Stokeleigh Camp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stokeleigh Camp |
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| Location | Leigh Woods, North Somerset, England |
| Area | 7.5 acres (3.0 ha) |
| Built | Iron Age |
| Reference no. | 198375 |
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Stokeleigh Camp is an ancient fort from the Iron Age. It is located in Leigh Woods, near Bristol, England. This special place is known as a promontory fort. It sits on a high piece of land that sticks out.
Stokeleigh Camp is one of three Iron Age forts in the area. They all look over the amazing Avon Gorge. The other two forts are Burgh Walls Camp and Clifton Down Camp. People think an old road once linked Stokeleigh Camp to Cadbury Camp nearby.
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Stokeleigh Camp: An Ancient Hill Fort
What is Stokeleigh Camp?
Stokeleigh Camp is built on a promontory. This means it is on a high point of land. It covers about 7.5 acres (3.0 ha) of space. The fort was naturally protected by the steep Avon Gorge on two sides. This made it hard for enemies to attack.
On its other sides, the fort had three large walls. These walls got bigger as they moved towards the center. The inner wall was over 30 feet (9.1 m) high! It was made of a ditch and a rampart (a raised bank of earth). There might have been a wooden fence on top too. Parts of the walls show signs of being built with dry stone.
Who Lived Here?
Archaeologists believe people lived at Stokeleigh Camp during the late Iron Age. This was before the Romans came to Britain. At that time, the area was controlled by a tribe called the Dobunni.
Later, in the 1st century, other tribes might have been here. These could have been the Belgae tribes. Pottery found at the site shows their influence. It seems the fort might have been empty for a while. Then, people used it again in the middle to late 2nd century.
Clues from the Past
Many pieces of pottery have been found at Stokeleigh Camp. These help us learn about the people who lived there. A possible coin of Gallienus was also found. He was a Roman emperor from 253 to 268 AD.
An interesting iron brooch was discovered too. It is called a La Tène II type brooch. This type of brooch shows the beautiful art style of the Celts.
What Else Do We Know?
It is not fully clear why people used Stokeleigh Camp in the 3rd century. Maybe soldiers lived there. Or perhaps people just used it as a safe place during difficult times.
Some people think Stokeleigh was connected to the Wansdyke. This is a very long series of old earthworks. It runs across parts of England. However, there is not much proof to support this idea. It is also possible that people lived at the site again during the Middle Ages.
