Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 29 Page 111
Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 29 Page 111 is in Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Volume 29.
Cadbury Castle [Map] (so called to distinguish it from the three other Cadbury camps within or near the borders of Somerset) occupies the whole of the top of a steep hill, about 300 feet in height, standing detached as an outpost a little in advance on the north-west of the higher range which stretches from Yeovil to South Cadbury, different parts of which are dis tinguished by the names of Corton Down, Poynington Down, and Holway Hill. Cadbury hill forms a portion of the great outcrop of the inferior oolite resting upon the lias, which comes to the surface below. It commands the basin watered by the affluents of the river Yeo; and was an important link in that chain of strong forts which dominated the Somerset levels from points of vantage at the verge of the high hill-region be hind them, —long ere the dawn of history, the broken coast of a deeply-embayed estuary. The spot is two miles from the nearest point (at Sparkford) of a Roman road wfflich left the "Via ad Axium" at a point somewhat to the east of Maiden Bradley ; went through Stourhead ; passed south-westward, at the distance of a mile or two from Bruton and Castle Cary and then, through Sparkford and Queen’s Camel, to Yeovil. There is no record of any other ancient road in this locality but there must have been vicinal ways, the traces of which have since disappeared. The nearest camps of any note are Hamdon, 11 miles to the south-west, and Castle Orchard, 10 miles to the north-east.
The plan of the works may he described as an irregular triangle, fenced by four concentric ramparts, with interven ing trenches, stepping steeply down the hill-slopes from the edge of the plateau. Below these, the plan shows that, on the north and north-east, there were detached lengths of outermost embankments ; on the eastern side, a piece of bold and on the south and south-west,—one of the escarpment ; steepest parts, —a series of six similar escarpments partly cut into the rock. The main entrance was probably that still used at the north-eastern corner, where the ascent is the easiest and where the northern rampart was made to bend round, so as to form a flanking defence. It has generally been held that the one at the opposite corner also was ancient; and that there was a third entrance on the eastern side, where the plan shows an existing way through the ramparts. Although these roads appear in Crocker’s plan, there is reason for doubting the antiquity of the last, which has some appearance of having been made for the convenience of a former occupier of the land, and is neglected by Phelps in his enumeration of the entrances. While Stukeley writes of only one entrance from the east, guarded by six or seven ditches, it is clear, from Leland’s account, that the south-western one was in existence in his time ; and, therefore, it was, doubtless, a part of the original work. Mr. Warre regarded the south-western entrance as the chief, and the north-eastern one as secondary while he assumed, undoubtingly, that the other entrance from the east, to which I have referred, was likewise ancient. The author has been unable to recognize “ a smaller opening on the north side, leading through the entrenchments to the spring,” which Mr. Warre fancied he could detect ; " but the entrench ment had been so tampered with by modern fences,” that he was evidently in considerable doubt on the matter. I have written of the south-western entrance as though there was only one at that point ; hut the truth is, that, immediately to the south of the existing cart-way which gives easy access to the area, there are signs of another, a much rougher way, shown on the plan, cutting across the three higher banks, straight up to the angle. It is also shown, but too distinctly, in Crocker's plan. Whether this gap, or the adjoining more distinctly marked way, was the entrance at this point in Leland’s time, may perhaps remain an open question.
The enceinte measures approximately about 1,000 feet by 750 feet, and may have an area of about 18 acres. Crocker’s plan has no scale whereby to check the accuracy of this estimate. The ground rises gradually from the north-east and east to the apex of the hill, from whence thera is a some what abrupt fall to the rampart on the west, and to the entrance at the south-western angle. Almost on the brow, there are remains of a straight piece of embankment, inter rupted in the middle ; and faint indications of small mounds between it and the edge. Not the slightest trace can be seen of the “work ditched round, and called King Arthur's Palace, and which might have been the prætorium ” of Stukeley. Phelps thinks the apex of the hill might have been occupied by a speculum, or watch-tower. In the south-eastern corner there is a small gravel-pit, or quarry. Two springs issue from the hill-sides, among the ramparts. The chief of these, called Arthur's Well, (said to be never dry), is in the outer trench, on the north side, inclosed within a ring-fence, adjoining which is a small pond ; the other, called Queen Anne's Well, is in the middle trench, by the side of the main entrance-way, close to the keeper’s cottage.
The embankments are composed of the usual mixture of stones and earth, nearly everywhere overgrown by grass. In some places they and the trenches exhibit exposures of rock but I have nowhere observed any indication of ancient walling, such as Mr. Warre, somewhat doubtfully, thought he had been able to detect. Stone must always, as now, have been scarce on the site, and the place amply strong without walled bulwarks.
The modern works shown on the plan will, for the most part, be easily recognised. The banks and trenches belting the western, north-western, and eastern sides, are planted with trees, and fenced-in by walls. The upper one forms a revêtement to the inner agger, on the side of the enceinte; while the lower approximately follows the line of the outer agger. Another wall sweeps around its southern foot, from the westernmost bend to the south-eastern entrance. From these, several fence-walls radiate in various directions ; and the main approach, beyond the trenches, is shut in by hedges.
The accounts and theories which have been published from the time of Leland downward, both of the camp, and of the objects found in it and its vicinity, together with records and opinions relating to the Arthurian legend, are fully quoted and discussed in the original paper, of which this is an abstract. As to the connexion of King Arthur with Cadbury, the writer concedes that if he were a real personage, and if the scenes of the chief incidents of his career have been truly laid in the West of England ; and if the Camelot of romance had an his toric reality ; then the fortified hill of Cadbury seems to have the best title to be the remains of that place.
When we come to inquire by what people this ancient stronghold was constructed, we shall, as usual, have to bewail the lack of guiding evidence. Both Camden and Stukeley, with strange error of judgment, (as has been well pointed out by Mr. Warre), attributed Cadbury to the Romans, because so many coins of that people have been found there, and not withstanding that it is not planned according to their well-known system of fortification. The evidence of the coins of course goes no farther than to show that the work was occupied either in Roman or post-Roman times, but gives no clue as to the date of its establishment.
Like Dolbury, the name Cadbury is compounded with elements of diverse parentage. The first half is Keltic, and has been supposed to have some reference, not very well defined, to war or battle. The last half of the word is clearly Saxon.
It is well-known that Mr. Warre had a theory which he expounded in several papers published in these Proceedings, that two classes of camps can be distinguished in Somerset; and that these should be attributed to different races. After muchthought, and a careful comparison of most of the instances he adduces, and of many to which he has not referred, I am disposed to think that Mr. Warre’s induction was based on too small a number of examples ; and those, in many cases, either erroneously classified, or not sufficiently marked to lend it any support. His three-fold arrangement, for instance, is only found in its proper order of succession in two or three of the camps he has named,—the best example being Castle Neroche. Hamdon has it not. In Worlebury, the two lower divisions are separated by the “keep and Dolbury does not in any way answer to the description. Membury, and Norton too, must not be grouped in that category. And it seems not to have occurred to Mr. Warre that there are many examples of the concentric camp in Damnonia, even down to the extre mity of Cornwall; and also that specimens affiliated to those of the triple order are found in distant localities, —for instance, in Wales, Ireland, Brittany, and Istria. Among many less important works of the concentric class in Damnonia, it will be sufficient to instance Chywoon Castle, Castle-an-dinas, and Castle Kenyoe, in Cornwall ; Ditchen Hills, Denbury, and Cadbury (near Silverton), in Devonshire; and Norton camp in Somerset; all within the region unpenetrated by the Belgæ; and all good examples of the circular, oval, or concentric form.
In fact, the truth appears to be, that the plans, arrangements, and modes of construction of primitive works of defence were ruled almost solely by the form of the ground, and by the nature of the materials found upon the site ; and, though there may have been some differences of fashion among different races, arising from tribal needs, habits, and pursuits, I am convinced that these were not sufficiently marked to make any such a local classification as that proposed by Mr. Warre at present possi ble. It can scarcely be hoped that any clearer lightwill be shed upon the subject until a much more extensive and systematic exploration by the spade than has yet been undertaken shall have been applied to these and many other similar works in the same district.