Norsebury Ring facts for kids
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Naesan Byrg
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Looking south from Hunton Down lane: Behind the trees on the horizon lies Norsebury Ring
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 Location in Hampshire
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| Location | Hampshire |
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| Coordinates | 51°09′28″N 1°17′57″W / 51.1579°N 1.2992°W |
| Area | just under 10 acres |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age |
| Site notes | |
| Public access | on private farmland |
Norsebury Ring is an ancient site in Hampshire, England. It was once an Iron Age hillfort, which is like a fortified village built on a hill. People lived here during the Iron Age, a time in history when people started using iron tools and weapons.
Today, much of the hillfort has been flattened by farming over many years. However, in some parts, especially to the north and west, you can still see the old ditches and banks that made up its defenses. These parts are hidden among trees and bushes, but they are surprisingly well-preserved. There's a small outer ditch, then a bank, then a larger ditch, and finally a bigger bank.
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What is Norsebury Ring?
Norsebury Ring is a type of ancient settlement called a "univallate hillfort." This means it had one main set of defensive walls or banks. It covers an area of almost 10 acres, which is about the size of five football fields!
In 1997, scientists used a special technique called a magnetometry survey to look underground without digging. This survey showed that Norsebury Ring had two main entrances, one in the southeast and one in the southwest. It also found clues that suggest a busy Iron Age village once thrived inside the fort.
What Was Found There?
Archaeologists have found pieces of pottery from different time periods at Norsebury Ring. They found pottery from the Bronze Age, which was even older than the Iron Age, and also from the Roman period, which came after the Iron Age. This tells us that people used this site for a very long time.
Originally, one of the entrances led to a large, almost circular area in the middle of the fort. This area was about 30 meters (almost 100 feet) across and had its own ditch around it. Experts think this central area might have held a special wooden building, perhaps a shrine, similar to what was found at another famous hillfort called Danebury.
The Mystery of the Name
The name Norsebury might make you think of Vikings, but it actually has nothing to do with them! The original name for the site was "Naesan Byrg." This old name means "Fort at the ness," where "ness" refers to a nose-like piece of land. Over time, "Naesan" changed to "nose," and then later to "norse."
Norsebury Ring is officially recognized as a "scheduled ancient monument." This means it's a very important historical site that is protected by law, so it can't be damaged or built over. It's listed as Monument No. 131.
Where is Norsebury Ring?
Norsebury Ring is located in the county of Hampshire, in England. It sits to the east of a village called Sutton Scotney and to the west of another village called Micheldever. The River Dever flows just to the south of the site. The hillfort is on the western side of a gentle hill, about 100 meters (328 feet) above sea level.
Nearby Ancient Sites
Just to the east of Norsebury Ring, there's another ancient area known as the 'Weston Colley Group.' This area once had 13 round barrows. Round barrows are ancient burial mounds, like small hills built over graves. However, these barrows have been mostly flattened by farming over the centuries. Now, they can only be seen as "crop marks," which are patterns in fields that show up when crops grow differently over buried ancient structures.
