The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Miscellaneous Posts by vulcan

Latest Posts

Banwell Fort (Hillfort)

Although I've never seen it myself, there is suppose to be an huge cross cut into the bedrock on or near this hillfort. This would be similar to the way bedrock was cut out on nearby Dolebury Warren.

Aveline's Hole (Cave / Rock Shelter)

Experts have just declared Aveline's Hole to be "Britains oldest cemetery". a study of over 800 bone fragments found about 100 years ago have revealed that they are about 10,400 years old. Included amongst the bones is one that show signs of osteoarthritis, the oldest case on record.

Cadbury Castle (South Cadbury) (Hillfort)

Look out for 'Arthurs Well' as you go up through the lane to the fort - Like me and my first trip to the fort, most people don't know its there.

Cadbury Hill (Congresbury) (Hillfort)

Cadbury Hill fort - AKA CadCong
-------------------------------------

The fort on Cadbury Hill was built about two and a half thousand years ago. It went out of use during the Roman occupation of Britain, but was subsequently resettled during the Dark Ages.

Cadbury Hill was probably occupied by members of the Dobunni tribe. Gradually they developed their hill settlement into a fortified camp by constructing a multiple ditch and rampart system of earthwork defences topped by a stone wall rampart.

Cadbury Congressbury is one of five like-named Iron Age forts in the Southwest area. The name is Anglo Saxon and means 'Cadda's Camp'


Recent excavations not only uncovered its Iron Age beginnings but also important facts about its subsequent history. Despite the Celts fierce will to resist, their hillforts were a poor defence against the highly trained Roman legions. Thus, Cadbury Hill, like most others was abandoned during the Roman occupation (AD 43-410). Nevertheless, under a stable Roman administration the Congressbury region experienced a flourishing growth in population, settlements and land use. Recent fieldwork in Congressbury parish uncovered evidence of a large number of lowland settlements dating from this period, including a group of kilns which manufacture large amounts of a distinctive grey pottery. Their products can be found widely distributed in the region.

To the North of the hill in Henly woods a pagan Roman temple was built. After it fell into ruin in the fifth century, local people who had presumably been converted to Christianity, were buried at the site over earlier pagan graves

Unlike most other hillforts, Cadbury Congresbury, also referred to as CadCong, gained a new lease of life in the Dark Age with large scale reoccupation between AD 410-700. Evidence of several rectangular as well as circular buildings has been found. judging by the number of people that nay have been living here, cadbury was a Dark Age settlement of some importance.

An intriging find from this period was the foundations of a very large circular hut. It seems to have had a ritual purpose of some kind, but it is now known if this was Christian or pagan.

Dark Age settlement of the site was confirmed by the discovery of amphorae (large ceramic wine jars) still being imported from the Mediterranean lands despite the breakdown of the Roman empire.

The nearby settlement of Congressbury was founded in the Saxon era by St Congar, a Celtic holy man from Cornwall.

According to legend St Congar plunged his staff into the ground where upon it took root. To this day there is an ancient yew tree in the churchyard known as 'St Congar's walking stick'. Such a miracle persuaded Ine, the Saxon king of wessex to grant land used for a monastery.

Cadbury Hill is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Portbury (Standing Stone / Menhir)

The story on the plaque of the Portbury Stone is as follows
===================================


On the 27th of september 1987 this ancient standing stone was recovered from the field below the church after having been buried in an old dew-pond since the early 1950's.

It is thought that the stone was originally erected in the late Neolitic period, ie around 2000 BC. It's precise purpose is not fully understood.

The stone is of a type found commonly in this area and would most likely have been quarried near to Conygar Hill.
The rock itself is of a type called Dolomite Conglomerate
and would originally be reddish-brown arising from the iron deposits in the soil.

Re-erection of the stone was carried out by members of the PORTBURY ASSOCIATION so that it might be preserved for posterity. Thanks are due to many people in the village who assisted in the rescue
project
vulcan hasn't added a profile


My TMA Content: