Hill forts · South West England
King's Castle
In or near Wells.
King's Castle — Iron Age enclosed hilltop settlement in Somerset, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
.png){kind=link}
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Mendip Vale · 7.7 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit King's Castle, the nearest railway station is Mendip Vale, located 7.7 km away. Entry to the site is free.
About
King's Castle is a hill fort in the United Kingdom. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Wikidata describes it as: "Iron Age enclosed hilltop settlement in Somerset, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.2083°, -2.6188°.
Photo gallery
Official information
King's Castle is a historical site located in Somerset, known for its archaeological significance. Visitors can explore various entries in the Somerset Historic Environment Record, which documents the area's rich heritage.
Protected designations
- National Nature Reserve: MENDIP
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
King's Castle is an Iron Age enclosed hilltop settlement at the south-western edge of the Mendip Hills near Wells in Somerset, England. Though there are many prehistoric sites in the surrounding area, it remains one of the earliest known settlements in the immediate vicinity of Wells, and may have been a precursor to the present day city. It consists of two or three interlinked sub-enclosures, with what appears to be a field system extending to the east; an unusual layout, the site remains relatively little studied and has not been archaeologically excavated. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and shares its name with the surrounding King's Castle Wood—today a Somerset Wildlife Trust nature reserve—though this name is probably a modern invention.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Hill forts developed in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age, roughly the start of the first millennium BC. The reason for their emergence in Britain, and their purpose, has been a subject of debate. It has been argued that they could have been military sites constructed in response to invasion from continental Europe, sites built by invaders, or a military reaction to social tensions caused by an increasing population and consequent pressure on agriculture. The dominant view since the 1960s has been that the increasing use of iron led to social changes in Britain. Deposits of iron ore were located in different places to the tin and copper ore necessary to make bronze, and as a result trading…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.2083, -2.6188
- District
- Somerset
- Parish
- Wells
- Postcode
- BA5 3LT
- Parliamentary constituency
- Wells and Mendip Hills
- Nearest railway station
- Mendip Vale — 7.7 km
- Official site
- www.somersetheritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q6410863 (CC0)
- wikipedia: King's Castle, Wells (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: King's Castle, Wells LIDAR (DTM 1m).png (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Bridge Over River Sheppey In Grounds Of Dinder House
Historic bridges · 1.1 km
Dulcote Quarry
Quarries · 1.2 km
Palace Stream Bridge Immediately South Of Number 21 (21 Not Included)
Historic bridges · 1.5 km
The Bishop's Palace and Gardens
Palaces · 1.7 km
.jpg?width=1200)
Bishop's Palace Chapel
Chapels · 1.7 km
Tower House
Historic houses · 1.7 km
Wells Cathedral
Cathedrals · 1.7 km
Claver Morris House
Historic houses · 1.7 km
Chain Gate, Wells
Historic houses · 1.7 km
Boundary Walls To Numbers 1-13
Holy wells · 1.8 km
Bishop's Barn, Wells
Historic houses · 1.8 km
Boundary walls to Numbers 14-27, Vicars' Close
Holy wells · 1.8 km
Nearby
📷 3Historic bridges · South West England
Bridge Over River Sheppey In Grounds Of Dinder House
Bridge Over River Sheppey In Grounds Of Dinder House — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Quarries · South West England
Dulcote Quarry
Dulcote Quarry — Disused limestone quarry in Somerset, England.
📷 3Historic bridges · South West England
Palace Stream Bridge Immediately South Of Number 21 (21 Not Included)
Palace Stream Bridge Immediately South Of Number 21 (21 Not Included) — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Palaces · South West England
The Bishop's Palace and Gardens
The Bishop's Palace and Gardens — a Grade I-listed palace in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Chapels · South West England
Bishop's Palace Chapel
Bishop's Palace Chapel — Grade I listed building in Wells, Somerset, England, UK.
📷 3Where to eat & stay near King's Castle
Places to stay
📷 5Hotels · South West England
Ancient Gate House Hotel
Ancient Gate House Hotel — a hotel in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
The Lorax Patch
The Lorax Patch — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Lower Milton Caravan And Camping Site
Lower Milton Caravan And Camping Site — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5Caravan parks · South West England
Wells Holiday Park
Wells Holiday Park — a caravan park in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Wookey Farm Camp Site
Wookey Farm Camp Site — a campsite in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Ebborways Camping
Ebborways Camping — a campsite in england south west.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Restaurants · South West England
Bekynton Brasserie
Bekynton Brasserie — a restaurant in england south west.
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
The Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
The Wine Vaults, Public House
The Wine Vaults, Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7
📷 5
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
Rifleman's Arms Public House
Rifleman's Arms Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
More places in this region
Flagship📷 10Hill forts · South West England
Maiden Castle
Maiden Castle — Iron Age hill fort in Dorset, England, UK.
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
All Cannings Cross
All Cannings Cross — archaeological site in All Cannings, Wiltshire, England, UK.
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
Aquae Sulis
Aquae Sulis — town in Roman Britain on the site of Bath, England.
📷 5Hill forts · South West England
Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery
Aston Valley Barrow Cemetery — group of Bronze Age burial mounds in England.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is King's Castle?
- King's Castle is in South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode BA5 3LT), in the parish of Wells.
- What is King's Castle?
- King's Castle — Iron Age enclosed hilltop settlement in Somerset, England, UK.
- How do I get to King's Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Mendip Vale, about 7.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode BA5 3LT.
- Who owns King's Castle?
- King's Castle is owned by English Heritage.
- Is King's Castle a listed building?
- King's Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is King's Castle a protected site?
- Yes — King's Castle is part of the MENDIP National Nature Reserve.
- Is King's Castle free to visit?
- Yes, King's Castle is free to enter.
- How do I get to King's Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Mendip Vale, about 7.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode BA5 3LT.