Burrington Camp
Iron Age hillfort in Somerset, England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Burrington Camp, also known as Burrington Ham, is an Iron Age hill fort in the North Somerset district of Somerset, England. The hill fort is situated in the Mendip Hills approximately 0.6 miles (0.97 km) south from the village of Burrington.
Burrington Camp | |
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Native name Burrington Ham | |
Location | Burrington, Somerset, England |
Coordinates | 51°19′32.5″N 2°45′0.5″W |
Built | Iron Age |
Reference no. | 194391[1] |
The camp overlooks Burrington Combe, where there have been archaeological discoveries of cemeteries, demonstrating a very long human occupation of the area.[2] The hill fort has an oval shape and is univallate.[3]
The name "Burrington Ham" was commonly used for the hill fort before the 20th century.[4] At that time, the camp was sometimes thought to be a Roman one and was also associated with the Druids.[5][6] By 2022, the interpretation panel on site suggested that the purpose of the earthworks – whether to provide a refuge, to contain/protect a settlement or simply to act as a pen for livestock – was unknown.