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Coordinates: 51°8′43.56″N 3°12′5.42″W / 51.1454333°N 3.2015056°W / 51.1454333; -3.2015056
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{{Short description|Hillfort in Somerset}}
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{{Infobox Megalith
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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| Name = Dowsborough Camp
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{{Infobox ancient site
| Photo =
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|name = Dowsborough Camp
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| Type = [[Iron Age]] [[hill fort]]
|native_name =
| Country = [[England]]
|alternate_name =
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| County = [[Somerset]]
|image = Dowsborough seen from just north of Nether Stowey.jpg
| Nearest Town =
| Nearest Village = [[Nether Stowey]]
|caption = Seen from just north of Nether Stowey.
|alt =
| Grid_ref_UK = ST160391
|location = near [[Nether Stowey]]
| Grid_ref_Ireland =
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|region = [[Somerset]], England
| Coor = {{coord|51.145434|N|3.201506|W|display=inline,title}}
|coordinates = {{coord|51|8|43.56|N|3|12|5.42|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| Condition = 3
|type = [[Hill fort]]
| Access = 3
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|epochs = [[Iron Age]]
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| References = {{Megalithic Portal|4953}}
|public_access =
}}
|condition = some damage
'''Dowsborough Camp''' (or ''Danesborough'' or ''Dawesbury'') is an [[Iron Age]] [[hill fort]] on the [[Quantock Hills]] near [[Nether Stowey]] in [[Somerset]], [[England]].
|website =
|designation1=Scheduled monument|designation1_offname=Dowsborough hillfort and associated round barrow|designation1_date=19 December 1929|designation1_number=1010494}}
<!-- the previous displayed OS Grid Ref was ST160391 : Note that while the substituted templates currently do not have a field for UK-only and Irish-only Ordnance Survey grid numbers, readers may obtain these through the GeoHack tool by clicking on the infobox's existing linked coordinates -->


'''Dowsborough Camp''' (or ''Danesborough'' or ''Dawesbury'') is an [[Iron Age]] [[hill fort]] on the [[Quantock Hills]] near [[Nether Stowey]] in [[Somerset]], England. It has been designated as a [[Scheduled monument|Scheduled Monument]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dowsborough hillfort and associated round barrow, Holford - 1010494 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1010494 |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Dowsborough Camp|url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=189456|work=National Monuments Record|publisher=[[English Heritage]]|accessdate=23 March 2011}}</ref> The fort and associated round barrow has been added to the [[Heritage at Risk Register]] due to vulnerability to vehicle damage and erosion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dowsborough hillfort and associated round barrow, Holford&nbsp;— West Somerset|url=http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/register.aspx?id=33273|work=Heritage at Risk|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=20 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022204028/http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/register.aspx?id=33273|archive-date=22 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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The site is at a height of 340 m on an easterly spur from the main Quantock ridge, with views north to the [[Bristol Channel]], and east over the valley of the [[River Parrett]].


[[File:View north from Dowsborough over Holford.jpg|thumb|right|220px|View north from the summit towards the Bristol Channel, the village of Holford is in view.]]
The fort has an oval shape, with a single rampart and ditch (''univallate'') following the contours of the hill top, enclosing an area of 2.7 [[hectare|ha]].
The main entrance is to the east, towards [[Nether Stowey]], with a simpler opening to the north-west, aligned with a ridgeway leading down to Holford.
The Lady's Fountain springs are in the [[combe]] to the west. A [[col]]
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to the south connects the hill to the main Stowey ridge, where a linear earthwork known as Dead Woman's Ditch cuts across the spur. This additional rampart would have provided an extra line of defence against attack from the main Quantock ridge to the west, and it could have been a tribal boundary.


[[Image:Dowsborough Camp Somerset Map.jpg|thumb|Earthworks at Dowsborough hill fort]]
[[File:Dowsborough Camp Somerset Map.jpg|thumb|Earthworks at Dowsborough hill fort]]


==Situation==
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In Saxon times, [[King Alfred|King Alfred's]] military road, the [[Herepath]], ran up from Combwich, [[Battle of Cannington|Cannington]] and Over Stowey, along the present course of the Stowey road, across Dead Woman's Ditch to Crowcombe Park Gate, south along the main ridge of the Quantocks to Triscombe Stone, then west across the valley to the [[Brendon Hills]] and [[Exmoor]]. The road connected a series of forts and lookout posts, which allowed Alfred's armies to move along the coast to cover [[Viking]] movements at sea and forestall any raids ashore. The path from Dowsborough to the Herepath is called ''Great Bear Path'', and this is taken to be a corruption of ''Great Herepath'', which suggests that Dowsborough could have been a Saxon lookout over the [[Bristol Channel]].


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The site is at a height of 1115' (340 metres) on an easterly spur from the main Quantock ridge, with views north to the [[Bristol Channel]], and east over the valley of the [[River Parrett]].
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==References==
[[File:Dowsborough Digital Terrain Model.jpg|thumb|3D view of the digital terrain model]]
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{{reflist}}
The fort has an oval shape, with a single rampart and ditch (''[[univallate]]'') following the contours of the hill top, enclosing an area of 6¾ acres (2.7 hectares).<ref name="her-dowsboroughcastle">{{cite web|title=Dowsborough hillfort, Holford|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/33306|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=[[Somerset County Council]]|accessdate=28 December 2010}}</ref> The main entrance is to the east, towards [[Nether Stowey]], with a simpler opening to the north-west, aligned with a ridgeway leading down to Holford. The Lady's Fountain springs are in the [[valley|combe]] to the west. A [[Mountain pass|col]]
* ''Dumnonia and the Valley of the Parret'', Rev. W.H.P. Greswell (1922)
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to the south connects the hill to the main Stowey ridge, where a linear earthwork known as [[Dead Woman's Ditch]] cuts across the spur. This additional rampart would have provided an extra line of defence against attack from the main Quantock ridge to the west, and it could have been a tribal boundary.
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* ''A Field Guide to Somerset Archaeology'', Lesley and Roy Adkins (1992) ISBN 0-946159-94-7
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* Somerset Historic Environment Record [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=33306 Dowsborough Camp] (Site no. 33306)


==External links==
==Saxon era==
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In Saxon times, [[King Alfred]]'s military road, the [[Herepath]], ran up from [[Combwich]], [[Cannington, Somerset|Cannington]] (a possible site of the [[Battle of Cynwit]]) and [[Over Stowey]], along the present course of the Stowey road, across Dead Woman's Ditch to Crowcombe Park Gate, south along the main ridge of the Quantocks to Triscombe Stone, then west across the valley to the [[Brendon Hills]] and [[Exmoor]].<ref name="Gres">''Dumnonia and the Valley of the Parret'', Rev. W.H.P. Greswell (1922)</ref> The road connected a series of forts and lookout posts, which allowed Alfred's armies to move along the coast to cover [[Viking]] movements at sea and forestall any raids ashore.<ref>{{cite book|last=Waite|first=Vincent|title=Portrait of the Quantocks|year=1969|publisher=Robert Hale|location=London|isbn=0709111584|page=23}}</ref> The path from Dowsborough to the Herepath is called ''Great Bear Path'', and this is taken to be a corruption of ''Great Herepath'', which suggests that Dowsborough could have been a Saxon lookout over the [[Bristol Channel]].
* [http://www.digitaldigging.co.uk/maps/somerset/hillforts/hillforts_ia_somerset_dowsborough_hillfort.html Dowsborough Hillfort at Digitial Digging]

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== See also ==


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==See also==
* [[Ruborough]]
* [[Ruborough]]
* [[Trendle Ring]]
* [[Trendle Ring]]
* [[Plainsfield Camp]]
* [[Plainsfield Camp]]
* [[Herepath]]
* [[Herepath]]
* [[List of hillforts and ancient settlements in Somerset]]
* [[Hillforts in Britain]]
* [[Hillfort#Great Britain|Hillfort]]

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==References==
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{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
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* ''A Field Guide to Somerset Archaeology'', Lesley and Roy Adkins (1992) {{ISBN|0-946159-94-7}}

==External links==
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* Somerset Historic Environment Record [http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/33306 Dowsborough Camp] (Site no. 33306)
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* {{Megalithic Portal|4953}}


[[Category:Hill forts in Somerset]]
[[Category:Hill forts in Somerset]]
[[Category:Scheduled monuments in West Somerset]]
[[Category:Structures on the Heritage at Risk register in Somerset]]
[[Category:Quantock Hills]]

Latest revision as of 14:47, 6 February 2024

Dowsborough Camp
Seen from just north of Nether Stowey.
Standortnear Nether Stowey
RegionSomerset, England
Coordinates51°8′43.56″N 3°12′5.42″W / 51.1454333°N 3.2015056°W / 51.1454333; -3.2015056
TypHill fort
History
PeriodsIron Age
Site notes
Conditionsome damage
Official nameDowsborough hillfort and associated round barrow
Designated19 December 1929
Reference no.1010494

Dowsborough Camp (or Danesborough or Dawesbury) is an Iron Age hill fort on the Quantock Hills near Nether Stowey in Somerset, England. It has been designated as a Scheduled Monument.[1][2] The fort and associated round barrow has been added to the Heritage at Risk Register due to vulnerability to vehicle damage and erosion.[3]

View north from the summit towards the Bristol Channel, the village of Holford is in view.
Earthworks at Dowsborough hill fort

Situation

[edit]

The site is at a height of 1115' (340 metres) on an easterly spur from the main Quantock ridge, with views north to the Bristol Channel, and east over the valley of the River Parrett.

3D view of the digital terrain model

The fort has an oval shape, with a single rampart and ditch (univallate) following the contours of the hill top, enclosing an area of 6¾ acres (2.7 hectares).[4] The main entrance is to the east, towards Nether Stowey, with a simpler opening to the north-west, aligned with a ridgeway leading down to Holford. The Lady's Fountain springs are in the combe to the west. A col to the south connects the hill to the main Stowey ridge, where a linear earthwork known as Dead Woman's Ditch cuts across the spur. This additional rampart would have provided an extra line of defence against attack from the main Quantock ridge to the west, and it could have been a tribal boundary.

Saxon era

[edit]

In Saxon times, King Alfred's military road, the Herepath, ran up from Combwich, Cannington (a possible site of the Battle of Cynwit) and Over Stowey, along the present course of the Stowey road, across Dead Woman's Ditch to Crowcombe Park Gate, south along the main ridge of the Quantocks to Triscombe Stone, then west across the valley to the Brendon Hills and Exmoor.[5] The road connected a series of forts and lookout posts, which allowed Alfred's armies to move along the coast to cover Viking movements at sea and forestall any raids ashore.[6] The path from Dowsborough to the Herepath is called Great Bear Path, and this is taken to be a corruption of Great Herepath, which suggests that Dowsborough could have been a Saxon lookout over the Bristol Channel.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Dowsborough hillfort and associated round barrow, Holford - 1010494 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Dowsborough Camp". National Monuments Record. English Heritage. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Dowsborough hillfort and associated round barrow, Holford — West Somerset". Heritage at Risk. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  4. ^ "Dowsborough hillfort, Holford". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  5. ^ Dumnonia and the Valley of the Parret, Rev. W.H.P. Greswell (1922)
  6. ^ Waite, Vincent (1969). Portrait of the Quantocks. London: Robert Hale. p. 23. ISBN 0709111584.

Further reading

[edit]
  • A Field Guide to Somerset Archaeology, Lesley and Roy Adkins (1992) ISBN 0-946159-94-7
[edit]
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