Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN3739 Torberry, Sussex

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  West Sussex MWS6482 (None)

NMR:  SU 72 SE 3 (243008)

SM:  1015966

NGR:  SU779202

X:  477871  Y:  120308  (OSGB36)

Summary

Slight, univallate, contour hillfort located on chalk spur projecting to N from a ridge of Sussex Downs. Pear-shaped aligned E-W enclosing c. 2.8ha. Defined by low bank or scarp surrounded by a mainly infilled ditch. Part excavation 1948 and 1956-58 (unpublished) indicated phased reconstruction and modification from the early Iron Age with use to 100 BC. 5th-3rd centuries BC defined as promontory fort, with N-S ditch and timber-reinforced bank across centre protecting W end of the steeply-sided spur. During 3rd century BC, ramparts enclosed whole spur-top, and new entrance on E. This gate modified during 2nd century BC with inturned stone-walled passage leading to timber gate, destroyed c. 100 BC. Now infilled pits in interior with Iron Age pottery. Medieval flour-milling post-mill foundation mound, the 'Fairy Bed' in W sector of earlier enclosure. Pasture interior with scattered trees, wooded surrounds. Plough damage but survives fairly well. On OS 1:25,000 map (1958).

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -99318  Y:  6617202  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -0.8921858642386277  Latitude:  50.97686514182909  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  West Sussex

Historic County:  Sussex

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Harting

Monument Condition

Plough damage, but survives fairly well.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Pasture interior with scattered trees, wooded surrounds. Medieval foundations.

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

Slight univallate hillfort located chalk spur projecting to N from a ridge of Sussex Downs.

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:  Spur

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  156.0m

Boundary

N/A


Dating Evidence

Part excavation 1948 and 1956-58 indicated phased reconstruction and modification from the early Iron Age with use to 100 BC. Iron Age pottery.

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:   Iron Age pottery.
Morphology/Earthwork/Typology:   Excavation evidence.

Investigation History

On OS 1:25,000 map (1958). Excavation A.R. Taylor, H. Brightwell 1947-49. Excavation E. Bawtry, J.R. Boyden, G.C. Duncan 1956-58.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1958):   None
Excavation (None):   A.R. Taylor, H. Brightwell
Excavation (None):   E. Bawtry, J.R. Boyden, G.C. Duncan

Interior Features

Now infilled pits with Iron Age pottery.

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

Now infilled pits.

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

Iron Age pottery.

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

Aerial

None

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

Entrances

During third century BC, ramparts enclosed whole spur-top, and new entrance on E. This gate modified during 2nd century BC with inturned stone-walled passage leading to timber gate, destroyed c. 100 BC.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Passage-way/Corridor (East):   None
1. In-turned (East):   Gate modified during snd century BC with inturned stone-walled passage leading to timber gate, destroyed c. 100 BC.

Enclosing Works

Defined by low bank or scarp surrounded by a mainly infilled ditch.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   2.8ha.
Total:   2.8ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✓   Phased construction.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   1
SE Quadrant:   1
SW Quadrant:   1
NW Quadrant:   1
Total:   1

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:
✓   Mainly infilled.

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   None

References

Cunliffe, B, 1976. Iron Age Sites in Central Southern England, Council For British Archaeology Research Report, Vol. 16, 1-29.



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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