Daw's Castle, Iron Age hillfort in Watchet, England
Daw's Castle is an Iron Age fortification in Watchet with earthwork defenses situated about 80 meters above sea level on a tapering spur near the Washford River. The remains reveal a system of walls and banks built over several periods of occupation.
King Alfred fortified this location around 878 AD as part of a network of defensive strongholds to protect against Viking raids from the Bristol Channel. The structure was later used during the Anglo-Saxon period and even served as a mint.
The site served as an important administrative hub during the Anglo-Saxon period, as shown by the establishment of a mint here in 1035. Such centers managed trade and governance across their surrounding regions.
You can reach the site from Watchet town center by following the South West Coast Path, which passes information panels along the way. Access is open at all times, but wear weather-appropriate clothing as the elevated location is quite exposed.
Archaeological excavations revealed a defense system with mortared walls and earth banks from the late 9th or early 10th centuries. This integrated construction was more technically advanced than many other fortifications of that era.
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