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KINGSDOWN CAMP

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The remains of a small Iron Age enclosed settlement with evidence of refortification in the Roman period.

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[ST 71885172] KINGSDOWN CAMP [G.T.]. (1)

Kingsdown Camp was excavated 1927-9, by H.St. George Gray. The
defences consisted of a Pre-Flavian dry stone wall and 'v'-shaped
outer ditch, with a Pre-Belgic-Belgic inner ditch. Roman occupation
ceased about Mid - 2nd c.
Two paved entrances were found, the original to SSE, and The Roman,
to NE, where two post-holes of a gate were revealed. [See plan
AO/LP/63/100]
The inner ditch produced a quantitiy of Hod Hill type brooches (c.
AD 40-50), hearths and finds of Lake Village type, including two
currency bars and bone needles. Also found were an iron dagger (La
Tene II), o a Dobunnic silver coin (Eisu), (3), an As. of Domitian,
two Dupondii of Hadrian, Pre-conquest and RB.pottery. A feature of
the inner ditch was a number of burials relating to the Roman
occupation.
The outer ditch on pottery evidence, very probably dates to the
Claudius - Nero period. various banks and mounds in the area of the
camp were examined, but their purpose was not determined.
They are composed, very largely, of local stone. RB. sherds and
flint flakes were found, also a probably re-interred skeleton, and
a considerable amount of iron slag. (2-3)

The occupation site excavated in 1927-9, covers an area of
approximately half an acre. The enclosing wall is concealed in
a low bank. The surrounding ditch survives only on the north and
west but its position is indicated by a darker growth of grass for
its full extent.
Banks ouside the enclosure suggest associated fields, and very
parched grass on top of the bank, and a few exposed stones, indicate
walling beneath the surface.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
All the finds from the 1927-29 excavations are in Taunton Museum
(Acc.No.A 422). See AO/64/273/4.
Stereo-photographs AO/64/265/2 and 3 and AO/64/265/4 and 5. (4)

Kingsdown Camp is a small Iron Age earthwork enclosure, refortified,
curiously, in the late 1st/2nd century AD. (5-6)

Additional references (7)(8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" (Prov) 1962

( 2) Society of Antiquaries of London Archaeologia : or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity

(H St George Gray) 80, 1930 Page(s)59-98

( 3) by Elsie M Clifford 1961 Bagendon : a Belgic oppidum. A record of the excavations of 1954-56

Page(s)49,76,109,127

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 GHP 07-AUG-64

( 5) by John Campbell, David Elkington, Peter Fowler and Leslie Grinsell 1970 The Mendip hills in prehistoric and Roman times

Page(s)20

( 6) by Leslie Grinsell 1970 Prehistoric sites in the Mendip, South Cotswold, Wye Valley and Bristol region

Bristol Archaeological Research Group field guides no.1a Page(s)25

( 7) General reference

RCHME Excavations Index

( 8) by Ian Burrow 1981 Hillfort and hill-top settlement in Somerset in the first to eighth centuries A.D.

BAR British series1 (1974) - 91, 1981 Page(s)260

(9) Somerset archaeology and natural history : the proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society

Page(s)177

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