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Somerset Historic Environment Record

55103

Site Name:	Ham Hill Hillfort, south of Stoke sub Hamdon
SCHEDULED MONUMENT:	Hamdon Hill camp [No:100]
Civil Parish:	Montacute, Norton sub Hamdon, Stoke sub Hamdon
Comprises:	PRN 11290 Salvage excavation (1991), Ham Hill
	PRN 11631 Watching Brief (2001), 'The Prince of Wales', Ham Hill
	PRN 15144 Watching brief (2001), Ham Hill Quarry
	PRN 15432 Watching brief (2002), Ham Hill
	PRN 15575 Geophysical survey (2001), Ham Hill
	PRN 15813 Watching brief (1975), Ham Hill
	PRN 15814 Crane base, Ham Hill
	PRN 16251 Viewing platform / tower, Ham Hill
	PRN 16252 Lower Warren deserted medieval hamlet
	PRN 16253 Cultivation remains, Ham Hill
	PRN 16256 Quarrying remains, Ham Hill
	PRN 16259 Lime kiln, western side of Hamhill, Norton sub Hamdon
	PRN 16484 Slag, pottery and burnt hamstone findspot
	PRN 17877 War Memorial, Ham Hill, Stoke Sub Hamdon
	PRN 22037 Negative watching brief (2004), Ham Hill quarry, Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 27289 Excavation (1923), Ham Hill
	PRN 27290 Human burials, Ham Hill
	PRN 27291 Roman finds, Ham Hill
	PRN 27292 Excavation (1923), Ham Hill
	PRN 27293 Excavation (1925), Ham Hill
	PRN 27294 Excavation (1929), Ham Hill
	PRN 27295 Excavation (1926), Ham Hill
	PRN 28496 Evaluation (2009), Ham Hill hillfort, Montacute
	PRN 28624 Excavation (2002), Ham Hill, Montacute
	PRN 28625 Fifth to sixth century button brooch find, Ham Hill, Montacute
	PRN 28819 Watching brief (1996), Ham Hill
	PRN 28820 Watching brief (1985), Ham Hill
	PRN 28821 Watching brief (1996), Richard England Quarry, Ham Hill
	PRN 28830 Watching brief (1997), Richard England Quarry, Ham Hill
	PRN 29358 Earthwork survey (1990-97), Ham Hill, Montacute and Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 31610 Watching brief (2011), Ham Hill quarry, Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 31738 Geophysical survey (2011), Ham Hill, Montacute
	PRN 44780 Watching brief (1999), Richard England Quarry, Ham Hill
	PRN 54306 Lime kiln, Hamdon Hill, Montacute
	PRN 54309 Lime kilns, Hamdon Hill, Montacute
	PRN 54314 Warren, Ham Hill
	PRN 55112 Roman occupation, Ham Hill, S of Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 55113 Medieval occupation, Ham Hill, S of Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 55336 ROC observation post and underground monitoring post, Ham Hill
	PRN 56899 Excavation (1983), Ham Hill, Stoke-sub-Hamdon
	PRN 56900 Excavation (1994), Ham Hill, Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 56906 Evaluation (1991), Ham Hill, Stoke-sub-Hamdon
	PRN 56907 Ham Hill geophysical survey area A (1992), Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 56908 Ham Hill geophysical survey area B (1992), Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 56909 Ham Hill geophysical survey area C (1992), Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 56910 Ham Hill geophysical survey area D (1993, 1995), Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 56911 Ham Hill geophysical survey area F (1995), Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 56913 Ham Hill geophysical survey area E (1993), Stoke sub Hamdon
	PRN 56939 Watching brief (1988), Ham Hill
	PRN 56993 Excavation (1998), Ham Hill
Grid Ref:	ST 48 16 (ST 41 NE)
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Image:
	HER 55103 - Photo by Somerset County Council (11 November 1976)

Public access:

As far as we are aware this site is open to the public at certain times. (south east of site forms part of Open Access Land, expires 30/09/06). [Information last updated on 14 May 2003]

Details:

Possibly the largest hillfort in the country, covering the whole of Ham (or Hamdon) Hill. The site consists of a roughly oblong plateau 800m N-S and 950m E-W with a spur running northwards from the NW corner. This measures 550m N-S and is 360m wide at the north and 180m wide where it joins the main hill. The main area is surrounded by a bank in places which survives up to 2m high. Surrounding the whole is a ditch 2.5-3.5m wide with a counterscarp beyond. Below this another, silted, ditch is visible in places. The northern spur is more heavily defended by 2 banks with ditches the outer bank is up to 12m above the ditch and the inner up to 4.5m high. The inner bank survives only along the N and E sides. There is no evidence that the two areas were ever separated but this area has been greatly disturbed by quarrying. {1}

There is evidence for occupation from the mesolithic and neolithic in the form of flintwork and the quantity of neolithic material may indicate a substantial settlement. In the bronze age there is artefactual evidence from the 2nd millennium onwards increasing in quantity until the 7th century BC. Pottery and metalwork has been recovered and it is possible that the first enclosure of the hilltop took place at this date. The pottery evidence seems to indicate occupation throughout the iron age. {2}

The occupation seems to have been concentrated in the northern spur but is known to spread over the whole area. Roman material has been found on the site and is detailed under PRN 55112. The later periods are detailed under PRN 55113. Many of the finds have been discovered during the quarrying that took place from the Roman period onward which has also removed much of the evidence, particularly from the northern end of the site. {3}

Cropmarks have been seen on several occasions which probably relate to the iron-age or Roman use of the site: eg three rectangular enclosures at ST485165. {4}

Two fragments of mould for casting socketed bronze axes were examined with limited results. The typology of the axes showed that both moulds dated to the Llyn Fawr phase but that they were not a pair. Analysis of the surface of the moulds was inconclusive as to the composition of the original axes. {13}

It has been suggested that the location of the site would have enabled the late Iron Age Durotrigan tribe access to the Bristol Channel. The site is also located between the divide of the highland zone of western Britain with pastoral based economy and the lowland zone of central and eastern Britain with an emphasis agrarian regimes.

In many places the hill fort defences at Ham Hill were produced by the terracing and cutting back of the natural slope of the hill. Detailed analysis of the defences has suggested that originally they were associated with two original entrances whose locations at Batemoor Barn and at the head of the combe separating the north western spur from the main plateau were determined by topographical considerations. The topography provided a natural route from the south-east, along a ridge and onto the main plateau at Batemoor Barn. This route was probably utilised long before the hill fort was constructed, and was still functioning during the 18th century when Ham Hill was traversed by the Exeter to London coach road (see PRN 16470 for milestone possibly associated with this route).

The north-western spur may have been the focus for a primary hill fort, with the main plateau containing an unenclosed settlement. The incorporation of the main plateau would have bought control and regulation of all traffic, providing a glimpse into some of the mechanisms that allowed Ham Hill to become such an important site in later prehistory. {14}

See PRN 16253 for details of cultivation of hill slopes and PRN 16256 for details of post medieval quarrying activities. {15}

Bronze Age metal-work found, some apparently from LBA burial group. {17}

Mesolithic artefacts found in the area. {18}

Quarrying revealed structural remains in 1975. {20}

The site appears in good condition under stable grass cover. Some areas of scrub are being cleared to return them to grass. Some of the eastern areas are regularly ploughed. {21}

Survey and analysis of the hillfort and its immediate environs by the Exeter Office of the RCHME has continued, with Geophysical Surveys of Bradford being commissioned to undertake further geophysical survey of the hillfort's interior. Two fields, centred at ST 482166 and ST 486163, on the northern and southern sides respectively of the road from Stoke Sub Hamdon to Odcombe, have been examined. The survey has revealed a profusion of features of more than one period they include pits, small enclosures, rectangular fields and trackways. Areas of possible industrial activity were also identified. {23}

References:

Record created in October 1992

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