NHER 1910 (Monument record) - Bloodgate Hill Iron Age Hillfort

Site of destroyed hill fort. Ring ditch within.

March 1951. Scheduled.
Short Description of Monument and its condition:
"A great ditch and rampart enclosing a circular area of 5 of 6 acres. The rampart is still about 5ft high, but is being annually reduced by ploughing.
Intact but as the whole field in which it stands is arable, its outlines are becoming blurred and the slope of the vallum is being gradually reduced. Photograph attached, but it gives little idea of the appearance of the monument, of which the scale is such that only an air photograph taken when the sun was low but bright, and the ground bare or in short stubble, would shrow it clearly.
October 1954."
Information from Ancient Monuments Form (S2).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
H. Mellor (HES), 20 June 2018.

1973. Geophysical survey.
Two Iron Age sherds found.
See details, schedule and notes in file.
See photographs (S10) and plan? (S11) for further details.
See also slides (S12), (S13), (S14).
See also S18.
E. Rose (NAU) 12 November 1990.

19 July 1996. NLA aerial photography.
Bank and ditch of hillfort visible in crop, as is ring ditch.
S. Horlock (NLA) 1 May 2001.

April 2001. Fieldwalking.
Survey of enclosure and areas to west and east (site extended).
Prehistoric flints.
Iron Age, Roman, medieval and post medieval sherds.
See notes and sketch plan in file.
See also (S25).
A. Rogerson (NLA) 10 June 2001.

September 2003. Geophysical Survey and Excavation.
Prior to the excavation air photography and geophysical survey were employed. The air photographs indicated the presence of a large ring-ditch within the hillfort enclosure. The geophysical survey revealed further details of the hillfort including its probable entrances, the ring-ditch (with possible entrance and internal features) and adjoining ditches. Excavation showed that the hillfort ditch had been recut some time after its initial construction. The bank (slighted in 1827) appeared to survive as a low bank of soil. The central ring-ditch was of a distinctive V-shape, about 3m deep, with evidence for an internal bank. Iron Age pottery through its fills suggested a date for construction, although its function remains unclear. A chalky spread behind the line of the former bank was also recorded (representing the slighting of the bank in 1827) which sealed earlier soils. A small pit beneath these soils produced Iron Age pottery and flints. Environmental evidence was slight but probably indicated an open environment locally.
See published article (S34) and reports (S26) and (S27) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S31).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2005.84).
A. Cattermole (NLA) 3 September 2004. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2019.

Winter 2003-2004. Metal detecting.
Survey undertaken for the Norfolk Archaeological Trust within and to east and west of enclosure.
Seven Roman, one medieval and three post medieval coins.

Before 26 May 2004. Chance find.
One sherd glazed Grimston ware.
See description in file.
E. Darch (NLA) 8 June 2006.

8 June 2013. Site Visit by the Norfolk Monument Protection Programme.
The site is generally in very good condition, with good grass cover and little or no thistles or nettles. There is some poaching on the eastern side of the main enclosure bank which may require reseeding. Rabbits are clearly present on the site but the damage is minimal.
K. Powell (HES), 23 December 2013.