Cannington Camp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cannington Camp |
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Plan of earthworks at Cannington Camp
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| Location | Cannington, Somerset, England |
| Built | Bronze Age and Iron Age |
| Reference no. | 191244 |
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Cannington Camp is an ancient hill fort located near Cannington, Somerset, England. People lived here during the Bronze Age and Iron Age, which was thousands of years ago! It is a special protected site known as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The small hill where the camp sits is about 80 meters (260 feet) high. It overlooks lower land near the River Parrett. The fort itself is roughly square-shaped. It has one main protective wall, called a rampart. This wall encloses an area of about 5 hectares (12 acres). The main entrance to the camp was on the south-east side.
Sadly, parts of the north side of the hill were destroyed. This happened because of quarrying, which is when stone is dug out, during the 1800s and 1900s. Small digs by archaeologists happened in 1905, 1913, and 1963.
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Discoveries at Cannington Camp
Archaeologists have found many interesting things at Cannington Camp. These finds tell us about the people who lived there long ago.
Ancient Tools and Artifacts
- Stone Age tools: People found flint tools, scrapers, and flakes. These show that people lived here even during the Mesolithic period, which was the Middle Stone Age.
- Bronze Age items: An axe head and a knife from the Bronze Age have also been discovered.
The Ancient Cemetery
The area that was destroyed by quarrying was once a large cemetery. This cemetery was used by people from the late Roman period and the Saxon period (around 350 to 800 AD). Hundreds of graves were found, with people buried facing east-west, which is typical for Christian burials. Inside these graves, archaeologists found items like coins and pottery. These items are called "grave goods" and were buried with the person.
Cannington Camp and History
Cannington Camp might be a very important historical site. It is possibly the location of a place called Cynwit Castle.
The Battle of Cynwit
Some historians believe Cannington Camp was the site of the Battle of Cynwit. This battle happened in 878 AD. It was a fight between the Saxons and the Vikings. The Saxons were led by a leader named Eanwulf and Bishop Ealstan of Sherborne. This battle was a significant event in early English history.
Why were Hill Forts Built?
Hill forts like Cannington Camp started to appear in Britain during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, around 1000 BC. Experts have different ideas about why these forts were built.
- Protection: Some think they were military sites. They might have been built to defend against attacks from other groups or from invaders coming from mainland Europe.
- Community Centers: Others believe they were not just for fighting. They could have been important places for communities to gather. They might have been used for trade, meetings, or religious ceremonies.
- Changing Times: As people started using iron more, society changed. Iron was found in different places than bronze. This changed how people traded and who had power. Hill forts might have been built as communities adapted to these new ways of life. They offered a safe place when there were tensions or conflicts.
Archaeologists continue to study these sites to learn more about the ancient people of Britain.
