The ridge at Old Sodbury has been a defensive position since at least the Iron Age, around 500 BC. The hillfort's earth ramparts and ditches enclosed a large area that would have housed a community and their livestock. The site was strategically important, controlling the route along the escarpment and the crossing of the Bristol Avon below. The Norman church of St John the Baptist sits on a knoll in the village, just outside the hillfort, which lies on the escarpment to the north-east, reusing the ancient earthworks. From the churchyard, you can still trace the line of the ramparts and appreciate why this hilltop was chosen — the views in every direction are commanding.
“The site was strategically important, controlling the route along the escarpment and the crossing of the Bristol Avon below.”
