Broomfield Camp facts for kids

Broomfield Camp is an ancient hill fort in Somerset, England. It is also known as Higher Castles enclosure. This important site was built during the Iron Age, a time when people started using iron tools and weapons.

You can find Broomfield Camp about 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) southeast of the village of Broomfield. The camp dates back to very old times, from the late prehistoric period or even Roman times. In 1968, archaeologists explored the site. They found Iron Age pottery in a trench dug through its banks and ditches. This tells us a lot about the people who lived there long ago.

What is a Hill Fort?

Hill forts are large, ancient settlements. They were often built on top of hills. These sites were usually surrounded by big earthworks. These earthworks included ditches and banks. Broomfield Camp is a "univallate" hill fort. This means it has one main set of banks and ditches.

When Were Hill Forts Built?

Most hill forts were built during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. This was around the start of the first millennium BC. That's over 3,000 years ago! People in Britain started building them for different reasons.

Why Were Hill Forts Built?

Historians and archaeologists have different ideas about why hill forts were built. Some think they were military sites. They might have been built to protect against invaders from other parts of Europe. Others believe they were built by invaders themselves.

Another idea is that they were a reaction to problems within society. As the population grew, there was more pressure on farming and resources. This could have led to conflicts. Hill forts might have been safe places during these times.

Many experts now think that the discovery of iron changed society. Iron ore was found in different places than the tin and copper needed for bronze. This changed how people traded goods. Old leaders might have lost power, and new groups became important.

Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe believes that more people meant more stress. He says hill forts offered protection when conflicts happened. But he doesn't think they were only built because of war. They were useful strongholds during tense times. Some were attacked, but this wasn't the only reason they were built.