Ruborough Camp

Location map
Somerset
lat=51.09559
long=-3.10382
width=180
float=right
caption="Ruborough Camp shown within Somerset" (gbmapping|ST228335)

Ruborough Camp is an Iron Age hill fort on the Quantock Hills near Broomfield in Somerset, England. The name comes from "Rugan beorh" or "Ruwan-beorge" meaning "Rough Hill".

The hill fort is on an easterly spur from the main Quantock ridge, with steep natural slopes to the north and south-east. The fort is triangular in shape, with a single rampart and ditch (univallate), enclosing 1.8 ha. There is a linear outer work about 120 m away, parallel to the westerly rampart, enclosing another 1.8 ha.

There was a subterranean tunnel, which has now been filed in, which gave the camp safe access to a nearby spring for water.cite book |title=Portrait of the Quantocks |last=Waite |first=Vincent |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1964 |publisher=Robert Hale |location=London |isbn=0709111584 |pages= ]

It was common for ancient hill forts to be reused as pens for domesticated animals in the Medieval period, and there is documentary evidence that Ruborough became a "porcheria", or piggery, owned by the Saxon domain of Somerton.

References

* Somerset Historic Environment Record [http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=10228 Ruborough Camp] (Site no. 10228)
* "Dumnonia and the Valley of the Parret", Rev W.H.P.Greswell, 1922.

ee also

* Plainsfield Camp
* Dowsborough
* Trendle Ring