Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN3739: Torberry  

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HER:  West Sussex MWS6482

NMR:  SU 72 SE 3 (243008)

SM:  1015966

NGR:  SU779202

X:  477871  Y:  120308  (EPSG:27700)

Boundary:  

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 Part excavation 1948 and 1956-58 (unpublished) indicated phased reconstruction and modification from the early Iron Age with use to 100 BC. 5th-3rd centuries BC defined as promontory fort, with N-S ditch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:  -0.892186  Latitude:  50.976865  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England

Current County or Unitary Authority:  West Sussex

Historic County:   Sussex

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Harting

Condition

Plough damage, but survives fairly well.

Extant:  
Cropmark:  
Likely Destroyed:  

Land Use

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

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.

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

Topographic 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:  

Elevation

Altitude:  156.0m

Boundary

Boundary Type:  

Second HER:  

Second Current County or Unitary Authority:  

Second Historic County:  

Second Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  

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

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

Pre Hillfort Activity:  ✗  

Post Hillfort Activity:  ✓  Medieval flour-milling post-mill foundation mound, the 'Fairy Bed' in W sector of earlier enclosure.

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

Investigations

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.

Excavation (1947-1949):  A.R. Taylor, H. Brightwell
Excavation (1956-1958):  E. Bawtry, J.R. Boyden, G.C. Duncan
1st Identified Map Depiction (1958):  

Interior Features

Now infilled pits with Iron Age pottery.

Water Source

None:  
Spring:  
Stream:  
Pool:  
Flush:  
Well:  
Other:  

Surface

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

Excavation

Now infilled pits.

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

Geophysics

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

Finds

Iron Age pottery.

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

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:  

Number of Possible Original Entrances:   

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗  

Entrance 1 (East):  Passage-way/Corridor
Entrance 1 (East):  In-turned:  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 1:  2.8ha.
Enclosed Area 2:  
Enclosed Area 3:  
Enclosed Area 4:  
Total Enclosed Area:  2.8ha.

Total Footprint Area:  

Multi-period Enclosure System:  ✓  Phased construction.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:  ✓  

Number of Ramparts:  1

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

Current Morphology

Partial Univallate:  
Univallate:  
Partial Bivallate:  
Bivallate:
Partial Multivallate:  
Multivallate:  
Unknown:  

Multi-period Morphology

Partial Univallate:  
Univallate:  
Partial Bivallate:  
Bivallate:  
Partial Multivallate:  
Multivallate:  

Surface Evidence

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

Excavated Evidence

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

Gang Working

Gang Working:  ✗ 

Ditches

Ditches:  

Number of Ditches:  1:  Mainly infilled.

Annex

Annex:  ✗  

References

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

Terms of Use

The online version of the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland should be cited as:

Lock, G. and Ralston, I. 2017.  Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. [ONLINE] Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk.

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