More information : (ST 247405) Cynwit Castle [NAT] Camp [NR] (1)
This fort, known locally as Cannington Park Camp, appears to have consisted originally of a stone wall above a scarp. A trench dug in 1913 at the SW corner located the robbed wall, and additional defenses may be represented by scarps below. The main entrance appears to be at the SE, where there is a third scarp at the foot of the hill. East of the entrance, bank and outer ditch are probably a later adaptation of the original scarp. Objects in Taunton Museum and at Bridgwater include worked flints, Iron Age pottery and a brooch, and late Roman pottery was found in a limited excavation, at ST 24744037, in 1963 by Rahtz, who postulates Roman re-occupation of the fort. (2)
The name "Gynwir or Cynwit Castle" cannot now be accepted, as it is based on false assumptions of early writers. Excavations by Whistler in 1905 yielded Iron Age B pottery and wheelturned pottery believed by Rahtz to be Roman and to indicate the Roman re-occupation of the fort. In 1913 C Bazell found Iron Age pottery and some of Neolithic, Beaker and Bronze Age. (3)
No change to previous survey. (4)
ST 247 405. Cynwit Castle. SAM No 26. (5)
A plan and illustration by Burrow are present, together with a short description. (6)
ST 247 405. Cannington Park (Cynwit Castle). Listed in gazetteer as a univallate hillfort covering 3.1ha. (7)
Description with plan. The account mentions that large numbers of human skeletons have been found here. (8)
Cross referencing with scheduling information pertaining to Castle Hill Settlement, Beaford, Torridge, Devon: It has also been suggested that Cannington Hill was the site of the Early Medieval battle of Cynuit of 878 AD between the Viking forces under Ubhe Ragnarson and the Anglo-Saxons under Ealdorman Odda, in which the Anglo-Saxons were victorious, Castle Hill is also a possible site of the battle. (9)
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