Duncorn Hill facts for kids
Duncorn Hill is a rounded hill with a flat top close to the Fosse Way on the limestone plateau south of Bath in Somerset, England. It is 585 feet (178 m) above sea level and is a landmark. Its name derives from the Celtic din for fort and corn meaning horn-shaped.
Geology
The bedrock is sedimentary limestone of the Great Oolite layer. This is typically covered with a soil layer of 5–6 inches (13–15 cm). The soil is mostly brown or greyish brown but there are some yellow patches. The drainage on the hill is good.
The hill contains deposits of fuller's earth and these have been analysed for their content of fossil shellfish.
History
It has been speculated that the hill may have been the site of a Bronze or Iron Age hill fort. Field investigations searching for a fort were made in 1966, but no evidence was found. The scarps which had been seen from the road and were thought to provide evidence of a man-made structure were found to be natural geological formations. There was also no sign of the cairn or pile of stones which had been described in the 18th century, but in 1975 Ralph Whitlock wrote of hilltop earthworks that were occupied in Iron Age times.
