List of hill forts and ancient settlements in Somerset

A picture of Brent Knoll Camp showing some of the old walls

Somerset is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is a rural county of rolling hills, such as the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park, and large flat expanses of land including the Somerset Levels. Modern man came to what is now known as Somerset during the Early Upper Palaeolithic era. In the Neolithic era, from about 3500 BC, there is evidence of farming when people started to manage animals and grow crops on farms cleared from the woodland, rather than act purely as hunter gatherers. It is also likely that extraction and smelting of mineral ores to make tools, weapons, containers and ornaments in bronze and then iron started in the late Neolithic and into the Bronze and Iron Ages.

The construction of Hill forts began in Britain in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, roughly the start of the first millennium BC. The reason for their emergence, 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 separated from the sources of tin and copper necessary to make bronze, and as a result trading patterns shifted and the old elites lost their economic and social status. Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe believes that population increase 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 would not 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".

There are numerous Iron Age hill forts and ancient settlement sites in the county, some of which were later reused in the Dark Ages, such as Cadbury Castle, Worlebury Camp and Ham Hill. Other hill forts, such as Small Down Knoll, Solsbury Hill, Dolebury Warren and Burledge Hill, may have had a domestic purpose as well as a defensive role. The Iron Age tribes of the Somerset area were the Dobunni in north Somerset, Durotriges in south Somerset and Dumnonii in west Somerset. Iron Age sites on the Quantock Hills, include major hill forts at Dowsborough and Ruborough, as well as smaller earthwork enclosures, such as Trendle Ring, Elworthy Barrows and Plainsfield Camp. In addition to the hill forts, several sites have been identified as settlements during the pre Roman period including Cambria Farm and the "Lake Villages" at Meare and Glastonbury which were built on a morass, on an artificial foundation of timber filled with brushwood, bracken, rubble and clay. Most of the sites fell out of use with the coming of the Romans and therefore this list covers those sites occupied until that time.

Almost all of the sites in the list are Scheduled Monuments. In the United Kingdom, a Scheduled Monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. Scheduled Monuments are specified in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, which defines a monument as:

Any building, structure or work above or below the surface of the land, any cave or excavation; any site comprising the remains of any such building, structure or work or any cave or excavation; and any site comprising or comprising the remains of any vehicle, vessel or aircraft or other movable structure or part thereof... (Section 61 (7)).

Damage to a scheduled monument is a criminal offence and any work taking place at one of these sites requires Scheduled Monument Consent from the Secretary of State. In England, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport keeps the register, or schedule, of nationally important sites which receive state protection, which now includes over 31,000 sites.

Known hill forts and settlements

List of hill forts and ancient settlements in Somerset

Site name Alternative name(s)	Age	National Heritage List for England number	Plan or photo	Location	Description
Athelney hill fort	Iron Age	1019099		Athelney	Athelney Hill fort is an Iron Age hill fort. It is in the area where Alfred the Great hid from the Danes after his defeat in 876 AD. The hill fort may also be the site where Alfred defeated the Danes two years later.
Backwell hill fort	Iron Age	–	90px	Backwell	In 1933, Backwell Camp, an Iron Age hill fort, was discovered. Two of its three sides were protected by a ditch and a bank, with the outside of the bank on the edge of the cliffs upon which the fort was built. However, by 1956, quarrying had almost completely destroyed the site.
Banwell Camp	Stone Age Bronze Age Iron Age	1008031	–	Banwell	Banwell Camp is a univallate Iron Age hill fort. Artefacts found in the campsite date back to the Bronze Age and Stone Age. Some of the older banks in this site are still around 4 metres (13 ft) high.
Bathampton Camp	Iron Age	1002480	90px	Bathampton	The site of an early Iron Age stock enclosure which may also have been a fort. It was also used as a Roman field system. The site was excavated in the early 1900s and again in the 1950s. Artefacts from the site include human and animal remains, pottery, and flint flakes.
Bat's Castle Caesar's Camp	Iron Age	1007667	90px	Carhampton	Bat's Castle is an Iron Age hill fort on the highest point of Gallox Hill. Previously, it was known as "Caesar's Camp", and it is possibly associated with Black Ball Camp. Bat's Castle has two stone ramparts and two ditches. The ramparts are damaged in places due to the number of visitors.
Berry Castle Bury Camp	Late Iron Age or early Romano-British	1006204	–	Luccombe	Berry Castle is a hillside enclosure which survives as a series of earthworks. It dates from the late Iron Age or early Romano-British period.
Black Ball Camp British Camp	Iron Age	1007668		Dunster	Black Ball Camp is an Iron Age hill fort on the northern summit of Gallox Hill. It is also known as "British Camp" and is possibly associated with Bat's Castle. It has a 3 metres (10 ft) high rampart and a 2 metres (7 ft) deep ditch. At the beginning of the 20th century, the foundations of a stone tower were visible.
Blacker's Hill	Iron Age	1015493	–	Chilcompton	This Iron Age promontory hill fort, Blacker's Hill, is roughly rectangular. It covers 6 hectares (15 acres) and originally had two ramparts and two ditches, but on the west and south sides, it was defended by the steep drop. In some places, the ramparts are still considerable, but on the north-eastern side, the inner rampart and ditch have been destroyed. There are three gaps, but only the one on the east seems to be original.
Brean Down hill fort	Bronze Age	1008211	90px	Brean	Brean Down is a Bronze Age hill fort situated on a peninsula jutting out into the Bristol Channel. In ancient times, there were fields and barrows around the fort. The site is now a National Trust site. Roman coins have also been found here.
Brent Knoll Camp	Iron Age	1008248	90px	Brent Knoll	The Brent Knoll Camp hill fort is a 1.6 hectares (16,000 m2) Iron Age hill fort that has been heavily damaged by cattle and quarrying. It is defended by a single wall around 10 metres (33 ft) high and by a single ditch, with an entrance on the eastern side. An urn containing coins of the Roman Emperors Trajan and Severus has been found at the site.
Brewer's Castle	Iron Age	1021358	–	Dulverton	Brewer's Castle, in Hawkridge Wood was an Iron Age defended settlement or hillfort. It is very close to Mounsey Castle.
Broomfield Camp Higher Castles enclosure	Late Prehistoric and/or Roman	–	–	Broomfield	The univallate enclosure site at Broomfield dates from late prehistoric or Roman times. Archeological excavations in 1968 uncovered a trench through a bank and ditch which produced Iron Age pottery.
Burgh Walls Camp	Iron Age	–	–	Long Ashton	Burgh Walls Camp is a multivallate Iron Age hill fort on the banks above the River Avon, near where it is now crossed by the Clifton Suspension Bridge. It is also called "Bower Walls Camp", "Burwalls", or "Bowre Walls".
Burledge hill fort	Iron Age	1004526	90px	Bishop Sutton	Burledge hill fort is an univallate Iron Age hill fort situated on a promontory. The eastern side, the one with the most gradual slope, has an extra wall across it. Several pieces of clay found with iron slag indicate that the people who lived there may have smelted iron.
Burrington Camp	Bronze Age Iron Age	1011261	90px	Burrington Combe	Archaeological discoveries of early cemeteries show that humans occupied the combe and its caves from the Bronze Age with some evidence of occupation during the Upper Palaeolithic period. There is also a sub-rectangular Iron Age univallate hill fort.
Bury Castle	Iron Age	1008808	95px	Selworthy	Bury Castle is a promontory fort that encloses an area of 0.2 hectares (0.49 acres). The main enclosure is encompassed by a single rampart and ditch, with steep drops on the north, east, and south sides. There is an additional rampart 30 metres (98 ft) to the west, with a deep ditch. The rampart is brevetted with drystone walling.
Cadbury Camp	Iron Age Bronze Age Neolithic Period	1008295	95px	Tickenham	Cadbury Camp is an Iron Age hill fort that encloses around 28,000 square metres (7 acres). The banks surrounding this site are around 3.0 metres (10 ft) to 3.7 metres (12 ft) above the neighbouring ditches. A Romano-British shrine, a Bronze Age spearhead, and Neolithic flake tools have been found inside the hill fort.
Cadbury Castle Cadbury, Camalet, Cadenbyrig	500 and 200 BC	1011980	95px	South Cadbury	Cadbury Castle was fortified into a hill fort somewhere between 500 and 200 BC, and it encloses an area of 8 hectares (80,000 m2). The site is associated with King Arthur's supposed court at Camelot.
Cadbury Hill Cadbury-Congresbury	Iron Age	1011258	–	Congresbury	This hill fort is known, in archaeological circles, as Cadbury-Congresbury in order to differentiate it from the Cadbury Castle. It appears to have been constructed during the Iron Age, and the remains of Iron Age roundhouses may still be seen inside. The hill fort was refortified around 400 BC and occupation extended into the sub-Roman period, from which much imported pottery has been recovered. It has been suggested that this was the monastery of Saint Congar after whom Congresbury was named.
Cambria Farm	Bronze Age	–	–	Ruishton	Cambria Farm is the site of a burned Bronze Age mound and Iron Age roundhouses.
Cannington Camp Cynwit Castle	Bronze Age and Iron Age	1006225	90px	Cannington	Cannington Camp is a univallate hill fort with walls that have been almost entirely destroyed. Archaeological artefacts such as stone scrapers, cores, and flakes have been found at the site.
Castle Neroche hill fort	1st millennium BC	1008252		Staple Fitzpaine	There are several bank-and-ditch earthworks near Castle Neroche, indicating the presence of a hill fort at some point during the 1st millennium BC.
Castles Camp The Castles	Iron Age	1019150	–	Bathealton	Univallate hillfort with a slightly inturned entrance.
Clatworthy Camp	Iron Age	1006149	–	Wiveliscombe	Clatworthy Camp is an Iron Age hill fort situated on a promontory of the Brendon Hills above Clatworthy Reservoir. It is roughly triangular in shape with an area of 5.8 hectares (14 acres). It has a single bank and ditch, cut through solid rock. There may have been an entrance on the west and two on the east.
Cleeve Toot Cleeve Hill hill fort	Iron Age	1011263	90px	Cleeve	Cleeve Toot, close to the village of Cleeve, is a roughly oval settlement which is approximately 125 metres (410 ft) in length by 90 metres (300 ft) in breadth. Approximately 150 metres (490 ft) to the north is another, smaller settlement.
Conygar hill fort	Iron Age	1007918	–	Portbury	Conygar hill fort is a small Iron Age univallate hill fort. The fort is triangular in shape and there are the remains of a three foot high bank on the south-western side. There is a round barrow in the centre of the fort.
Cow Castle	Iron Age	1002955	90px	Exford	Cow Castle is an Iron Age hill fort occupying an isolated hilltop and has a single rampart and ditch, enclosing 0.9 hectares (2.2 acres). It is in the valley of the River Barle.
Long Wood Enclosure	Iron Age	1008255	–	Dunster	Univallate hillside enclosure, interior damaged by forestry plantation.
Curdon Camp	Iron Age	1006158	–	Stogumber	Curdon Camp has been almost completely destroyed by quarrying and bulldozing. A section remains that is still 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high on the southern and western sides.
Dinghurst fort	Iron Age	–	–	Churchill	Dinghurst fort is the possible site of an Iron Age univallate hill fort. Close to Dolebury Warren.
Dolebury Warren Dolebury Camp	Iron Age	1008184		Churchill	Dolebury Camp is a hill fort located on a ridge in the Mendip Hills 154 feet (47 m) above the surrounding area. The walls enclose an area of 9 hectares (22 acres), with the maximum height of 30 feet (9 m) on the northern side.
Dowsborough Dowsborough Castle hill fort Dowsborough Camp or Danesborough or Dawesbury	Iron Age	1010494	90px	Holford	Dowsborough is an oval univallate hill fort. The surrounding bank is around 1 metre (3.3 ft) to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) wide and around 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) high. There is a ditch outside the bank, and the distance from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the bank is around 2 metres (6.6 ft) to 3 metres (9.8 ft). Near the entrance to the hill fort are two structures that are probably gatehouses.
Dundon Hill hill fort	Iron Age	1014715	95px	Compton Dundon	Dundon Hill hill fort is an Iron Age hill fort guarded by a single bank ranging from .5 metres (1.6 ft) to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high. Flint flakes, Bronze Age pottery, and Iron Age pottery have also been found.
Elborough Hill	Iron Age	–	–	Hutton	Elborough Hill is the site of a bivallate hill fort, oval in shape, and defined by a triple bank on the northern side and a double out-turned bank on the southern side.
Elworthy Barrows	Iron Age	1020724	90px	Brompton Ralph	Elworthy Barrows is a heavily damaged circular hill fort which had never been finished. It was ploughed multiple times until around 1943, when artifacts were discovered.
Glastonbury Lake Village	Iron Age	1006156	90px	Glastonbury	Glastonbury Lake Village is an Iron Age lake village in Glastonbury. Each house was built on its own mound of clay in the lake, starting around 250 BC and continuing for at least 150 years. The entire settlement is surrounded by a pallisade made of timbers.
Glastonbury Tor	Stone Age	1019390		Glastonbury	Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic flint tools have been found at Glastonbury Tor, which indicates that the site may have been occupied in the Stone Age. It is very close to the Glastonbury Lake Village, which was occupied in the Iron Age, starting around 250 BC.
Grabbist hill fort	Iron Age	1021060	–	Dunster	Oval shape measuring 886 feet (270 m) by 220 feet (67 m), surrounded by a bank and ditch.
Ham Hill hill fort	Iron Age	1003678	90px	Ham Hill	The Iron Age hill fort located on Ham Hill, called Ham Hill hill fort, is possibly the largest hill fort in Somerset. It measures 800 metres (2,600 ft) by 950 metres (3,120 ft), enclosing an area of 81 hectares (200 acres). Ham Hill hill fort is surrounded by banks, some of which range up to 12 metres (39 ft) high, and ditches. In addition to the Iron Age hill fort, the site was occupied during the Mesolithic Period, the Neolithic Period, and the Bronze Age. The site has also been damaged by quarrying.
Highbury Hill	Iron Age	–	–	Clutton	On Highbury Hill lies the earthwork remains of an Iron Age univallate hill fort. It occupies an area of woodland at the end of a narrow ridge.
Horse Pool Camp Harbury Hamberry Whitestaunton Camp	Iron Age	1018636	–	Whitestaunton	Oval univallate hillfort 300 m long and 150 m wide.
Kenwalch's Castle	Iron Age	1008257	95px	Penselwood	Kenwalch's Castle is an Iron Age hill fort. The latter has an area of 1.6 hectares (4.0 acres). There is a single rampart and ditch which are well preserved in places. The road north from Penselwood village crosses the hill fort and probably passes through the original entrances.
King's Castle	Iron Age	1008807	–	Wells	King's Castle is the remains of an Iron Age settlement and field system.
King's Castle hill fort Castle Hill hill fort	Iron Age	1016498	90px	Wiveliscombe	King's Castle hill fort is guarded by two banks and a ditch. The interior bank is from 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) to 6 metres (20 ft) high and around 14 metres (46 ft) thick. Several Neolithic artefacts have also been found on the site.
Kingsdown Camp	Iron Age	1006219	–	Buckland Dinham	Kingsdown Camp is a univallate hill fort with an area of .15 hectares (0.37 acres), and is approximately quadrilateral in shape. In the Iron Age or Roman period a drystone wall was constructed, possibly 4 metres (13 ft) high and 2.5 metres (8 ft) wide. There is an entrance on the northeast side. The fort continued to be used by the Romans.
Maesbury Castle	Iron Age	1015494	95px	Croscombe	The Maesbury Castle hill fort is a bivallate hill fort with a bank around 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) to 3 metres (9.8 ft) high enclosing an area of around 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres). A second bank around 30 centimetres (0.98 ft) high exists on the southeastern side.
Maes Knoll Maes Trump	Iron Age	1005424	95px	Norton Malreward	Maes Knoll hill fort is roughly triangular, and encloses an area of 8 hectares (20 acres).
Meare Lake Village	Iron Age	1006160	–	Meare	Archaeologists uncovered several hearths in the buried ruins of one of the houses at the Iron Age Meare Lake Village, which was located within the now-drained Meare Pool. They also found several lias stones lying around the fire, including one vertical stone which may have been a backrest. The archaeologists also found several artefacts, including cut pieces of red deer antler, pieces of iron, the rim of a bronze bowl, a spiral finger ring made from bronze, and a decorated amber bead.
Mounsey Castle	Iron Age	1021357	90px	Dulverton	An irregular triangular earthwork of 1.75 hectares (4.3 acres) surrounded by the remains of coursed stone walling, with an entrance to the west. Overlooking the River Barle.
Norton Camp Norton Fitzwarren hill fort	Stone Age Bronze Age	1008467	90px	Norton Fitzwarren	The Norton Fitzwarren hill fort is part of the "Norton Hillfort Local Nature Reserve" and originally was occupied during the Stone Age and into the Bronze Age.
Oldberry Castle Oldbury Castle	Iron Age	1006168	90px	Dulverton	Oldberry Castle is an irregular oval shape measuring 220 metres (720 ft) by 91 metres (299 ft). It is defended by a bank measuring 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide and 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) high, and a 5.5 metres (18 ft) wide ditch.
Plainsfield Camp	Iron Age	1007669	90px	Aisholt	Plainsfield Camp is a possible Iron Age univallate settlement that is shaped like a rhombus. It is around 160 metres (540 ft) by 140 metres (450 ft), enclosing an approximate area of .1 hectares (1,000 m2), with a single bank around 3.0 metres (10 ft) high.
Road Castle	Iron Age	1021360	–	Winsford	It is likely that the bank and ditch defined enclosure at this site is of Iron Age date.
Roddenbury hill fort	Iron Age	1008804	90px	Selwood	Roddenbury hill fort is a large, univallate hill fort enclosing .84 hectares (2.1 acres).
Rodhuish Common	Iron Age	1021122	–	Withycombe	On Rodhuish Common is a small oval enclosure which is thought to be of Iron Age date.
Ruborough Camp Rowberrow Rowborough Roborough Money Field	Iron Age	1007670		Broomfield	The Ruborough Camp hill fort is on an easterly spur from the main Quantock ridge, with steep natural slopes to the north and south-east. The fort is triangular in shape, with a single rampart and ditch (univallate), enclosing 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres). There is a linear outer work about 120 metres (390 ft) away, parallel to the westerly rampart, enclosing another 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres). There was a subterranean tunnel, which has now been filed in, which gave the camp safe access to a nearby spring for water.
Sigwells	Bronze Age Iron Age	–	–	Charlton Horethorne	Sigwells Camp overlooks Cadbury Castle. It was the target of research by the South Cadbury Environs Project, which produced significant Early Bronze Age and Middle and Late Iron Age archaeology. Of national importance was the identification of the earliest known metalworking building in Britain, dated to Middle Bronze Age (12th century BC).
Small Down Knoll Small Down Camp	Bronze Age	1006175	90px	Evercreech	Small Down Camp is a multivallate hill fort enclosing 2 hectares (4.9 acres). There is also a group of around 14 barrows within the walls of the camp. Multiple walls and a ditch defend the site, but the walls are crumbling and the ditch has been filled up.
Solsbury Hill Little Solsbury Hill	Iron Age	1002481		Batheaston	Occupied between 300 BC and 100 BC, comprising a triangular area enclosed by a single univallate rampart, faced inside and out with well-built dry stone walls and infilled with rubble. The rampart was 6 metres (20 ft) wide and the outer face was at least 4 metres (13 ft) high. The top of the hill was cleared down to the bedrock, then substantial huts were built with wattle and daub on a timber-frame. After a period of occupation, some of the huts were burnt down, the rampart was overthrown, and the site was abandoned, never to be reoccupied. This event is probably part of the Belgic invasion of Britain in the early part of the 1st century BC.
Stantonbury Camp	Iron Age	1002487	90px	Marksbury	Stantonbury Camp is an Iron Age hill fort close to Wansdyke. On the English Heritage Heritage at Risk Register.
Stokeleigh Camp	Iron Age	1008113	90px	Leigh Woods	Evidence shows that Stokeleigh Camp in Leigh Woods was a key site in the defence of the Avon Gorge. It is situated on a promontory.
Sweetworthy	Iron Age	1008470	–	Luccombe	Sweetworthy is an Iron Age hill fort or enclosure on the north-facing slope of Dunkery Hill. It has a single rampart and external ditch, enclosing 0.25 hectares (0.62 acres). The rampart is still visible and the ditch on the east side is used as a trackway.
Taps Combe Camp Chelvey Batch Settlement	Iron Age	1007909	–	Chelvey	Taps Combe Camp is a Roman, Iron Age univallate hill fort in Chelvey. It is "D"-shaped, and is approximately 50 metres (160 ft) by 50 metres (160 ft).
Tedbury Camp	Iron Age	1006163	90px	Great Elm	Tedbury Camp is a multivallate promontory hill fort defended by two parallel banks. The inner bank measuring 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) wide and standing 3 metres (9.8 ft) to 4.5 metres (15 ft) high. There may have been a third bank. Also the site of Roman occupation and a coin hoard.
Trendle Ring	Iron Age	1008249	95px	Bicknoller	Trendle Ring is a univallate hill fort shaped like a rounded quadrilateral, enclosing around .7 hectares (1.7 acres). It is enclosed by a ring of stones up to around 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) high and still further by a ditch.
Tunley Camp	Iron Age	1004525	–	Camerton	Tunley Camp comprises the slight earthwork remains of a univallate Iron Age hill fort, which is now nearly ploughed down.
Wadbury Camp	Iron Age	1006162	–	Mells	A promontory fort or univallate hillfort with earthwork remains. The bank in places is up to 16 feet (4.9 m) high. Other parts have been almost completely destroyed.
Wain's Hill	Iron Age	1007908	90px	Clevedon	Wain's Hill is an Iron Age promontory bivallate hill fort visible as linear earthwork banks and ditches. It lies on a triangular spit of land on Wain's Hill in west Clevedon, and the hill fort is defined by steep natural slopes to the south, north, and west, and by two ramparts to the east.
Walton Banjo	Iron Age	1007917	–	Walton in Gordano	A banjo enclosure believed to date from the late Iron Age.
Westbury Camp	Iron Age	1015500	–	Rodney Stoke	Westbury Camp is a large, irregularly-shaped hill fort surrounded by a bank and ditch covering approximately 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres).
Worlebury Camp	Iron Age	1011260		Worlebury Hill	Worlebury Camp is an Iron Age hill fort that was designed for defence, as is evidenced by the number of walls and ditches around the site. Archaeologists have found several large triangular platforms around the sides of the fort, lower down on the hillside. They have found nearly one hundred storage pits of various sizes cut into the bedrock, and many of these had human remains, coins, and other artefacts in them. However, in more recent times, the fort has suffered damage and been threatened with complete destruction on multiple occasions.
Wraxall Camp	Iron Age	1018267	–	Failand	This site, situated on level ground within an upland area of carboniferous limestone was an Iron Age defended settlement.

Suspected hill forts and settlements

List of suspected hill forts and ancient settlements in Somerset

Site name Alternative name(s)	Age	National Heritage List for England number	Plan	Location	Description
Berwick	Iron Age	–	–	Bath	Berwick is a possible multivallate Iron Age hill fort that has since been destroyed. A "camp" called Berwick, Berewyke, or Berewyck, adjoining Cottage Crescent and near Barrack Farm, was described in the early 19th century.
Charterhouse Camp	Neolithic Bronze Age	1006195	90px	Charterhouse	There is evidence, in the form of burials in local caves, of human occupation since the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age.
Daw's Castle	Iron Age	1020882	90px	Watchet	The Daw's Castle hill fort is situated on a north-facing cliff about 80 m above the sea, on a tapering spur of land bounded by the Washford River to the south, as it flows to the sea at Watchet, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) east. The ramparts of the fort would have formed a semicircle backing onto the sheer cliffs, but coastal erosion has reduced the size of the enclosure, and later destruction by farming, limekilns, and the B3191 road, have left only about 300 m of ramparts visible today. The fort may be of Iron Age origin, but was (re)built and fortified as a burh by King Alfred, as part of his defense against Viking raids from the Bristol Channel around 878 AD.

See also

• List of hill forts in England
• List of castles in Somerset

External links

• A map showing the hill forts and settlements in Somerset
• Another list of hill forts