Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN2414 Thetford Castle, Norfolk

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Norfolk 5747 (None)

NMR:  TL 8 8 SE 123 (1010222)

SM:  1017670

NGR:  TL 8745 8275

X:  587380  Y:  282810  (OSGB36)

Summary

Within Thetford on Castle Hill overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Thet and Little Ouse and the crossing of the Icknield Way. A Norman Motte and Bailey castle re-uses the bi-vallate Iron Age ramparts to the N and NE, it has been shown by excavation in 1962 and 1985-6 (Davies and Gregory 1991; Cushion and Davison 2003) that this was an inland promontory fort utilising a loop in the River Thet around its S side where there were no ramparts, possibly enclosing 7.5ha. Break through the ramparts in the middle to the N as followed by the present path may be an original entrance. On 1st Ed OS map (1885-1900). Sporadic Iron Age finds since the 18th century. The 1962 excavations across the ramparts to the NE showed a complex sequence with extensive medieval re-modelling of the Iron Age ramparts and ditches. The original outer ditch appears to have been about 13m wide at the top, 4m deep with a flat bottom, the inner ditch smaller and round-bottomed, the two ramparts consisted of layers of chalk rubble and loam. Excavation in the interior, small amounts in 1962 with larger areas to the S in 1985-6 (with geophysics), show pits, postholes, gullies with Iron Age pottery, other artefacts, human bone and a cremation. Dating is difficult but suggested to be middle Iron Age and perhaps a short duration of occupation.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  83890  Y:  6874812  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  0.7535935711005834  Latitude:  52.41115543496788  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Norfolk

Historic County:  Norfolk

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Thetford

Monument Condition

None

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

None

Current Use:
Woodland  
Commercial Forestry Plantation  
Parkland  
Pasture (Grazing)  
Arable  
Scrub/Bracken  
Bare Outcrop  
Heather/Moorland  
Heath  
Built-up  
Coastal Grassland  
Other  

Landscape

Hillfort Type

Promontory fort on a hilltop overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Thet and Little Ouse, uses a loop in the R. Thet for its S limit.

Type:
Contour Fort  
Partial Contour Fort  
Promontory Fort  
Hillslope Fort  
Level Terrain Fort  
Marsh Fort  
Multiple Enclosure Fort  

Topographic Position

Position:
Hilltop  
Coastal Promontory  
Inland Promontory  
Valley Bottom  
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop  
Ridge  
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp  
Hillslope  
Lowland  
Spur  

Dominant Topographic Feature:  on a hilltop overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Thet and Little Ouse.

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  15.0m

Boundary

N/A


Dating Evidence

Iron Age pottery from excavation suggests middle Iron Age but dating in Norfolk is difficult. Neolithic and Bronze Age artefacts. Extensive medieval occupation, Motte and Bailey Castle.

Reliability:  B - Medium

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC  
1200BC - 800BC  
800BC - 400BC  
400BC - AD50  
AD50 - AD400  
AD400 - AD 800  
Post AD800  
Unknown  

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:
Artefactual:   None

Investigation History

On 1st Ed OS map. Excavations in 1962 (Rainbird Clark) and 1985-5 (all in Davies and Gregory 1991), geophysical survey 1984. Various watching briefs and metal detecting finds since 1984 (HER).

Investigations:
Excavation (1962):   None
Geophysical Survey (1984):   None
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   None
Excavation (None):   None

Interior Features

Excavation in the interior, small amounts in 1962 with larger areas to the S in 1985-6 (with geophysics), show pits, postholes, gullies with Iron Age pottery, other artefacts, human bone and a cremation.

Water Source

None

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

None

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features  
Round Stone Structures  
Rectangular Stone Structures  
Curvilinear Platforms  
Other Roundhouse Evidence  
Pits  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics  
Pits  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Finds

None

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds  
Pottery  
Metal  
Metalworking  
Human Bones  
Animal Bones  
Lithics  
Environmental  
Other  

Aerial

NO APPARENT FEATURES

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked  
None  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roads/Tracks  
Other  

Entrances

Break through the ramparts in the middle to the N as followed by the present path may be an original entrance although the ramparts are badly damaged and altered.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
None:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (North):   None

Enclosing Works

A complex sequence with extensive medieval re-modelling of the two Iron Age ramparts and ditches. The original outer ditch appears to have been about 13m wide at the top, 4m deep with a flat bottom, the inner ditch smaller and round-bottomed, the two ramparts consisted of layers of chalk rubble and loam.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   7.5ha.
Total:   7.5ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   None

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   2
SE Quadrant:   0
SW Quadrant:   0
NW Quadrant:   2
Total:   2

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  
Unknown  

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  

Surface Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Rubble  
Wall-walk  
Evidence of Timber  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
Other  

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Murus Duplex  
Timber-framed  
Timber-laced  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
No Known Excavation  
Other  

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✓   None

Number of Ditches:  2

Annex:
✗   None

References

Cushion, B. and Davison, A. 2003. Earthworks of Norfolk. E Anglian Archaeol Rep. No. 104, 180-2.

Davies, J. and Gregory, T. 1992. Excavations at Thetford Castle, 1962 and 1985-6, in The Iron Age Forts of Norfolk. E Anglian Archaeol Rep. No. 54, 1-30.



Terms of Use

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and should be cited as:

Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk


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