Cadbury Hill, also known as Cadbury Camp, is an Iron Age hillfort located in North Somerset, in the former county of Avon, England.
Cadbury Hill is the site of a cave from which, so local legend holds, King Arthur and his knights will one day ride forth.
Cadbury Hill | History
Iron Age Occupation | 700 BC – Onwards
Cadbury Hill has evidence of human occupation dating back to around 700 BC during the Iron Age. The hillfort would have been a place of habitation for Iron Age communities. Excavations at similar sites have revealed evidence of roundhouses, storage pits, and other structures indicative of domestic life.
Defensive Earthworks
The primary purpose of Cadbury Hill was defensive. The hillfort is characterized by multiple concentric ramparts and ditches, which would have made it challenging for potential attackers to breach the fortifications.
Trade, Communication and Cultural Significance
Hillforts were often strategically located along trade routes and communication networks, facilitating interactions between different communities. The site likely held cultural and ritual significance for its inhabitants. Archaeological findins at other hillforts have included items such as pottery, tools, and even evidence of feasting and religious activities.
Abandonment and Later Use
Like many hillforts, Cadbury Hill may have been abandoned or gradually fell out of use as societal and environmental factors changed. Subsequent periods may have seen the reuse of the site for different purposes, but the primary Iron Age occupation is the most well-documentet phase.
Excavations and Research
Cadbury Hill has been the subject of archaeological excavations and research, particularly in the mid-twentieth century. The work, led by archaeologists like Leslie Alcock, provided important data about the site’s layout, structures and occupation history.
See also
Cadbury Castle | The Legend of King Arthur
Cave Legend | The Legend of King Arthur