Burrow Mump
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Burrow Mump is a hill and historic site overlooking Southlake Moor in the village of
Burrowbridge Burrowbridge is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Parrett and the A361 road on the edge of the Somerset Levels. It is located southeast of Bridgwater, and has a population of 508. History The name probab ...
within the English county of
Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
. It is a
scheduled monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage, visu ...
, with a never completed church on top of the hill a Grade II
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
. The hill stands at a strategic location overlooking the point where the
River Tone The River Tone is a river in the English county of Somerset. The river is about long. Its River source, source is at Beverton Pond near Huish Champflower in the Brendon Hills, and is dammed at Clatworthy Reservoir. The reservoir outfall con ...
and the old course of the
River Cary The River Cary is a river in Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and B ...
join the
River Parrett The River Parrett is a river that flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset. Flowing northwest through Somerset and the So ...
. Although there is some evidence of Roman visitation, the first fortification of the site was the construction of a
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...
motte A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or Bailey (castle), bailey, surrounded by a protective Rampart (fortificati ...
. It has been called King Alfred's Fort, however there is no proof of use by
Alfred the Great Alfred the Great ( ; – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who both died when Alfr ...
. A medieval church was built on the hill in the 15th century. The current ruined church on top of the hill was built in 1793. The land and ruin were donated to the
National Trust The National Trust () is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the ...
in 1946 as a war memorial.


Geology

The hill is high, and stands at a strategic point where the
River Tone The River Tone is a river in the English county of Somerset. The river is about long. Its River source, source is at Beverton Pond near Huish Champflower in the Brendon Hills, and is dammed at Clatworthy Reservoir. The reservoir outfall con ...
and the old course of the
River Cary The River Cary is a river in Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and B ...
join the
River Parrett The River Parrett is a river that flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset. Flowing northwest through Somerset and the So ...
, above the surrounding low-lying land of the
Somerset Levels The Somerset Levels are a coastal plain and wetland area of Somerset, England, running south from the Mendips to the Blackdown Hills. The Somerset Levels have an area of about and are bisected by the Polden Hills; the areas to the south ...
. It is made of
Triassic The Triassic ( ; sometimes symbolized 🝈) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.5 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.4 Mya. The Triassic is t ...
sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
capped by Keuper marl ascribed to the
Mercia Mudstone Group The Mercia Mudstone Group is an early Triassic lithostratigraphy, lithostratigraphic group (stratigraphy), group (a sequence of rock strata) which is widespread in Britain, especially in the English Midlands—the name is derived from the ancient ...
.


Early use

Burrow Mump is also known as St Michael's Borough or Tutteyate. Both words 'burrow' and 'mump' mean hill. There is also an alternative translation for the name 'burrows' deriving from 'burh helow' meaning 'the refuge fort' and munp meaning 'a hill' so this becomes 'the refuge fort on the hill', this is very near Lyng which is where one of the Burghal Hideage forts recorded for King Alfred is located. Archaeological surveys have shown some
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
material including a piece of pottery and coins found nearby which, possibly linked to its situation at a river junction, may indicate its use for trade. Square pits, one of which may have been a well and post holes from the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
have been identified during excavations, these may have been from an
adulterine castle Adulterine castles were fortifications built in England during the 12th century without royal approval, particularly during the civil war of the Anarchy between 1139 and 1154. Details During the civil war of the Anarchy, fought between the fact ...
. It is likely that it was a
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...
motte A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or Bailey (castle), bailey, surrounded by a protective Rampart (fortificati ...
with a terraced track that spirals around the hill to reach it. The plateau at the top is by and along with the scarped top of the slope formed the motte, which may have been formed during
The Anarchy The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Duchy of Normandy, Normandy between 1138 and 1153, which resulted in a widespread breakdown in law and order. The conflict was a war of succession precipitated by the accidental death of William Adel ...
between 1135 and 1153. The site has been called King Alfred's Fort, but there is no evidence of it being a fort or having any link with Alfred the Great, apart from its ownership by the nearby
Athelney Abbey Athelney Abbey, established in the county of Somerset, England, was founded by King Alfred in 888, as a religious house for monks of the Order of St. Benedict. It was dedicated to "Our Blessed Saviour, St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Egelwine" ...
which he established and was linked to Burrow Mump by a causeway. It may have served as a natural
outwork An outwork is a minor fortification built or established outside the principal fortification limits, detached or semidetached. Outworks such as ravelins, lunettes (demilunes), flèches and caponier A caponier is a type of defensive structur ...
to the defended royal island of
Athelney Athelney is a village located between the villages of Burrowbridge and East Lyng in Somerset, England. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English '' æþeling'' meaning "prince" + -''ey'' meaning "isle". The village is best known f ...
at the end of the 9th century. Excavations have shown evidence of a 12th-century masonry building on the top of the hill, which may be from the probable adulterine castle. The side of the mound may have been terraced for agricultural use due to much of the surrounding land flooded on a regular basis during the medieval period. The first recorded writing mentioning this site is from
William Worcester William Worcester (c. 1415 – c. 1482) was an English antiquary, author, and historian known for his detailed writings on medieval England. He served as the secretary to Sir John Fastolf, a prominent military commander during the Hundred Year ...
in about 1480 when he referred to it as ''Myghell-borough''. A
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
church dedicated to St Michael, belonging to the Athelney Abbey, dates from at least the mid-15th century. This formed a sanctuary for royalist troops in 1642 and 1645 during the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
, and a detachment of the king's army occupied it in 1685 during the course of the
Monmouth Rebellion The Monmouth Rebellion in June 1685 was an attempt to depose James II of England, James II, who in February had succeeded his brother Charles II of England, Charles II as king of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and ...
.


18th century rebuilding

In 1793, the church was rebuilt with a west tower, 3-bay nave and south porch, in squared and coursed lias with red brick and
Hamstone Hamstone is a honey-coloured building stone from Ham Hill, Somerset, England. It is a well-cemented medium to coarse grained limestone characterised by marked bedding planes of clay inclusions and less well-cemented material which weather dif ...
dressings. The attempt at total rebuilding ended in failure to collect enough money, despite donations from
William Pitt the Younger William Pitt (28 May 1759 – 23 January 1806) was a British statesman who served as the last prime minister of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1783 until the Acts of Union 1800, and then first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, p ...
and Admiral Hood, and a church for the community was built instead at the foot of the hill (
Burrowbridge Burrowbridge is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Parrett and the A361 road on the edge of the Somerset Levels. It is located southeast of Bridgwater, and has a population of 508. History The name probab ...
) in 1838. In the mid 20th century the ruin on Burrow Mump underwent some repairs to the north west corner. The ruined church is one of the churches dedicated to St. Michael that falls on a
ley line Ley lines () are straight alignments drawn between various historic structures, prehistoric sites and prominent landmarks. The idea was developed in early 20th-century Europe, with ley line believers arguing that these alignments were recognis ...
proposed by
John Michell John Michell (; 25 December 1724 – 21 April 1793) was an English natural philosopher and clergyman who provided pioneering insights into a wide range of scientific fields including astronomy, geology, optics, and gravitation. Considered "on ...
of the pseudoscientific Earth Mysteries Movement. Other connected St. Michaels on the ley line include churches built at Othery and
Glastonbury Tor Glastonbury Tor is a hill near Glastonbury in the English county of Somerset, topped by the roofless tower of St Michael's Church, a Grade I Listed building (United Kingdom), listed building. The site is managed by the National Trust and has be ...
. However, Michell's ley line is drawn as a straight line on a map across the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall linking his sites, and does not take into account the curvature of the Earth. Churches built on hills were also frequently dedicated to St Michael, and it is just a coincidence that a small scattering of churches dedicated to St Michael are found roughly near to the route of his line.


Memorial

The site of including the hill and ruined church were presented, in 1946, by Major Alexander Gould Barrett, to the
National Trust The National Trust () is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the ...
and serve as a memorial to the 11,281 Somerset men who lost their lives during the
First First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
and
Second World Wars World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The National Trust was taken to court for
nuisance Nuisance (from archaic ''nocence'', through Fr. ''noisance'', ''nuisance'', from Lat. ''nocere'', "to hurt") is a common law tort. It means something which causes offence, annoyance, trouble or injury. A nuisance can be either public (also "com ...
after soil from Burrow Mump slipped onto a neighbouring farmer's land. The ruin was classified as a Grade II
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
in 1963. It has been a
Scheduled monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage, visu ...
since 1949.


References


Bibliography

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External links


"Burrow Mump"
– a 360° panoramic view from the top of Burrow Mump {{Coord, 51.06840, N, 2.92049, W, region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(ST356303), display=title Hills of Somerset Somerset Levels Scheduled monuments in Taunton Dene Grade II listed buildings in Taunton Deane National Trust properties in Somerset Grade II listed ruins