Dolebury Warren (also known as Dolebury Camp) is a
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...
(SSSI) and
ancient monument
An ancient monument can refer to any early or historical manmade structure or architecture. Certain ancient monuments are of cultural importance for nations and become symbols of international recognition, including the Baalbek, ruins of Baalbek ...
near the villages of
Churchill and
Rowberrow in
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authorities of England, unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. The council is based in Weston-super-Mare, the area's largest town. The district also contains the towns of Clevedon, Nailsea ...
, part of
South West England
South West England, or the South West of England, is one of the nine official regions of England, regions of England in the United Kingdom. Additionally, it is one of four regions that altogether make up Southern England. South West England con ...
. It is owned by 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 ...
, who acquired the freehold in 1983, and managed by the
Avon Wildlife Trust
The Avon Wildlife Trust aims to protect and promote wildlife in the area of the former county of Avon โ now Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, in England. It has its headquarters in Bristol and ru ...
.
Standing on a
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
ridge on the northern edge of the
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills (commonly called the Mendips) is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath, Somerset, Bath in Somerset, England. Running from Weston-super-Mare and the Bristol Channel in the west to the River Frome, Somerset ...
, it was made into a
hill fort
A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...
during the
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
and was occupied into the
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 ...
period. The extensive fort covers with single or double
defensive ramparts around it. The name Dolebury Warren comes from its use during the medieval or post medieval periods as a rabbit
warren
Warren most commonly refers to:
* Warren (burrow), a network dug by rabbits
* Warren (name), a given name and a surname, including lists of persons so named
Warren may also refer to:
Places Australia
* Warren (biogeographic region)
* War ...
. The
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the landforms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...
and
differing soil types provide a habitat for an unusually wide range of plants, attracting a variety of insects, including several species of butterfly.
Geology and location
The site is at the top of a
Carboniferous Limestone ridge on the northern edge of the
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills (commonly called the Mendips) is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath, Somerset, Bath in Somerset, England. Running from Weston-super-Mare and the Bristol Channel in the west to the River Frome, Somerset ...
. It forms part of the
Black Down Pericline :''Pericline also refers to a doubly plunging anticline or syncline.''
Pericline is a form of albite exhibiting elongate prismatic crystals.
Pericline twinning is a type of crystal twinning which show fine parallel twin laminae typically found in ...
where the limestone has been exposed because of erosion of the overlying
Triassic
The Triassic ( ; sometimes symbolized ๐) 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 ...
dolomitic
Dolomite () is an anhydrous carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate, ideally The term is also used for a sedimentary carbonate rock composed mostly of the mineral dolomite (see Dolomite (rock)). An alternative name sometimes ...
conglomerate. The soil depth varies considerably, owing to the slope within the site and the effects of its exposure to the wind.
Dolebury Warren overlooks the villages of
Churchill and
Rowberrow and provides good visibility across the surrounding lower lying areas as far as the
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel (, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales (from Pembrokeshire to the Vale of Glamorgan) and South West England (from Devon to North Somerset). It extends ...
. The highest point, at the eastern end of the site is
OD, with the hillfort being up to below this. It is the starting point for the
Limestone Link
The Limestone Link is a Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom, long-distance footpath in England, from the Mendip Hills in Somerset to Cold Ashton in Gloucestershire. It is marked by an ammonite waymarker.
The Mendip section starts b ...
, a
long-distance footpath
A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway (landscape), greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking (wilderness), backpacking, cycling, equestrianism or cross-co ...
which ends at
Cold Ashton
Cold Ashton is a village in South Gloucestershire, England. It is located north of Bath, near the junction between the A46 and A420 roads. The village church has a 14th-century tower and the rest of the church was rebuilt in the 16th century ...
in
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...
.
Description
The fort covers an area of and commands views over the surrounding countryside. The hill fort is
bivallate on three sides and a single
rampart
Rampart may refer to:
* Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement
Rampart may also refer to:
* LAPD Rampart Division, a division of the Los Angeles Police Department
** Rampart scandal, a blanket ter ...
on the southern side which is protected by a steep slope. It is almost rectangular with the longest axis from east to west being long and from north to south, surrounded by a rampart which is around high and wide.
It was protected by a
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
rampart
Rampart may refer to:
* Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement
Rampart may also refer to:
* LAPD Rampart Division, a division of the Los Angeles Police Department
** Rampart scandal, a blanket ter ...
with a ditch and
counterscarp
A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides, respectively, of a ditch or moat used in fortifications. Attackers (if they have not bridged the ditch) must descend the counterscarp and ascend the scarp. In permanent fortifications, the ...
on all sides but the south. There is an inturned entrance on the west and an annexe of protecting the easier eastern approach.
History
Etymology
The name Dolebury may mean ''the idol hill'' from the
Old English
Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...
''dwol'' and ''beorg''.
Early

Various artefacts have been uncovered representing the long period of occupation of the site at Dolebury Warren. These include flintwork from the
Palaeolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...
, bronze spearheads, Bronze Age pottery, and
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 ...
pottery and coins.
There is evidence of occupation of the site during the
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
. The defences and
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
field systems there date back to the 7th centuryโ3rd century
BCE, though they might mask earlier developments. The hillfort was occupied until approximately 100BC, though it is possible that it was reoccupied in the Roman and post-Roman periods. The archeological consultant Peter Leach has suggested there may even have been a Roman Temple built within the hillfort, while aerial photographs suggest the probable remains of an Iron Age or Roman coaxial field system. Local historian Robin Atthill also suggests that Dolebury may have re-emerged as an important centre of population in the 5th century.
Medieval
In the medieval or post-medieval period, the remains of the hillfort were used as a
rabbit warren which was used to breed rabbits, providing valuable meat and fur. Many warrens were surrounded by banks or walls to prevent the rabbits from escaping; escaped rabbits caused damage to nearby farmland and meant a loss in profit. The warren at Dolebury is completely enclosed by the substantial ramparts of the Iron Age hill fort and thus provided an ideal location to breed rabbits. The presence of
pillow mounds
Warren most commonly refers to:
* Warren (burrow), a network dug by rabbits
* Warren (name), a given name and a surname, including lists of persons so named
Warren may also refer to:
Places Australia
* Warren (biogeographic region)
* Warren ...
and vermin traps demonstrate management of the site for husbandry.
Ridge and furrow
Ridge and furrow is an Archaeology, archaeological pattern of ridges (Medieval Latin: ''sliones'') and troughs created by a system of ploughing used in Europe during the Middle Ages, typical of the open field system, open-field system. It is a ...
agriculture has also been identified, from aerial photographs, within the fort. Some of these structures, along with earlier Iron Age features, have been damaged by subsequent quarrying which may have been for
lead
Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
,
ochre
Ochre ( ; , ), iron ochre, or ocher in American English, is a natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the colou ...
or
calamine
Calamine, also known as calamine lotion, is a medication made from powdered calamine (mineral), calamine mineral that is used to treat mild itchiness. Conditions treated include sunburn, insect bites, Toxicodendron radicans, poison ivy, poiso ...
. The site was described by
John Leland in the 16th century. A three-storey building, believed to be the warrener's house and possibly a watch tower, surrounded by a garden, was in ruins by 1830.
19th and 20th centuries
The site was visited in the early 19th century by
John Skinner John Skinner may refer to:
Politicians
* John Skinner (MP for Maldon), 1391โ1393, MP for Maldon 1391 and 1393
* John Skinner (fl.1395-99), MP for Reigate 1395, 1397 and 1399
* John Skinner (fl.1414-20), MP for Reigate 1414, 1415 and 1420
*John Sk ...
and surveyed in 1872 by
Charles William Dymond. In 1906 the Mendip Lodge Estate, which included Dolebury Warren, was sold. It was first scheduled as an
ancient monument
An ancient monument can refer to any early or historical manmade structure or architecture. Certain ancient monuments are of cultural importance for nations and become symbols of international recognition, including the Baalbek, ruins of Baalbek ...
in 1929.
In 1935 Dolebury Camp was bought by Miss V. Wills of the
W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco company to prevent development. Dolebury Warren was notified as a
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...
in 1952.
The freehold of was acquired by 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 1983 from A. G. Gosling, D. F. Gosling and J. M. Kent, and is managed by the
Avon Wildlife Trust
The Avon Wildlife Trust aims to protect and promote wildlife in the area of the former county of Avon โ now Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, in England. It has its headquarters in Bristol and ru ...
.
Ecology
The site of the fort and warren is now grassy slopes which attract a wide range of wild flowers and butterflies.
The differing soil types provide suitable habitats for both
acid- and
lime-loving plants.
Kidney vetch
''Anthyllis vulneraria'', the common kidneyvetch, kidney vetch or woundwort is a medicinal plant native to Europe, northern Africa, and Western Asia. The name ''vulneraria'' means "wound healer".
Description
''Anthyllis vulneraria'' reaches in ...
(''Anthyllis vulneraria''),
harebell
''Campanula rotundifolia'', the common harebell, Scottish bluebell, or bluebell of Scotland, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. This herbaceous perennial is found throughout the temperate regions of the northe ...
(''Campanula rotundifolia'') and
woolly thistle (''Cirsium eriophorum'') thrive on the dry stony soils.
Heath bedstraw
''Galium saxatile'' or heath bedstraw is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is related to cleavers.
''Galium saxatile'' is a perennial mat-forming herb, found on grassland, moors, heaths and woods. It can reach a height of ...
(''Galium saxatile'') and
wood sage
''Teucrium scorodonia'', common name the woodland germander or wood sage, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Teucrium'' of the family Lamiaceae. It is native to Western Europe and Tunisia, but cultivated in many places as an ornamenta ...
(''Teucrium scorodonia'') are found in more acidic areas. The higher areas support
bell heather
''Erica cinerea'', the bell heather, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family (biology), family Ericaceae, native plant, native to western and central Europe.
Description
It is a low, spreading shrub growing to tall, with fine needle ...
(''Erica cinerea''),
western gorse
''Ulex gallii'', the western gorse or dwarf furzeA R Clapham, T G Tutin, E F Warburg, ''Flora of the British Isles'', Cambridge, 1962, p. 332 is an evergreen shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to the Atlantic coasts of western Europe: sou ...
(''Ulex gallii'') and
common heather
''Calluna vulgaris'', common heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus ''Calluna'' in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found wide ...
(''Calluna vulgaris''). Trees and shrubs include the
wayfaring tree (''Viburnum lantana''),
guelder rose (''Viburnum opulus''),
whitebeam
The whitebeams are members of the family Rosaceae, tribe Malinae, comprising a number of deciduous simple or lobe-leaved species formerly lumped together within ''Sorbus'' s.l. Many whitebeams are the result of extensive intergeneric hybridisa ...
(''Sorbus aria''),
privet
A privet is a flowering plant in the genus ''Ligustrum''. The genus contains about 50 species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs or trees, with a native distribution from Europe to tropical and subtropical Asia, and with one species each ...
(''Ligustrum vulgare'') and
dogwood
''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30โ60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods or cornels, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous ...
(''Cornus sanguinea'').
Scarce plants found at the warren include
knotted pearlwort (''Sagina nodosa''), and
slender bedstraw
''Galium pumilum'', the slender bedstraw or small bedstraw, is a plant species of the genus '' Galium''.
References
pumilum
Flora of Europe
Plants described in 1770
Taxa named by Johan Andreas Murray
{{galium-stub ...
(''Galium pumilum''). Butterflies recorded here include the
small blue
The small blue (''Cupido minimus'') is a Palearctic butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. Despite its common name, it is not particularly blue. The male has some bluish suffusion at the base of its upper wings but is mostly dark brown like the fem ...
(''Cupido minimus''),
marbled white (''Melanargia galathea''),
dingy skipper
The dingy skipper (''Erynnis tages'') is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Description
''Erynnis tages'' is different from other skippers because of the predominantly monochrome, gray-brown wing coloration and the marbling, which ...
(''Erynnis tages''),
grizzled skipper
''Pyrgus'' is a genus in the skippers butterfly family, Hesperiidae, known as the grizzled skippers. The name "checkered" or "chequered skipper" may also be applied to some species, but also refers to species in the genera '' Burnsius'' and '' C ...
(''Pyrgus malvae''),
small pearl-bordered fritillary (''Boloria selene''), and
wall brown
''Lasiommata megera'', the wall or wall brown, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae (subfamily Satyrinae). It is widespread in the Palearctic realm with a large variety of habitats and number of generations a year.
Description
''P. meger ...
(''Lasiommata megera'').
See also
*List of hillforts and ancient settlements in Somerset
Somerset is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is a rural county of rolling hills, such as the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park, and large flat expanses of land including the Somers ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{Mendip Hills
Hill forts in Somerset
History of Somerset
Mendip Hills
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Somerset
Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1952
Nature reserves in Somerset
National Trust properties in Somerset
Former populated places in Somerset
Scheduled monuments in North Somerset