Small Down Knoll

Location map
Somerset
lat=51.16366
long=-2.47904
width=180
float=right
caption="Small Down Knoll shown within Somerset"
(gbmapping|ST666406)

Small Down Knoll, or Small Down Camp, is a Bronze Age hill fort near Evercreech in Somerset, England. The hill is on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, and rises to 222 m (728 ft).

Finds of flints indicate a prehistoric Mesolithic occupation.

The fort has multiple ramparts ("multivallate") following the contours of the hilltop, enclosing an area of about 2.4 ha (6 acres). Most of the perimeter is a double rampart, but the flatter eastern side has an extra counterscarp rampart with well-defined double ditches. There are two entrances to the south-east: one is a simple opening with evidence of a guardhouse; and the other shows linear features of a holloway.

The fort contains about 14 round barrows ("tumuli"), which form a line of burials running east-west along the crest of the hill. The fort and the barrows appear to be Bronze Age, but excavations have found some Iron Age pottery in the barrows and the ditches.

The fort is near the Fosse Way Roman road. The name of the nearby village of "Stoney Stratton" means "on the stoney stone paved road", which implies there was also a local Roman road in the area, but there are no Roman or post-Roman remains on the site.

The fort was excavated in 1904 by Mr. H. St. George Hay, the finds included flints, pottery, and burials sites with human remains.

The hill fort is currently an Open Access area under a DEFRA scheme which expires in 2007.

References

* "The Victoria History of Somerset", Vol II: Ancient Earthworks (1911)
* "Somerset Historic Environment Record" site records:
** hill fort [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23483 23483] (includes a beautiful aerial photo)
** prehistoric flints: [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=14778 14778] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=14779 14779]
** round barrows: [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23488 23488] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23489 23489] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23490 23490] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23491 23491] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23492 23492] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23493 23493] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23494 23494] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23495 23495] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23496 23496] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23497 23497] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23498 23498] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23499 23499] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23500 23500] , [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=23501 23501]