Monganaut
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Edited Dec 13, 2016, 17:29
Warham Iron Age Camp Norfolk.... Do you think...
Dec 13, 2016, 17:29
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It started life as a henge?
Nice pic here...
http://aeroengland.photodeck.com/media/a35f58e0-850f-4c51-bfde-8a03f29b0687-aerial-photograph-of-warham-camp-iron-age-fort-norfolk-england
Google Maps
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Warham,+Wells-next-the-Sea/@52.9299378,0.8915651,239m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d776af112c701d:0x23a27719cbe29d1!8m2!3d52.9377039!4d0.894069
Been reading the Michael Wood 'In Search of the Dark Ages book, after digging the series I caught on you tube muchly. Obvs the beauty these days is being able to google maps loads of the sites mentioned to get a better idea of the place and setting etc.... Anyhoo, I searched for Warham Camp in Norfolk as the thinking back in 1981 was that it was supposed to be an important local Iceni center. I was quite surprised to see an almost perfectly round 'hillfort' with openings to the NE/S and a river/tributary to the West of the site (now diverted to unfortunately cut through the site). Now I'm no expert, but it does look surprisingly henge like. As far as I can ascertain, it hasn't been excavated, but quite a few chance finds have been thrown up by mole/rabbit activity, a small amount dating to the Neolithic, but the majority later Iron Age or Roman. Was just intrigued as it's so very round. Surprised it hasn't been dug, but maybe that's for the better. On google earth, there's also a tantalizing smaller circle in the adjoining field to the East. Looks like a ploughed out barrow, but again, being Norfolk, it could be something fairly modern (ploughed out WWII gun emplacement/ windmill tump etc....) but it does look old.
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juamei
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Re: Warham Iron Age Camp Norfolk.... Do you think...
Dec 13, 2016, 18:49
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It _could_ be, but I think it's roundness may simply be that with no hill contours to follow, a round fort in a flat landscape makes the most sense to people who lived with round structures.
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spencer
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Re: Warham Iron Age Camp Norfolk.... Do you think...
Dec 13, 2016, 19:49
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Pass...but what I will say, though, to folk that haven't, is that it is well worth a visit..nicely defined earthworks, has presence and is very peaceful, an antidote to high season Chelsea tractory Wells. One of my favourites. Your post's made me realise that this year's the, ulp, fiftieth since I first went there as a kid with my antiquaria-loving dad. Haven't been for ten years or so now, a return overdue.
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Monganaut
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Re: Warham Iron Age Camp Norfolk.... Do you think...
Dec 13, 2016, 23:48
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What you say does make perfect sense, and there are other roundish hillforts dotted around the country (Cornwall, has a lovely one) but it was it's almost perfect spherical-ness that piqued my inquiry. Now thinking on it, there are lots of iron age Settlements with 'ring' in the name, so maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part.
Bloody hell Spence, 50 years is a while ago. Dads are great for that type of stuff, me and mine used to visit slightly later places, air fields and air museums (he was an air gunner in Europe/Burma in WWII). Never really done Norfolk, it's a bit of a slog fer me to get to for a day out, and I'm a sucker fer a slog up a big hill (though me knees certainly don't agree with that). Scanning the satellite views of Google earth, it certainly looks like it's rich in 'remains' of various ages, and full of tantilising crop marks. Might see if I can wrangle a short break out there next year fer a mooch about. Always fancied Breckland after reading about it in a Robert Macfarlane book.
The nipper went on a geography trip to the region a few years back, she said it was how she imagined the 1970's to be, and seemed to be littered with ruined churches....sounds right up my street :)
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