Cannington Camp

Cannington Camp is a Bronze Age and Iron Age hill fort near Cannington in Somerset. It stands on a small hill that rises 80 metres above low-lying land close to the tidal estuary of the River Parrett. The fort covers about five hectares and is roughly square, with a single rampart and a main entrance facing south-east. The north side of the hill has been lost to quarrying in the 19th and 20th centuries. Flint tools and Bronze Age artefacts have been found on and near the hill, showing early occupation. A late Roman and Saxon cemetery once lay on the quarried side, containing hundreds of east–west Christian graves. The site may be the location of Cynwit Castle and the Battle of Cynwit in 878 AD, when Saxons fought Vikings. Another possible battle took place in 845 AD, led by Eanwulf and Ealstan, Bishop of Sherborne. Hill forts like this appeared across Britain at the start of the first millennium BC. Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe argues they served as defensive strongholds during times of social tension rather than constant warfare. Their construction reflects changes brought by the spread of iron working and shifting trade routes. Visitors find a grassy hill with clear earthworks marking the fort’s ramparts and entrance. The views stretch over the Parrett estuary and surrounding lowlands. The site is quiet, with no modern buildings inside the enclosure. Information boards explain the fort’s history and the battles once fought here. The contrast between the ancient earthworks and the tidal landscape makes it a place for reflection on the past.