Burrow Mump

Burrow Mump is a hill and historic site overlooking Southlake Moor in the village of Burrowbridge within the English county of Somerset. It is a scheduled monument, with the ruined church on top of the hill a Grade II listed building.

The hill stands at a strategic location overlooking the point where the River Tone and the old course of the River Cary join the River Parrett. Although there is some evidence of Roman visitation, the first fortification of the site was the construction of a Norman motte. It has been called King Alfred's Fort, however there is no proof of use by Alfred the Great. A medieval church was built on the hill in the 15th century. The current ruined church on top of the hill was built in 1793. The land and ruin were donated to the National Trust in 1946 as a war memorial.

The hill is 24 metres (79 ft) high, and stands at a strategic point where the River Tone and the old course of the River Cary join the River Parrett, above the surrounding low lying land of the Somerset Levels. It is made of Triassic sandstone capped by Keuper marl ascribed to the Mercia Mudstone Group.

Burrow Mump is also known as St Michael's Borough or Tutteyate. Both words 'burrow' and 'mump' mean hill.

Archaeological surveys have shown some Roman material including a piece of pottery and coins found nearby which, possibly linked to its situation at a river junction, may indicate its use for trade. Square pits, one of which may have been a well and post holes from the Middle Ages have been identified during excavations, these may have been from an adulterine castle. It is likely that it was a Norman motte with a terraced track that spirals around the hill to reach it. The plateau at the top is 45 metres (150 ft) by 25 metres (80 ft) and along with the scarped top of the slope formed the motte, which may have been formed during The Anarchy between 1135 and 1153. The site has been called King Alfred's Fort, but there is no evidence of it being a fort or having any link with Alfred the Great, apart from its ownership by the nearby Athelney Abbey which he established and was linked to Burrow Mump by a causeway. It may have served as a natural outwork to the defended royal island of Athelney at the end of the 9th century.

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