Astronomy Evening at Ham Hill Country - December
Ham Hill, Stoke sub Hamdon, TA14 6RW


Ham Hill is a stunning wildlife haven centred around an Iron Age hillfort, offering fantastic opportunities for scenic dog walks, walking, running, playing and wildlife watching with far reaching views across Somerset. Superb accessible walking route with great views.
Film credit: Warner Vision
Secret Stories mobile app trail
Download and follow 'Ham Hill's Pits of Peril and Rampaging Romans' trail through the Secret Stories app, which takes you on an adventure learning about some of Ham Hill’s fascinating history. From prehistoric to modern day wildlife and everything in between! There are quizzes and activities along the way to keep everyone entertained. The trail starts at the Rangers Centre TA14 6RW, and is roughly 1.5 hours long. Suitable for kids 4-10 years old, but is also fun for the whole family! Download on the links below.
Secret Stories Android Download
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Donate to make difference:
If you have enjoyed a visit to Ham Hill and would like to contribute to help look after the special wildlife and heritage, please use the donate button to give a donation of your choosing. Your contribution will go towards projects such as tree planting, improving the grasslands for plants and pollinators, providing dormouse boxes and heritage preservation works on this historic hill fort.
Thank you, your contributions really do make a difference.
Visit our new 'Projects' section below to find out more about the National Lottery Heritage Funded project at Ham Hill; 'Uncovering Ham Hill's past for its future'.
Keep up to date with all of the latest news as the project progresses and have your say by sending us your comments and filling in the visitor survey.
Ham Hill Country Park, Ham Hill Rangers Office, Ham Hill Road , Stoke sub Hamdon, Somerset, United Kingdom, TA14 6RW
T: 01935 823617
Free Entry
Upcoming Ham Hill Country Park Events
Ham Hill, Stoke sub Hamdon, TA14 6RW
Ham Hill, Stoke sub Hamdon, TA14 6RW
Ham Hill, Stoke sub Hamdon, TA14 6RW
All you need to know to enjoy your visit
Ham Hill is 170 million years in the making, offering fantastic views across the South Somerset Levels to the Mendips, Exmoor and beyond. A Nationally important Historic Monument, it is one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in the UK. Today, as well as, the 88.1 hectare Scheduled Ancient Monument, it offers beautiful wildflower meadows, spectacular wildlife, fascinating geology and striking Iron Age rampart archaeology.
Perched on a rocky outcrop of stone (hamstone) Ham Hill is easy to see from the A303 and it's 158 hectares offers something for everyone.
History
Ham Hill’s past is both rich and fascinating. Stone Age man first settled here over 5,000 years ago and lots of flint tools, including axes that were left behind have been discovered. This settlement continued throughout the Bronze Age and metalwork, pottery and evidence of burials have been discovered across the hillfort. Sitting above most of the surrounding landscape it would have offered commanding views of the countryside.
It was the Iron Age that truly shaped Ham Hill. Over 200 years, the local tribe, the 'Durotriges', crafted the steep sloping ramparts that can still be seen today with antler picks and small iron tools. There have been numerous Iron Age finds including iron currency bars, brooches, storage pits, pottery, burials and lots of skeletons!
Sometime after AD43, there was a change of ownership when the Roman army invaded and took over the hillfort. During their time, Romans built an army garrison, a 19 room villa and continued with construction of the Fosse Way that runs from Lincoln to Exeter, and sits under parts of the A303.
Moving forward, outlines of a deserted Medieval village can still be seen in Witcombe valley and there is a wonderful walk down to the medieval pond.
George Mitchell really put Ham Hill on the map in the 1870’s. Every Whitsun Monday, hundreds of workers would march to Ham Hill and demonstrate for fair pay and workers’ rights; with banners and marching bands.
Many of the finds that have been discovered at Ham Hill can be viewed at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton. More information can be found on the South West Heritage Trust website.
Geology and Quarrying
The geology of Ham hill is around 170 million years old and unique. Classified as a Jurassic shelly limestone, this golden, honey coloured stone, is a sedimentary rock that was built up in layers. Warm, shallow seas once covered the area and small fragments of shell, sea creatures and calcium carbonate, were cemented together on the sea floor by pressure and time.
This layer of rock is quite thin and sits on top of Yeovil sand - You are literally walking on the sea bed!
Hamstone layers are great for geologists to study and parts of the exposed stone outcrops at Ham Hill are protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest or designated as Local Geological Sites. The stone is also great for building or carving and the Romans were the first people to quarry stone here in large quantities.
At its height in 1880, there were over 200 men employed in quarries here.
Hamstone, has been used to build most of the older houses in surrounding villages including some prominent ones like Sherborne Abbey and Montacute House. Earth mounds near the Ranger's Centre are old Victorian quarry spoil heaps. Also look out for large scratches on some of the stone faces that are old tool marks. They are reminders of Ham hill’s quarrying past.
More information on Somerset's geology can be found here
There are six public car parks situated across the site and are all accessible off the Ham Hill Road (TA14 6RW). There is disabled parking at the ranger centre (TA14 6RW).
Please note that the car park at the Prince of Wales pub is strictly for patrons only.
Please do not park along the roadside.
Dogs are welcome at Ham hill and there are some lovely dog friendly walks right across the whole 390 acres.
However, grassland areas at the site are grazed periodically by cattle and sheep and all dogs must be kept on a lead when walking in these areas if livestock are present.
We also have a fantastic population of skylarks, which are ground-nesting birds and dogs must be kept on leads when the skylark signs are up too.
The Prince of Wales Public House is situated at the top of Ham Hill, approximately 200 metres from the ranger centre.
For their current opening times, contact details and menu samples please visit their website
Friends of Ham Hill
The Friends of Ham Hill are a charity that help to initiate community and environmental projects at Ham Hill, by raising funds and assisting the ranger team with the delivery of the projects. Previous projects have included the woodland play area, tree planting, Roman treasure trail, the geology trail and the Witcombe stream project. The group are currently looking at funding for a dragonfly pond in Witcombe valley.
If you would like to get involved with the Friends please contact info@friendsofhamhill.org
Visit their website for more information or to donate for future projects.
There is a ladies, gents and a disabled toilet at the Ranger's Centre and they are open from dawn until dusk.
Access to the disabled toilet is via the use of a radar key. Radar keys are available to buy at the South Somerset Visitor Information Centre & Gift Shop, located nearby at Cartgate Picnic Site, TA14 6RA.
Climbing
Yeovil Mountaineering Club have access to climbing at Deep Quarry on Ham Hill. For more information visit their website
Cycling is permitted only on the bridleways across the site.
Please be mindful and respectful of other visitors when cycling in the area.
Paths at Ham hill are either stone, grass or bark but some are hilly due to the nature of the site.
Large parts across the Northern Spur and the Flat Fields are accessible for a mobility scooter and there is an all ability trail that runs around the Northern spur and is wheelchair friendly; it is approximately 0.9km and has a maximum gradient of 11%.
There are over 2,300 recorded species of flora and fauna scattered across a diverse mosaic of habitats to enjoy here.
During the summer take a walk through our beautiful wildflower meadows to see southern marsh, pyramidal and bee orchids in their hundreds, broomrape, vetch, cranesbill and yellow rattle also carpet the meadows. Listen to crickets and skylarks as you watch meadow brown and common blue butterflies drift from grass stem to stem and watch as swifts and swallows dive along the grass tops trying to catch them and other insects.
In other grassland areas, rare calcareous soils support many plant species including wild thyme and birds-foot trefoil where common blue, green hairstreak and skipper butterflies can be discovered.
The woodlands are host to many bird species including nuthatch, tree creeper and both green and great spotted woodpecker. On a warm summers day listen to buzzards mewing as they circle overhead. If you are lucky you may spot a roe deer or fox in the grasslands on the edge of the woodlands. Many species of bat can be seen at dusk with common and soprano pipistrelles feeding in the woodland rides whilst noctule and serotine can be seen on the woodland edge of the meadows. If you stay late enough to watch the bats, then also keep your eyes open for glow-worms in the grassland.
Visit the notice board at the Ranger Centre for recent wildlife sightings
Can I use a drone at Ham Hill?
Drone use is strictly regulated across all of our sites to prevent disturbance to the wildlife and so that the privacy of our visitors is respected. If you have a good reason for wanting to fly a drone across any of our countryside sites, you will need to email the Countryside Manager to request permission, along with a copy of your public liability insurance and certification to fly a drone.
Email Countryside Manager for permission to fly a drone
Can I have a BBQ or small campfire on site?
No.
Due to the high fire risk and detriment to the wildlife, barbeques and campfires are strictly prohibited at Ham Hill.
If you are organised group (scouts etc) you can apply for permission to have a BBQ or campfire by contacting the rangers. You must adhere to strict conditions and have a risk assessment and public liability insurance in place.
Leaflets, Maps & Information
Discover the fascinating geology that Ham Hill has to offer in this Geological SSSI and Local Geology Site
DownloadTake a look at our Projects
We are underway with recruitment to the post of Engagement Ranger for the Heritage Fund project. Interviews are commencing in the middle of October and we hope to have the successful applicant in post by the beginning of December.
The Engagement Ranger is a vital part of the project as they will be key to delivering the extensive activity plan. The post is a three year post and they will be working with local communities, visitors and specialist groups to deliver activities, workshops and events related to the wildlife and history of Ham Hill. They will also be working alongside our communities and stakeholders to develop partnerships to enable the delivery of projects and secure further grants.
As you may well have seen on a recent visit to Ham Hill, reptile fencing hasbeen erected along the roadside and the ranger team have been busychecking the refugia mats for any reptiles and moving them to the other side of the fence, out of harm’s way before construction work begins early next year.
As reptiles are cold-blooded, they are attracted to the mats as they use them to warm up quickly to enable them to hunt during the day. Reptiles will go into hibernation during the winter, so we need to move them before this process starts. The rangers have so far moved over 100 slow worms to other suitable habitat and near to hibernaculum’s (areas created for hibernation) that the rangers and volunteers have created.
We have carried out a procurement process to appoint an interpretation designer for the Heritage Fund project. The interpretation designer will be fundamental in bringing the stories of Ham Hill to life through the design of the permanent exhibition in the Visitor Centre and creation of digital content and panels out on site. They will work alongside the project team, rangers and Engagement Ranger to ensure the content is exciting, engaging and correct. They will create signage and new branding for Ham Hill, ensuring that the design is coherent throughout the site and visitor centre.
We look forward to starting work with them this autumn.
The rangers have been busy during the summer months organising and delivering a range of public events.
In June the rangers, volunteers and their families attended Montacute Carnival, representing Ham Hill’s geological past. From ammonites to geologists and dinosaurs, the team had great fun at this small community event and were awarded first place for most entertaining float by the Secret Judge.
Stanchester Academy took over the stone circle for three days in June and told the story of Ham Hill through their performance of ‘Upon the Hill’. The performance was written by staff and students at Stanchester Academy and approximately 150 people attended across the three nights.
Project Assistant Ranger Geoff has been delivering guided walks on the Geology of Ham Hill to various groups, as well as delivering a ‘Jurassic Rocks!’ public event in the school summer holidays.
The rangers worked with volunteers Donna and Sarah to put on another popular Fun Dog Show in August. Profits raised through entry fees were split between Fearne Animal Sanctuary and the Friends of Ham Hill.
‘Chill on the Hill’ returned for a second consecutive year, organised by Take Art, a local organisation that provide opportunities for people to engage with the arts in a variety of settings.
Check out to see if you can help
Practical conservation volunteers
There is one volunteering day at Ham Hill which is on a Wednesday. Tasks include scrub clearance, path maintenance, hedge-laying, drystone walling, coppicing, removal of invasive species and fencing. You do not need to have any experience to join in, just a willingness to get involved and a passion for nature.
Volunteer tasks are physical in nature and you will need a fair level of fitness.
If you would like to join the volunteers please contact ranger Paul McNeill at countryside@southsomerset.gov.uk or on 07973 887 129 to check if there are places available.
Find out more about group visits
Our Community Heritage Officer, Edd Chilcott, can offer a variety of activities or events for your group. If you are interested in any of the activities below, please contact Edd by email.
Community Groups
We can offer bespoke guided walks or activities led by our rangers at Ham Hill for your community group (scouts, guides, brownies, U3A etc.)
Schools
We can deliver curriculum focused sessions based at Ham Hill or in your school grounds, depending on your preference.
Birthday Parties
We can offer a bespoke birthday party for your children and their friends at Ham Hill. You can choose a theme for your party such as wildlife, horrible history or bushcraft.
External group events
If you are an external organisation that wishes to host your event at Ham Hill please contact us.
There may be a charge to host your event, but all charitable events are free. We will need to see a copy of your risk assessment, public liability insurance and an application form must be completed below:
Check the latest happening at Ham Hill Country Park
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