More information : [ST 35903052] KING ALFRED'S FORT [GT]
Burrow Mount [TI] (1)
Burrow Mump is a prominent natural formation C.77 feet high which may have been scarped to some extent in the upper part. It is surmounted by a ruined church. The site was excavated in 1939, when a number of terraces encircling the hill were found to have no ditches, but showed evidence of artificial scarping, modified by hill-creep; they yielded Md. material. Md. pits were found on the summit, and west of the ruined church, part of a Norman building which may have been an adulterine castle. The present church was rebuilt in 1724 and 1793 (3) on the foundations of a church, mentioned temp. Edward VI of which the plan was recovered. It was St. Michael's Borough. The excavations revealed no evidence to substantiate the identification of the Mump as a hill fort, or as the site of one of Alfred's forts. The finds were presented to Taunton Museum. (2-5)
The upper part of Burrow Mount has been scarped and is similar to a motte. It has a flat top and the steeply scarped sides end on a slight berm after which the hill slopes away naturally. A terrace starting at the foot of the hill on the west winds around the southern side terminating on an old field bank 40 metres from the foot of the motte on the east. This is probably the track up the hill but the final route is uncertain.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
The 18th c. church is now in ruins, see G.P. AO/64/87/6. Pottery dated "not earlier than 13th c." is in Taunton Museum. (6)
Property of the National Trust, whose nameplates show it as Burrow Mump. (7)
Landslips and earthmoving on the south west side of Burrow Mump failed to produce any evidence of human occupation. (8)
ST 360305. Burrow Mump. SAM no 203. (9) |