Dowsborough

Dowsborough Camp is an Iron Age hill fort on the Quantock Hills near Nether Stowey in Somerset. It stands on an easterly spur at 340 metres above sea level, offering views north to the Bristol Channel and east over the River Parrett valley. The fort has an oval shape with a single rampart and ditch enclosing 2.7 hectares. There are two entrances, one facing east towards Nether Stowey and another to the north-west. A ridgeway leads down to Holford from the north-west entrance, and the Lady’s Fountain springs lie in the combe to the west. The site is recognised as a Scheduled Monument and has been added to the Heritage at Risk Register due to damage from vehicles and erosion. A linear earthwork called Dead Woman’s Ditch crosses the spur to the south, providing an extra line of defence. This earthwork may also have served as a tribal boundary. King Alfred’s military road, the Herepath, ran past the fort during Saxon times, connecting a series of forts and lookout posts along the coast. Visitors find a well-preserved Iron Age rampart and ditch following the hilltop contours. The main entrance offers a clear view towards Nether Stowey, while the north-west entrance aligns with a historic ridgeway. The Lady’s Fountain springs add a natural feature to the landscape. The col to the south connects the hill to the main Stowey ridge, where Dead Woman’s Ditch can still be seen. The views from the fort stretch across the Bristol Channel and the surrounding valleys.