in North Somerset}}
{{good article}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox historic site
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Dolebury Camp
| name = Dolebury Warren
| native_name = Dolebury Warren
| native_name = Dolebury Camp
| native_language =
| native_language =
| image =Doleburyhillfort.jpg
| image =Doleburyhillfort.jpg
| caption =
| caption =
| locmapin = Somerset
| locmapin = Somerset
| coordinates = {{coord|51|19|39|N|2|47|01|W|display=inline,title}}
| lat_degrees =51
| lat_minutes =19
| lat_seconds =39
| lat_direction =N
| long_degrees =2
| long_minutes =47
| long_seconds =01
| long_direction =W
| location = [[Churchill, Somerset]]
| location = [[Churchill, Somerset]]
| area =
| area =
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| designation1 =Scheduled Ancient Monument
| designation1 =Scheduled Ancient Monument
| designation1_offname = Dolebury Camp
| designation1_offname = Dolebury Camp
| designation1_date =19 December 1929<ref>{{cite web|title=Dolebury Camp: a large univallate hillfort and associated and later earthworks on Dolebury Warren|url=http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1008184|website=National Heritage List for England|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=9 September 2014}}</ref>
| designation1_date =19 December 1929<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Dolebury Camp: a large univallate hillfort and associated and later earthworks on Dolebury Warren|num=1008184|access-date=9 September 2014}}</ref>
| designation1_number =1008184
| designation1_number =1008184
| designation2 =
| designation2 =
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'''Dolebury Warren''' (also known as '''Dolebury Camp''') is a {{convert|90.6|ha}} [[biological Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI) and [[ancient monument]] near the villages of [[Churchill, Somerset|Churchill]] and [[Rowberrow]] in [[North Somerset]], part of [[South West England]]. It is owned by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]], who acquired the freehold in 1983, and managed by the [[Avon Wildlife Trust]].
'''Dolebury Warren''' (also known as '''Dolebury Camp''') is a {{convert|90.6|ha}} [[biological Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI) and [[ancient monument]] near the villages of [[Churchill, Somerset|Churchill]] and [[Rowberrow]] in [[North Somerset]], part of [[South West England]]. It is owned by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]], who acquired the freehold in 1983, and managed by the [[Avon Wildlife Trust]].


Standing on a [[limestone]] ridge on the northern edge of the [[Mendip Hills]], it was made into a [[hill fort]] during the [[Iron Age]] and was occupied into the [[Roman Britain|Roman]] period. The extensive fort covers {{convert|9.1|ha}} with single or double [[Defensive wall|defensive ramparts]] around it. The name Dolebury Warren comes from its use during the medieval or post medieval periods as a rabbit [[warren (domestic)|warren]]. The [[topography]] and [[pedodiversity|differing soil types]] provide a habitat for an unusually wide range of plants, attracting a variety of insects including butterflies.
Standing on a [[limestone]] ridge on the northern edge of the [[Mendip Hills]], it was made into a [[hill fort]] during the [[Iron Age]] and was occupied into the [[Roman Britain|Roman]] period. The extensive fort covers {{convert|9.1|ha}} with single or double [[Defensive wall|defensive ramparts]] around it. The name Dolebury Warren comes from its use during the medieval or post medieval periods as a rabbit [[warren (domestic)|warren]]. The [[topography]] and [[pedodiversity|differing soil types]] provide a habitat for an unusually wide range of plants, attracting a variety of insects, including several species of butterfly.


==Geology and location==
==Geology and location==


The site is at the top of a [[Carboniferous Limestone]] ridge on the northern edge of the [[Mendip Hills]]. It forms part of the [[Black Down, Somerset|Black Down]] [[Pericline]] where the limestone has been exposed because of erosion of the overlying [[Triassic]] [[Dolostone|Dolomitic]] [[Conglomerate (geology)|Conglomerate]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Banwell to Churchill|url=http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mendips/localities/banwell.html|publisher=British Geological Survey|accessdate=23 August 2014}}</ref>{{sfn|Farrant|2008|p=47}}
The site is at the top of a [[Carboniferous Limestone]] ridge on the northern edge of the [[Mendip Hills]]. It forms part of the [[Black Down, Somerset|Black Down]] [[Pericline]] where the limestone has been exposed because of erosion of the overlying [[Triassic]] [[Dolomite (rock)|dolomitic]] [[Conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Banwell to Churchill|url=http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mendips/localities/banwell.html|publisher=British Geological Survey|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref>{{sfn|Farrant|2008|p=47}} The soil depth varies considerably, owing to the slope within the site and the effects of its exposure to the wind.{{sfn|Atthill|1976|p = 42}}


Dolebury Warren overlooks the villages of [[Churchill, Somerset|Churchill]] and [[Rowberrow]] and provides good visibility across the surrounding lower lying areas as far as the [[Bristol Channel]]. The highest point, at the eastern end of the site is {{convert|183|m}} [[Ordnance datum|OD]], with the hillfort being up to {{convert|50|m}} below this.{{sfn|Bowden|2009|pp=1-3}} It is the starting point for the [[Limestone Link]], a {{convert|36|mi|km|0}} [[Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom|long-distance footpath]] which ends at [[Cold Ashton]] in [[Gloucestershire]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Limestone Link (Cotswolds to Mendips)|url=http://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Limestone+Link+%28Cotswolds+to+Mendips%29|publisher=Long Distance Walkers Association|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref>
Dolebury Warren overlooks the villages of [[Churchill, Somerset|Churchill]] and [[Rowberrow]] and provides good visibility across the surrounding lower lying areas as far as the [[Bristol Channel]]. The highest point, at the eastern end of the site is {{convert|183|m}} [[Ordnance datum|OD]], with the hillfort being up to {{convert|50|m}} below this.{{sfn|Bowden|2009|pp=1–3}} It is the starting point for the [[Limestone Link]], a {{convert|36|mi|km|0|adj=on}} [[Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom|long-distance footpath]] which ends at [[Cold Ashton]] in [[Gloucestershire]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Limestone Link (Cotswolds to Mendips)|url=http://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Limestone+Link+%28Cotswolds+to+Mendips%29|publisher=Long Distance Walkers Association|access-date=24 August 2014}}</ref>


== Description ==
== Description ==
The fort covers an area of {{convert|9.1|ha}} and commands views over the surrounding countryside.{{sfn|Dyer|2001|p = 156}} The hill fort is [[Hill fort#Types of hill fort|bivallate]] on three sides and a single [[Rampart (fortification)|rampart]] on the southern side which is protected by a steep slope.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dolebury Camp Hillfort, Somerset|url=http://digitaldigging.net/dolebury-camp-hill-fort-somerset/|publisher=Digital Digging|accessdate=23 August 2014}}</ref> It is almost rectangular with the longest axis from east to west being {{convert|487|m}} long and {{convert|200|m}} from north to south, surrounded by a rampart which is around {{convert|4|m}} high and {{convert|12|m}} wide.<ref name="nhle" /> It was protected by a [[limestone]] [[defensive wall|rampart]] with a ditch and [[counterscarp]] on all sides but the South. There is an inturned entrance on the West and an annexe of {{convert|0.4|ha}} protecting the easier Eastern approach.<ref>{{cite web | title=Dolebury | work=Roman Britain | url=http://www.roman-britain.org/celtic/dolebury.htm | accessdate=14 November 2010}}</ref>
The fort covers an area of {{convert|9.1|ha}} and commands views over the surrounding countryside.{{sfn|Dyer|2001|p = 156}} The hill fort is [[Hill fort#Types of hill fort|bivallate]] on three sides and a single [[Rampart (fortification)|rampart]] on the southern side which is protected by a steep slope.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dolebury Camp Hillfort, Somerset|url=http://digitaldigging.net/dolebury-camp-hill-fort-somerset/|publisher=Digital Digging|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> It is almost rectangular with the longest axis from east to west being {{convert|487|m}} long and {{convert|200|m}} from north to south, surrounded by a rampart which is around {{convert|4|m}} high and {{convert|12|m}} wide.<ref name="nhle" /> It was protected by a [[limestone]] [[defensive wall|rampart]] with a ditch and [[counterscarp]] on all sides but the south. There is an inturned entrance on the west and an annexe of {{convert|0.4|ha}} protecting the easier eastern approach.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dolebury |work=Roman Britain |url=http://www.roman-britain.org/celtic/dolebury.htm |access-date=14 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613162359/http://roman-britain.org/celtic/dolebury.htm |archive-date=13 June 2010 }}</ref>


==History==
==History==


==== Etymology ====
=== Etymology ===
The name Dolebury means ''the idol hill'' from the [[Old English]] ''dwol'' and ''beorg''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Robinson |first=Stephen |title=Somerset Place Names |year=1992 |publisher=The Dovecote Press Ltd |location=Wimbourne |isbn=978-1874336037|page=56}}</ref>
The name Dolebury may mean ''the idol hill'' from the [[Old English]] ''dwol'' and ''beorg''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Robinson |first=Stephen |title=Somerset Place Names |year=1992 |publisher=The Dovecote Press Ltd |location=Wimbourne |isbn=978-1874336037|page=56}}</ref>


===Early===
===Early===
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[[File:Dolebury Camp Somerset Map.jpg|thumb|left|Earthworks at Dolebury Camp]]


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[[File:Dolebury Camp Somerset Map.jpg|thumb|right|Earthworks at Dolebury Warren]]
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Various artefacts have been uncovered representing the long period of occupation of the site. These include flintwork from the [[Palaeolithic]] and bronze spearheads, Bronze Age pottery, and [[Roman Britain|Roman]] pottery and coins.<ref name=nhle/>{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p=3}} There is evidence of occupation of the site at Dolebury during the [[Iron Age]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | work=Somerset County Council Archeological Projects | url=http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/HES_MendipAONB.pdf|format=PDF | accessdate=16 January 2011}}</ref> The defences and [[Celts|Celtic]] field systems at Dolebury date back to the 7th century-3rd century [[Common Era|BCE]], though they might mask earlier developments;<ref>{{cite web | title=Tower Head and Dolebury Warren | work=Isle of Avalon | url=http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/sacredsites/towerhead.html | accessdate=28 October 2006}}</ref> the hillfort was occupied until approximately 100BC, though it is possible that it was reoccupied in the Roman and post-Roman periods. The archeological consultant Peter Leach has suggested there may even have been a Roman Temple built within the hillfort,{{sfn|Leach|2001|p = 100}} while aerial photographs suggest the probable remains of an Iron Age or Roman coaxial field system.<ref>{{cite web|title=Monument No. 1494935|url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1494935|website=Pastscape|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref>{{sfn|Aston|Burrow|1991|p = 85}} Local historian Robin Atthill also suggests that Dolebury may have re-emerged as an important centre of population in the 5th century.{{sfn|Atthill|1976|p = 73}}


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[[File:Dolebury Hillfort southern ramparts - geograph.org.uk - 593107.jpg|thumb|right|The southern ramparts]]
Hill forts developed in the Late [[Bronze Age|Bronze]] and Early [[Iron Age]], roughly the start of the [[1st millennium BC|first millennium&nbsp;BC]].{{sfn|Payne|Corney|Cunliffe|2007|p=1}} The reason for their emergence in Britain, and their purpose, has 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, and as a result trading patterns shifted and the old elites lost their economic and social status. Power passed into the hands of a new group of people.{{sfn|Sharples|1991|pp=71-72}} 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".<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/2008/swords/swords-found.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110812090914/http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/2008/swords/swords-found.html|archivedate=19 September 2008 |title=Time Team: Swords, skulls and strongholds |publisher=[[Channel 4]] |date=19 May 2008 |accessdate=9 January 2015}}</ref>


⚫
Various artefacts have been uncovered representing the long period of occupation of the site at Dolebury Warren. These include flintwork from the [[Palaeolithic]], bronze spearheads, Bronze Age pottery, and [[Roman Britain|Roman]] pottery and coins.<ref name="nhle" />{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p = 3}} There is evidence of occupation of the site during the [[Iron Age]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | work=Somerset County Council Archeological Projects | url=http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/HES_MendipAONB.pdf| access-date=16 January 2011}}</ref> The defences and [[Celts|Celtic]] field systems there date back to the 7th century−3rd century [[Common Era|BCE]], though they might mask earlier developments.<ref>{{cite web | title=Tower Head and Dolebury Warren | work=Isle of Avalon | url=http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/sacredsites/towerhead.html | access-date=28 October 2006}}</ref>{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p = 13}} The hillfort was occupied until approximately 100BC, though it is possible that it was reoccupied in the Roman and post-Roman periods.{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p = 13}} The archeological consultant Peter Leach has suggested there may even have been a Roman Temple built within the hillfort,{{sfn|Leach|2001|p = 100}} while aerial photographs suggest the probable remains of an Iron Age or Roman coaxial field system.<ref>{{PastScape|mnumber=1494935|access-date=24 August 2014}}</ref>{{sfn|Aston|Burrow|1991|p = 85}} Local historian Robin Atthill also suggests that Dolebury may have re-emerged as an important centre of population in the 5th century.{{sfn|Atthill|1976|p = 73}}[[File:Dolebury Iron Age Hillfort - geograph.org.uk - 593105.jpg|thumb|left|Looking east towards the highest point]]
⚫
[[File:Dolebury Hillfort southern ramparts - geograph.org.uk - 593107.jpg|thumb|The southern ramparts]]


===Medieval===
===Medieval===
⚫
In the medieval or post-medieval period, the remains of the hillfort were used as a [[Warren (domestic)|rabbit warren]] which was used to breed rabbits, providing valuable meat and fur. Many warrens were surrounded by banks or walls to prevent the rabbits from escaping; escaped rabbits caused damage to nearby farmland and meant a loss in profit.{{sfn|Williamson|2006}} The warren at Dolebury is completely enclosed by the substantial ramparts of the Iron Age hill fort and thus provided an ideal location to breed rabbits. The presence of [[pillow mounds]] and vermin traps demonstrate management of the site for husbandry.{{sfn|Atthill|1976|p = 92}} [[Ridge and furrow]] agriculture has also been identified, from aerial photographs, within the fort.<ref>{{PastScape|mnumber=1494886|access-date=24 August 2014|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> Some of these structures, along with earlier Iron Age features, have been damaged by subsequent quarrying which may have been for [[lead]], [[ochre]] or [[Calamine (mineral)|calamine]].{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p = 17}}<ref>{{PastScape|mnumber=1494887|access-date=24 August 2014|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> The site was described by [[John Leland (antiquary)|John Leland]] in the 16th century.{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p = 4}} A three-storey building, believed to be the warrener's house and possibly a watch tower, surrounded by a garden, was in ruins by 1830.{{sfn|Bowden|2009|pp = 7–11}}<ref>{{PastScape|mnumber=1494857|access-date=24 August 2014|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>
[[File:Dolebury Iron Age Hillfort - geograph.org.uk - 593105.jpg|thumb|left|Looking west towards the highest point]]
[[File:Dolebury Warren.jpg|thumb|Dolebury Warren 30 minutes after sunrise looking east by northeast showing the northern, eastern, and southern ramparts. Photograph taken January 2024.]]
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Dolebury Warren is an example of a medieval/post medieval [[Warren (domestic)|rabbit warren]] which was used to breed rabbits, providing valuable meat and fur. The warren is completely enclosed by the substantial ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort. Many warrens were surrounded by banks or walls to prevent the rabbits from escaping; escaped rabbits caused damage to nearby farmland and meant a loss in profit.{{sfn|Williamson|2006}} Reusing the hillforts defences as a boundary provided an ideal location in which to breed rabbits. The presence of [[pillow mounds]] and vermin traps demonstrate man's management of the site for husbandry.{{sfn|Atthill|1976|p=92}} [[Ridge and furrow]] agriculture has also been identified, from aerial photographs, within the fort.<ref>{{cite web|title=Monument No. 1494886|url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1494886|website=Pastscape|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref> Some of these structures, along with earlier Iron Age features, have been damaged by subsequent quarrying which may have been for [[lead]], [[ochre]] or [[Calamine (mineral)|calamine]].{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p=17}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Monument No. 1494887|url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1494887|website=Pastscape|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref> The site was described by [[John Leland (antiquary)|John Leland]] in the 16th century.{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p=4}}


===19th and 20th centuries===
===19th and 20th centuries===


⚫
The site was visited in the early 19th century by [[John Skinner (archaeologist)|John Skinner]] and surveyed in 1872 by [[Charles William Dymond]].{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p = 3}} In 1906 the Mendip Lodge Estate, which included Dolebury Warren, was sold.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sale of Mendip Lodge|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19060914/121/0016|access-date=23 August 2014|work=Western Times|date=14 September 1906| via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It was first scheduled as an [[ancient monument]] in 1929.<ref name="nhle">{{NHLE|desc=Dolebury Camp: a large univallate hillfort and associated and later earthworks on Dolebury Warren|num=1008184|access-date=23 August 2014|fewer-links=yes}}</ref><ref>{{PastScape|mname=Dolebury Camp|mnumber=194279|access-date=16 March 2011|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> In 1935 Dolebury Camp was bought by Miss V. Wills of the [[W.D. & H.O. Wills]] tobacco company to prevent development.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dolbury Camp Saved|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000515/19350824/146/0015|access-date=23 August 2014|work=Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette|date=24 August 1935| via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Dolebury Warren was notified as a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] in 1952.<ref name="sssisheet" /> The freehold of {{convert|92.657|ha}} was acquired by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] in 1983 from A. G. Gosling, D. F. Gosling and J. M. Kent, and is managed by the [[Avon Wildlife Trust]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Acquisitions Up to December 2011 |url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=MDT-Type&blobheadername3=Content-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D297%252F965%252Fnt_acquisitions_dec2011-2%252C2.pdf&blobheadervalue2=abinary%3B+charset%3DUTF-8&blobheadervalue3=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1349117284549&ssbinary=true |publisher=National Trust |access-date=24 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714144751/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=MDT-Type&blobheadername3=Content-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B%2Bfilename%3D297%2F965%2Fnt_acquisitions_dec2011-2%2C2.pdf&blobheadervalue2=abinary%3B%2Bcharset%3DUTF-8&blobheadervalue3=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1349117284549&ssbinary=true |archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mendip Hills. Things to see and do|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mendip-hills/things-to-see-and-do/|publisher=National Trust|access-date=24 August 2014}}</ref>
A three story building, believed to be the warreners house surrounded by a garden, was in ruins by 1830.{{sfn|Bowden|2009|pp=7-11}} This may also have functioned as a watch tower.<ref>{{cite web|title=Monument No. 1494857|url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1494857|website=Pastscape|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref>


⚫
The site was visited in the early 19th century by [[John Skinner (archaeologist)|John Skinner]] and surveyed in 1872 by [[Charles William Dymond]].{{sfn|Bowden|2009|p=3}} In 1906 the Mendip Lodge Estate, which included Dolebury Warren, was sold.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sale of Mendip Lodge|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19060914/121/0016|accessdate=23 August 2014|work=Western Times|date=14 September 1906| via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|subscription=yes}}</ref> It was first scheduled as an [[ancient monument]] in 1929.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dolebury Camp|url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=194279|work=Pastscape|publisher=[[English Heritage]]|accessdate=16 March 2011}}</ref><ref name=nhle>{{cite web|title=Dolebury Camp: a large univallate hillfort and associated and later earthworks on Dolebury Warren|url=http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1008184|website=National Heritage List for England|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=23 August 2014}}</ref> In 1935 Dolebury Camp was bought by Miss V. Wills of the [[W.D. & H.O. Wills]] tobacco company to prevent development.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dolbury Camp Saved|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000515/19350824/146/0015|accessdate=23 August 2014|work=Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette|date=24 August 1935| via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|subscription=yes}}</ref> Dolebury Warren was notified as a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] in 1952.<ref name="sssisheet" /> The freehold of {{convert|92.657|ha}} was acquired by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] in 1983 from A. G. Gosling, D. F. Gosling and J. M. Kent, and is managed by the [[Avon Wildlife Trust]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Acquisitions Up to December 2011|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=MDT-Type&blobheadername3=Content-Type&blobheadervalue1=inline%3B+filename%3D297%252F965%252Fnt_acquisitions_dec2011-2%252C2.pdf&blobheadervalue2=abinary%3B+charset%3DUTF-8&blobheadervalue3=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1349117284549&ssbinary=true|publisher=National Trust|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mendip Hills. Things to see and do|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mendip-hills/things-to-see-and-do/|publisher=National Trust|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref>
==Ecology==
==Ecology==
{{Infobox SSSI
{{Infobox SSSI
|image=[[File:Dolebury Warren 02.JPG|200px]]
|image= Dolebury Warren 02.JPG
|name=Dolebury Warren
|name=Dolebury Warren
|aos=Avon
|aos=Avon
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|enref=1002660
|enref=1002660
}}
}}
The site of the fort and warren is now grassy slopes which attract a wide range of wild flowers and butterflies.<ref name=awt>{{cite web|title=Dolebury Warren|url=http://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/dolebury-warren|publisher=Avon Wildlife Trust|accessdate=23 August 2014}}</ref> The differing soil types provide suitable habitats for both [[calcifuge|acid-]] and [[calcicole|lime-loving]] plants.{{sfn|Atthill|1976|p=42}} [[Anthyllis vulneraria|Kidney vetch]] (''Anthyllis vulneraria''), [[Campanula rotundifolia|harebell]] (''Campanula rotundifolia'') and [[Cirsium eriophorum|woolly thistle]] (''Cirsium eriophorum'') thrive on the dry stony soils. [[Galium saxatile|Heath bedstraw]] (''Galium saxatile'') and [[Teucrium scorodonia|wood sage]] (''Teucrium scorodonia'') are found in more acidic areas. The higher areas support [[Erica cinerea|bell heather]] (''Erica cinerea''), [[Ulex gallii|western gorse]] (''Ulex gallii'') and [[Calluna vulgaris|common heather]] (''Calluna vulgaris''). Trees and shrubs include the [[Viburnum lantana|wayfaring tree]] (''Viburnum lantana''), [[Viburnum opulus|guelder rose]] (''Viburnum opulus''), [[Sorbus aria|whitebeam]] (''Sorbus aria''), [[Ligustrum vulgare|privet]] (''Ligustrum vulgare'') and [[Cornus sanguinea|dogwood]] (''Cornus sanguinea'').<ref name=sssisheet>{{cite web|title=SSSI citation sheet for Dolebury Warren|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002660.pdf|publisher=English Nature|accessdate=23 August 2014|format=PDF}}</ref>
The site of the fort and warren is now grassy slopes which attract a wide range of wild flowers and butterflies.<ref name=awt>{{cite web|title=Dolebury Warren|url=http://www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/dolebury-warren|publisher=Avon Wildlife Trust|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> The differing soil types provide suitable habitats for both [[calcifuge|acid-]] and [[calcicole|lime-loving]] plants.{{sfn|Atthill|1976|p=42}} [[Anthyllis vulneraria|Kidney vetch]] (''Anthyllis vulneraria''), [[Campanula rotundifolia|harebell]] (''Campanula rotundifolia'') and [[Cirsium eriophorum|woolly thistle]] (''Cirsium eriophorum'') thrive on the dry stony soils. [[Galium saxatile|Heath bedstraw]] (''Galium saxatile'') and [[Teucrium scorodonia|wood sage]] (''Teucrium scorodonia'') are found in more acidic areas. The higher areas support [[Erica cinerea|bell heather]] (''Erica cinerea''), [[Ulex gallii|western gorse]] (''Ulex gallii'') and [[Calluna vulgaris|common heather]] (''Calluna vulgaris''). Trees and shrubs include the [[Viburnum lantana|wayfaring tree]] (''Viburnum lantana''), [[Viburnum opulus|guelder rose]] (''Viburnum opulus''), [[Sorbus aria|whitebeam]] (''Sorbus aria''), [[Ligustrum vulgare|privet]] (''Ligustrum vulgare'') and [[Cornus sanguinea|dogwood]] (''Cornus sanguinea'').<ref name=sssisheet>{{cite web|title=SSSI citation sheet for Dolebury Warren |url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002660.pdf |publisher=English Nature |access-date=23 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185158/http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002660.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref>


Scarce plants found at the warren include [[Sagina nodosa|knotted pearlwort]] (''Sagina nodosa''),{{sfn|Myles|2000|p=81}} and [[Galium pumilum|slender bedstraw]] (''Galium pumilum'').{{sfn|Myles|2000|p=191}} Butterflies recorded here include the [[Small Blue|small blue]] (''Cupido minimus''), [[Melanargia galathea|marbled white]] (''Melanargia galathea''), [[dingy skipper]] (''Erynnis tages''), [[grizzled skipper]] (''Pyrgus malvae''), [[small pearl-bordered fritillary]] (''Boloria selene''), and [[wall brown]] (''Lasiommata megera'').<ref name=awt/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/sites_square.php?square=ST&species=All|title=Sites for National Grid Square: ST|website=UK Butterflies|accessdate=24 August 2014}}</ref>
Scarce plants found at the warren include [[Sagina nodosa|knotted pearlwort]] (''Sagina nodosa''),{{sfn|Myles|2000|p=81}} and [[Galium pumilum|slender bedstraw]] (''Galium pumilum'').{{sfn|Myles|2000|p=191}} Butterflies recorded here include the [[small blue]] (''Cupido minimus''), [[Melanargia galathea|marbled white]] (''Melanargia galathea''), [[dingy skipper]] (''Erynnis tages''), [[grizzled skipper]] (''Pyrgus malvae''), [[small pearl-bordered fritillary]] (''Boloria selene''), and [[wall brown]] (''Lasiommata megera'').<ref name=awt/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/sites_square.php?square=ST&species=All|title=Sites for National Grid Square: ST|website=UK Butterflies|access-date=24 August 2014}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[List of hill forts and ancient settlements in Somerset]]
*[[List of hillforts and ancient settlements in Somerset]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist}}


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
{{Commons Category|Dolebury Warren}}
{{Commons category|Dolebury Warren}}
*{{cite book |last1=Aston |first1=Michael |authorlink=Mick Aston |last2= Burrow|first2= Ian |title=The Archaeology of Somerset |year=1991 |publisher=[[Somerset County Council]] |isbn=978-0861830282 |ref=harv}}
*{{cite book |last1=Aston |first1=Michael |author-link=Mick Aston |last2= Burrow|first2= Ian |title=The Archaeology of Somerset |year=1991 |publisher=[[Somerset County Council]] |isbn=978-0861830282 }}
* {{cite book|last1=Atthill|first1=Robin|title=Mendip A New Study|date=1976|publisher=David & Charles|isbn=0715372971|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last1=Atthill|first1=Robin|title=Mendip A New Study|date=1976|publisher=David & Charles|isbn=0715372971}}
* {{cite book|last1=Bowden|first1=Mark|title=Dolebury Hillfort, Churchill, North Somerset: Analytical Earthwork Survey|date=2009|publisher=English Heritage|url=http://hillforts.466ad.co.uk/uploads/1/3/2/5/13256828/059_2009web.pdf|format=PDF|ref=harv}}{{ISSN|1749-8775}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Bowden|first1=Mark|title=Dolebury Hillfort, Churchill, North Somerset: Analytical Earthwork Survey|journal=Research Department Report Series|date=2009|publisher=English Heritage|url=http://hillforts.466ad.co.uk/uploads/1/3/2/5/13256828/059_2009web.pdf|issn=1749-8775|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826160756/http://hillforts.466ad.co.uk/uploads/1/3/2/5/13256828/059_2009web.pdf|archive-date=26 August 2014}}
* {{cite book|last1=Dyer|first1=James|title=Discovering Prehistoric England|date=2001|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=9780747805076|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fDTecByGtiYC&pg=PA235&lpg=PA235&dq=Dolebury+Camp&source=bl&ots=_2Kq6gMtbq&sig=3gE4jPe4OMUSLHSJgmUJaczcBDY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=5cD4U8KLCMLS0QWfhoDgCA&ved=0CEQQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=Dolebury%20Camp&f=false|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last1=Dyer|first1=James|title=Discovering Prehistoric England|date=2001|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=9780747805076|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fDTecByGtiYC&q=Dolebury+Camp&pg=PA235}}
*{{cite book|last1=Farrant|first1=Andy|title=A walkers' Guide to the Geology and Landscape of Western Mendip|date=2008|publisher=British Geological Survey|isbn=9780852725764|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book|last1=Farrant|first1=Andy|title=A walkers' Guide to the Geology and Landscape of Western Mendip|date=2008|publisher=British Geological Survey|isbn=9780852725764}}
* {{cite book|last1=Leach|first1=Peter|title=Roman Somerset|date=2001|publisher=Dovecote Press|isbn=1874336938|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last1=Leach|first1=Peter|title=Roman Somerset|date=2001|publisher=Dovecote Press|isbn=1874336938}}
* {{cite book|last1=Myles|first1=Sarah|date=2000|title=The Flora of the Bristol Region|isbn=1-874357-18-8|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last1=Myles|first1=Sarah|date=2000|title=The Flora of the Bristol Region|isbn=1-874357-18-8}}
* {{citation |first1=Andrew |last1=Payne |first2=Mark |last2=Corney |first3=Barry |last3=Cunliffe |title=The Wessex Hillforts Project: Extensive Survey of Hillfort Interiors in Central Southern England |publisher=English Heritage |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-873592-85-4 |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/wessex-hillforts-project/ | page=1|ref=harv}}
* {{citation |first1=Andrew |last1=Payne |first2=Mark |last2=Corney |first3=Barry |last3=Cunliffe |title=The Wessex Hillforts Project: Extensive Survey of Hillfort Interiors in Central Southern England |publisher=English Heritage |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-873592-85-4 |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/wessex-hillforts-project/ | page=1}}
* {{citation |last=Sharples |first=Niall M |title=English Heritage Book of Maiden Castle |publisher=B. T. Batsford |year=1991 |location=London |isbn=0-7134-6083-0 | ref=harv}}
* {{citation |last=Sharples |first=Niall M |title=English Heritage Book of Maiden Castle |publisher=B. T. Batsford |year=1991 |location=London |isbn=0-7134-6083-0 }}
* {{cite book|last1=Williamson|first1=Tom|title=The Archaeology of Rabbit Warrens|date=2006|publisher=Shire Publications|isbn=978-0747806165|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last1=Williamson|first1=Tom|title=The Archaeology of Rabbit Warrens|date=2006|publisher=Shire Publications|isbn=978-0747806165}}


{{SSSIs Avon biological}}
{{SSSIs Avon biological}}
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[[Category:National Trust properties in Somerset]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Somerset]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Somerset]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Somerset]]
[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in North Somerset]]
[[Category:Scheduled monuments in North Somerset]]

Latest revision as of 14:39, 11 January 2024

Dolebury Warren
Native name
Dolebury Camp
StandortChurchill, Somerset
Coordinates51°19′39″N 2°47′01″W / 51.32750°N 2.78361°W / 51.32750; -2.78361
Governing bodyAvon Wildlife Trust
OwnerNational Trust
Official nameDolebury Camp
Designated19 December 1929[1]
Reference no.1008184
Dolebury Warren is located in Somerset
Dolebury Warren
Location of Dolebury Warren in Somerset

Dolebury Warren (also known as Dolebury Camp) is a 90.6 hectares (224 acres) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and ancient monument near the villages of Churchill and Rowberrow in North Somerset, part of South West England. It is owned by the National Trust, who acquired the freehold in 1983, and managed by the Avon Wildlife Trust.

Standing on a limestone ridge on the northern edge of the Mendip Hills, it was made into a hill fort during the Iron Age and was occupied into the Roman period. The extensive fort covers 9.1 hectares (22 acres) with single or double defensive ramparts around it. The name Dolebury Warren comes from its use during the medieval or post medieval periods as a rabbit warren. The topography and differing soil types provide a habitat for an unusually wide range of plants, attracting a variety of insects, including several species of butterfly.

Geology and location

[edit]

The site is at the top of a Carboniferous Limestone ridge on the northern edge of the Mendip Hills. It forms part of the Black Down Pericline where the limestone has been exposed because of erosion of the overlying Triassic dolomitic conglomerate.[2][3] The soil depth varies considerably, owing to the slope within the site and the effects of its exposure to the wind.[4]

Dolebury Warren overlooks the villages of Churchill and Rowberrow and provides good visibility across the surrounding lower lying areas as far as the Bristol Channel. The highest point, at the eastern end of the site is 183 metres (600 ft) OD, with the hillfort being up to 50 metres (160 ft) below this.[5] It is the starting point for the Limestone Link, a 36-mile (58 km) long-distance footpath which ends at Cold Ashton in Gloucestershire.[6]

Description

[edit]

The fort covers an area of 9.1 hectares (22 acres) and commands views over the surrounding countryside.[7] The hill fort is bivallate on three sides and a single rampart on the southern side which is protected by a steep slope.[8] It is almost rectangular with the longest axis from east to west being 487 metres (1,598 ft) long and 200 metres (660 ft) from north to south, surrounded by a rampart which is around 4 metres (13 ft) high and 12 metres (39 ft) wide.[9] It was protected by a limestone rampart with a ditch and counterscarp on all sides but the south. There is an inturned entrance on the west and an annexe of 0.4 hectares (0.99 acres) protecting the easier eastern approach.[10]

History

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

The name Dolebury may mean the idol hill from the Old English dwol and beorg.[11]

Early

[edit]
Earthworks at Dolebury Warren
The southern ramparts

Various artefacts have been uncovered representing the long period of occupation of the site at Dolebury Warren. These include flintwork from the Palaeolithic, bronze spearheads, Bronze Age pottery, and Roman pottery and coins.[9][12] There is evidence of occupation of the site during the Iron Age.[13] The defences and Celtic field systems there date back to the 7th century−3rd century BCE, though they might mask earlier developments.[14][15] The hillfort was occupied until approximately 100BC, though it is possible that it was reoccupied in the Roman and post-Roman periods.[15] The archeological consultant Peter Leach has suggested there may even have been a Roman Temple built within the hillfort,[16] while aerial photographs suggest the probable remains of an Iron Age or Roman coaxial field system.[17][18] Local historian Robin Atthill also suggests that Dolebury may have re-emerged as an important centre of population in the 5th century.[19]

Looking east towards the highest point

Medieval

[edit]

In the medieval or post-medieval period, the remains of the hillfort were used as a rabbit warren which was used to breed rabbits, providing valuable meat and fur. Many warrens were surrounded by banks or walls to prevent the rabbits from escaping; escaped rabbits caused damage to nearby farmland and meant a loss in profit.[20] The warren at Dolebury is completely enclosed by the substantial ramparts of the Iron Age hill fort and thus provided an ideal location to breed rabbits. The presence of pillow mounds and vermin traps demonstrate management of the site for husbandry.[21] Ridge and furrow agriculture has also been identified, from aerial photographs, within the fort.[22] Some of these structures, along with earlier Iron Age features, have been damaged by subsequent quarrying which may have been for lead, ochre or calamine.[23][24] The site was described by John Leland in the 16th century.[25] A three-storey building, believed to be the warrener's house and possibly a watch tower, surrounded by a garden, was in ruins by 1830.[26][27]

Dolebury Warren 30 minutes after sunrise looking east by northeast showing the northern, eastern, and southern ramparts. Photograph taken January 2024.

19th and 20th centuries

[edit]

The site was visited in the early 19th century by John Skinner and surveyed in 1872 by Charles William Dymond.[12] In 1906 the Mendip Lodge Estate, which included Dolebury Warren, was sold.[28] It was first scheduled as an ancient monument in 1929.[9][29] In 1935 Dolebury Camp was bought by Miss V. Wills of the W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco company to prevent development.[30] Dolebury Warren was notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1952.[31] The freehold of 92.657 hectares (228.96 acres) was acquired by the National Trust in 1983 from A. G. Gosling, D. F. Gosling and J. M. Kent, and is managed by the Avon Wildlife Trust.[32][33]

Ecology

[edit]
Dolebury Warren
Site of Special Scientific Interest
StandortAvon
InterestBiological
Area90.6 hectares (0.906 km2; 0.350 sq mi)
Notification1952
Natural England website

The site of the fort and warren is now grassy slopes which attract a wide range of wild flowers and butterflies.[34] The differing soil types provide suitable habitats for both acid- and lime-loving plants.[4] Kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria), harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) and woolly thistle (Cirsium eriophorum) thrive on the dry stony soils. Heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile) and wood sage (Teucrium scorodonia) are found in more acidic areas. The higher areas support bell heather (Erica cinerea), western gorse (Ulex gallii) and common heather (Calluna vulgaris). Trees and shrubs include the wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana), guelder rose (Viburnum opulus), whitebeam (Sorbus aria), privet (Ligustrum vulgare) and dogwood (Cornus sanguinea).[31]

Scarce plants found at the warren include knotted pearlwort (Sagina nodosa),[35] and slender bedstraw (Galium pumilum).[36] Butterflies recorded here include the small blue (Cupido minimus), marbled white (Melanargia galathea), dingy skipper (Erynnis tages), grizzled skipper (Pyrgus malvae), small pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria selene), and wall brown (Lasiommata megera).[34][37]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Historic England. "Dolebury Camp: a large univallate hillfort and associated and later earthworks on Dolebury Warren (1008184)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Banwell to Churchill". British Geological Survey. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  3. ^ Farrant 2008, p. 47.
  4. ^ a b Atthill 1976, p. 42.
  5. ^ Bowden 2009, pp. 1–3.
  6. ^ "Limestone Link (Cotswolds to Mendips)". Long Distance Walkers Association. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  7. ^ Dyer 2001, p. 156.
  8. ^ "Dolebury Camp Hillfort, Somerset". Digital Digging. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  9. ^ a b c Historic England. "Dolebury Camp: a large univallate hillfort and associated and later earthworks on Dolebury Warren (1008184)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Dolebury". Roman Britain. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  11. ^ Robinson, Stephen (1992). Somerset Place Names. Wimbourne: The Dovecote Press Ltd. p. 56. ISBN 978-1874336037.
  12. ^ a b Bowden 2009, p. 3.
  13. ^ "Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" (PDF). Somerset County Council Archeological Projects. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  14. ^ "Tower Head and Dolebury Warren". Isle of Avalon. Retrieved 28 October 2006.
  15. ^ a b Bowden 2009, p. 13.
  16. ^ Leach 2001, p. 100.
  17. ^ Historic England. "Monument No. 1494935". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  18. ^ Aston & Burrow 1991, p. 85.
  19. ^ Atthill 1976, p. 73.
  20. ^ Williamson 2006.
  21. ^ Atthill 1976, p. 92.
  22. ^ Historic England. "Monument No. 1494886". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  23. ^ Bowden 2009, p. 17.
  24. ^ Historic England. "Monument No. 1494887". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  25. ^ Bowden 2009, p. 4.
  26. ^ Bowden 2009, pp. 7–11.
  27. ^ Historic England. "Monument No. 1494857". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  28. ^ "Sale of Mendip Lodge". Western Times. 14 September 1906. Retrieved 23 August 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  29. ^ Historic England. "Dolebury Camp (194279)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  30. ^ "Dolbury Camp Saved". Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette. 24 August 1935. Retrieved 23 August 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  31. ^ a b "SSSI citation sheet for Dolebury Warren" (PDF). English Nature. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  32. ^ "Acquisitions Up to December 2011". National Trust. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  33. ^ "Mendip Hills. Things to see and do". National Trust. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  34. ^ a b "Dolebury Warren". Avon Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  35. ^ Myles 2000, p. 81.
  36. ^ Myles 2000, p. 191.
  37. ^ "Sites for National Grid Square: ST". UK Butterflies. Retrieved 24 August 2014.

Bibliography

[edit]
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