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Digital Digging - Iron Age Hillforts, Somerset
Bounds Lane Hillfort, Bounds Lane, Wambrook
H.E.R. record .kmz file Overview map
Bounds Lane Hillfort, Bounds Lane, Wambrook.
Site Name: Hillfort, Bounds Lane, Wambrook
SCHEDULED MONUMENT: Hillfort 550yds (501m) SE of Four Gates [No:426]
Civil Parish: Wambrook
Grid Ref: ST 3109 0745 (ST 30 NW)

Centred at ST31090745 and consists of an oval enclosure formed by a bank and outer ditch. It is evident that both were originally of considerable strength. The situation, just below the highest point of a plateau, is not suited to defence but has a good view. Entrance not seen but it may have been in the S part which has been eroded almost completely by ploughing. The N and W quadrants are similarly being ploughed out leaving only the E section which is used as field boundary. Iron slag and pieces of iron found in the field were identified as waste from the iron works at Chard. It is supplied free to farmers for road surfacing, drainage etc. {1}

Defences form an oval c200m x 150m. S bank appears as a much spread bank c30cm high. On the W and NW the bank is c50 - 75cm high with possible entrance. On E it is 2m high. Small amount of IA pottery found. {2}

Only the E section visible because of crops. The bank under the crop would appear to have been reduced by ploughing since 1983. {6}

Careful examination of RAF 1946 photo in Devon CC suggests that the entrance may have been on the N. Plan drawn from AP. {7}

The iron slag in the field now does not look modern and was certainly not cupola slag. In view of knowledge of the Blackdown iron industry it is likley that this is contemporary with the hillfort. {8}

A sherd of C2/3 New Forest Roman pottery was found at ST31100738. {9}

References:

1 Detailed records - Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division 1978 ST30NW14 (SCC Planning Department)
2 Mention - BAR 91 Burrow I 1981 "Hillfort and Hilltop Settlement...", 230
3 Detailed records - HBMC Field Monument Wardens report 1983 (SCC Planning Department)
4 Aerial photographs - Slide (SCC Planning Department) 5.108.003-004
5 Aerial photographs - DAP VP19-21 1992 in HER
6 Detailed records - Blackdown Hills Survey Record Sheet 1992
7 Correspondence - Silvester, R to Carter, R with plan (c1980) in HER files
8 Personal communication - Carter, R to Somerset County Council (1998)
9 Mention - Wood PJ and Carter, R A history of the parish of Chardstock

Data kindly supplied by the Somerset Historic Environment Record.

Record created in July 1984

© Copyright Somerset County Council 2007

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