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Record Details

NHER Number:2258
Type of record:Monument
Name:Tasburgh Hillfort

Summary

The hillfort here has a single rampart about 3m high, and an internal area of about 20 acres. It is presumed to be of Iron Age date but the presence of Late Saxon fortifications may indicate this was once a burgh. The site has been extensively investigated since the 19th century, and this work has recovered large numbers of Roman, Saxon and medieval pottery sherds and metal items. Surveys have also identified numerous features and earthworks which comprise, amongst others, medieval ditches and pits, Saxon hearths and metalworking areas and prehistoric pits and post holes.

Images

  • Aerial photograph of Tasburgh Iron Age hillfort. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TM 20 95
Map Sheet:TM29NW
Parish:TASBURGH, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Hillfort, presumed Iron Age, but possibly Late Saxon burgh.

19th century. Roman coin found.
1948. Inconclusive excavation.
1970, 1973. Late Saxon and medieval sherds and flints found.

1975. Excavation on defences.
Excavation of a small area in the south-west corner, beneath 1 meter of post-medieval overburden, a layer which is perhaps later then the 12th century sealed a number of features, most of them being pits. The purpose of these features is not very defined, but they do contain Ipswich ware, Thetford ware and early medieval pottery.
Information from (S3).
Small finds included medeival strap fitting (S5 and S6), strap-end (S7 and S8), knife (S5, S9, S10 amd S11), strike-a-light (S5, S9, S12 and S13), buckle (S5, S9 and S14) complete and incomplete pins, (S5, S9, S15 and S16), a socketed arrowhead (?S5, ?S9, ?S17) an unidentified copper alloy object (S5, S9 and S18) and a loom weight (S19 and S20).
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 10 June 2013.

1976 and 1979. Medieval sherds found.
1980. Excavation.
Carried out in the south-west corner of what was thought to be an Iron Age hillfort. This excavation produced a scatter of lpswich-type and also Thetford-type ware, found under the tail of the bank and above a substantial flint industry which had Middle Neolithic sherds. This would then indicate that at least part of the hillfort is dated to the late 9th century.
Information taken from (S4).
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 14 June 2013.

1981. Medieval wall excavated.
1981-84. Finds of medieval sherds and flints.
1990. Excavation by NAU revealed Neolithic and medieval pits and ditches etc.

1994. Systematic Fieldwalking and Metal-detecting Survey.
Gridded survey failed to find any significant concentrations within the earthwork. Finds recovered included a weak scatter of prehistoric worked flints and tiny amounts of Roman, Middle Saxon, Late Saxon and medieval pottery and medieval metalwork. No prehistoric pottery was recovered -
these results question an Iron Age date for the earthwork.
See summary in (S25).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2017.

1996. Earthwork survey.
See plan (S22). This survey is also noted in (S23).

1997. Stray Find.
Found in northern part of interior before put down to grass:
1 Late Saxon pottery sherd.
4 medieval pottery sherds.
1 post-medieval pottery sherd.
Identified by A. Rogerson (NLA).
Information from (S26). See sketches (S27).

See full details, schedule, photographs, press cuttings in file.
E. Rose (NLA), March 1996

14 June 1996. NLA aerial photography.
Photographs taken of Tasburgh hillfort.
S. Massey (NLA), 8 August 2001.

10 September 1997. Watching Brief.
Excavation of foundations for conservatory at the rear of 'Owl's Wood'. No archaeologically significant features or deposits.
See report (S21).
C. Phillips (NAU), September 1997.

June 2006.
Scheduled monument consent granted concerning the errection of a bench seat.
See (S1) for further details
H. White (NLA), 6 April 2009.

May 2014. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with the installation of underground electricity cables in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church (NHER 10104) and the grounds of the Old Rectory (NHER 43904).
The trench excavated through the churchyard exposed a disturbed graveyard subsoil that contained rare fragments of human bone and post-medieval roof tile. No archaeologically significant features were observed.
The trench excavated along the driveway exposed a dark brown soil layer beneath the make-up deposits associated with the driveway itself. No archaeologically significant features were observed. A single sherd of handmade Iron Age or Early Saxon pottery and a fragment of worked stone were the only finds recovered in this area.
The excavation of a joint bay where the two cable routes merged was not monitored.
See report (S24) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.256).
P. Watkins (HES), 31 October 2016. Amended 19 May 2019.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • PIT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Early Iron Age to Early Saxon - 800 BC to 650 AD)
  • HILLFORT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • METAL WORKING SITE (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • BUILDING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BURH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • DITCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • HEARTH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • HEARTH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • METAL WORKING SITE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • PIT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BRIQUETAGE (Undated)
  • LOOMWEIGHT (Undated)
  • PENDANT (Undated)
  • PIN (Undated)
  • WORKED OBJECT (Unknown date)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • MICROLITH (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • HAMMERSTONE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • LEAF ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Early Iron Age to Early Saxon - 800 BC to 650 AD)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
  • BRIQUETAGE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • METAL WORKING DEBRIS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • ARROWHEAD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • AWL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CANDLE HOLDER (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FLESH HOOK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FURNITURE FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HARNESS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • KEY (LOCKING) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • NAIL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PLANT REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • QUERN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • RING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SCISSORS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SPINDLE WHORL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • STRIKE A LIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TEXTILE EQUIPMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TOKEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WEIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BOOK FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • DRESS COMPONENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • STRAP FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: HP 31-3, MJ, MK, RB, RC, FWW, BMT, BMU.
---Aerial Photograph: TM1996 A-B,P-W,Z-AG.
---Serial: 1974. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1974. No 21. p 8.
---Serial: 1975. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1975. No 22. p 12.
---Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF108.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TM 2026V-AE.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TM 2096R - U.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TM 19 NE 3 [2]; TM 29 NW 27.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Thesis: Garrow, D.. 2006. Pits, Settlement and Deposition during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in East Anglia. during the Neolithic and Early Pits, Settlement and Deposition during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in East Anglia.
---Leaflet: A Short History of Tasburgh or Tasebrough..
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Neolithic. Tasburgh [2].
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Iron Age. Tasburgh [2].
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Tasburgh.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide. 1-49.
---Fiche: Exists.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1975. Tasburgh dig: no Iron Age find yet. 10 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994. Trust in scheme to bye ancient hill fort. 10 January.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Parish takes over Iron Age fort. 11 April.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1998. Classic example of co-operation protects ancient monument. 18 April.
---Illustration: [Unknown]. 1997. Sketches of Late Saxon, medieval and post-medieval pottery sherds. Paper. 1:1.
---Designation: Department Of The Environment. 1882-1984?. Department of the Environment Scheduling Notification. Notification. DNF108.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Miscellaneous. Tasburgh [2].
---Article in Serial: Iving, G. V. 1858. On Earthworks and Other Ancient Fortifications in the County of Norfolk, Visited in 1857. Journal of the British Archaeological Association. First Series Vol XIV pp 193-215 and 305-310. p 197.
<S1>Designation: DCMS. [?]-2016. Scheduled Monument Consent. SAM Consent. DNF108.
<S2>Article in Monograph: Rogerson, A. and Lawson, A. J. 1992. The Earthwork Enclosure at Tasburgh. The Iron Age Forts of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. Davies, J. et al. No 54 pp 31-58. pp 31-58.
<S3>Article in Serial: Webster, L. E. and Cherry, J. 1976. Medieval Britain in 1975. Medieval Archaeology. Vol XX pp 158-201. p 168.
<S4>Article in Serial: Youngs, S. M. and Clark, J. 1981. Medieval Britain in 1980. Medieval Archaeology. Vol XXV pp 166-228. p 174.
<S5>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Sketches of Small Finds from 1975 excavations at Tasburgh Hillfort. Film. 1:1.
<S6>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval copper alloy strap fitting. Film. 1:1.
<S7>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Sketch of a Late Saxon/medieval copper alloy strap end. Film. 2:1.
<S8>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval copper alloy strap end. Film. 2:1.
<S9>Illustration: Unknown. Unknown. Outline sketches of Small Finds from 1975 excavations at Tasburgh Hillfort. Film. 1:1.
<S10>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval iron knife with whittle tang. Film. 1:1.
<S11>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval iron knife with whittle tang. Film. 1:1.
<S12>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval iron strike-a-light. Film. 1:1.
<S13>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval iron strike-a-light. Film. 1:1.
<S14>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval copper alloy buckle. Film. 1:1.
<S15>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a medieval pin. Film. 1:1.
<S16>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a medieval pin. Film. 1:1.
<S17>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a Late Saxon/medieval iron socketed arrowhead. Film. 1:1.
<S18>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of an unidentified copper alloy object. Film. 1:1.
<S19>Illustration: [Unknown]. Unknown. Sketch of a medieval clay loomweight. Film. 1:1.
<S20>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of a medieval clay loomweight. Film. 1:1.
<S21>Unpublished Contractor Report: Phillips, C. 1998. Results of a Watching Brief at Owls Wood, Church Road, Tasburgh, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 264.
<S22>Illustration: Cushion, B. 1996. Plan of earthworks at Tasburgh Camp SMR 2258. Film. 1:1250.
<S23>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1997. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1996. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt IV pp 547-564. p 560.
<S24>Unpublished Contractor Report: Hickling, S. 2015. Archaeological Excavation and Watching Brief at St Mary’s Church and the Old Rectory, School Hill, Tasburgh, Norfolk. NPS Archaeology. 2014/1195.
<S25>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1995. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1994. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt II pp 230-239. p 237.
<S26>Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.

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