Curdon Camp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Curdon Camp |
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| Location | Stogumber, Somerset, England |
| Built | Iron Age |
| Reference no. | 189556 |
Curdon Camp is an ancient hill fort from the Iron Age in West Somerset, England. It is a special place called a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This means it is an important historical site protected by law.
This hill fort is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) north-west of the village of Stogumber. Sadly, much of Curdon Camp was destroyed. This happened because of quarrying (digging for stone) and bulldozing (using heavy machines). But a part of the camp still remains. This section is about 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high on its southern and western sides.
What is a Hill Fort?
Hill forts are large, strong settlements built on hills. People lived in them during the Iron Age. This time was roughly from the start of the first thousand years BC. They were often surrounded by big walls or ditches. Curdon Camp is a "univallate" hill fort. This means it had just one main wall or ditch for defense.
Why Were Hill Forts Built?
Historians and archaeologists have different ideas about why hill forts were built. One idea is that they were military sites. They might have been built to protect people from invaders. Another idea is that they were built by invaders themselves. Some think they were a way to deal with social problems. These problems might have come from a growing population. More people meant more pressure on farming and land.
During the Iron Age, people started using iron ore more. Iron was found in different places than tin and copper ore, which were used to make bronze. This changed how people traded goods. It also changed who had power in society. Old leaders might have lost their importance. New groups of people gained power.
Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe believes that a growing population played a role. He said that hill forts offered places to defend the community. This was important when tensions led to fighting. But he also said they weren't always built because of war. They were useful strongholds when there were problems. Some hill forts were attacked and destroyed. But this was not the only reason they were built.
