The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Norsebury Ring

Hillfort

Fieldnotes

From Brit Arch 1998 No. 39
"...from one of the two entrances, a ditched avenue led to a large sub-circular enclosure some 30M. across in the centre of the fort. According to Mr Payne, the enclosure may have contained a timber shrine as is thought to have existed at Danebury "

I was a bit reluctant to visit this site as I had heard that it was completely ploughed out and when I asked permission to walk to the site from the cottage (It's on private land) the very helpful lady said there was little to see. She suggested that I drive around the field boundary as my passenger couldn't walk far. It was baking hot, well over 30C and was grateful for the offer so a couple of minutes later I parked the car in the shade of the trees which define the NE/NW quadrants and started exploring.
Pleasantly surprised to find that although the SW/SE part is completely under the plough the remainder is surprisingly intact with a small outer ditch, then a bank, then another larger ditch followed by larger bank.
This part has quite extensive views over the upper reaches of the River Dever, a tributary of the Test.
The only problem is that the ditches and banks are completely smothered with tree and scrub and photography is almost impossible, I did try! However perhaps the vegetation has preserved the remains of the fort as the ground does not fall that steeply on this side and field enlargement would have been quite easy.
Hampshire Treasures describe it as an Iron Age Fort (c600BCE) of univaillate form.
Disabled: Bank and ditch almost impassable but read fieldnotes for access.
jimit Posted by jimit
4th August 2003ce
Edited 8th December 2003ce

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