NHER 7188 (Monument record) - Bronze Age ring ditch and gold torc

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Summary

A Bronze Age gold torc was ploughed up in 1846. In 1977, aerial photographs of the area showed a small Bronze Age ring ditch in almost exactly the place where the torc was found, suggesting perhaps that the torc was from a burial.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TG02SW
Civil Parish FOULSHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

October 1846.
On Bittering Common (site marked by Ordnance Survey).
Gold torc of funicular form found in ploughing. For type see (S1).
Exhibited Archaeological Institute in 1847 by Lord Hastings. 4th or 5th century B.C. according to Birch. 5 1/2 ozs. Extreme length 106.7cm (42 inches or 3 foot 6 inches long). Probably Irish, like Grunty Fen. Yeovil type.

Copy NCM card references are (S2), (S3), (S4), (S5), (S6), (S7), (S8), (S9) (called Foxley Wood but same site), (below) but have not been checked. E. Rose (NAU).

Copies of plates in file.

20 July 1977.
Aerial photograph by AAF shows positive cropmark of very tiny ring ditch almost exactly on OS antiquity symbol, and on the edge of a possible old pit.
D. A Edwards (NAU), 1 November 1982.

  • --- Aerial Photograph: TG0322A.
  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Foulsham.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Article in Serial: 1845. On the Torc of the Celts. The Archaeological Journal. Vol II pp 368-380. p 379.
  • <S2> Article in Monograph: Sainty, J. E. 1935. Norfolk Prehistory. British Association for the Advancement of Science. Report of the Annual Meeting, 1935. Norwich, September 4-11. British Association for the Advancement of Science. Appendix pp 60-71. p 68.
  • <S3> Article in Monograph: 1851. Catalogue of Antiquities. Exhibited in the Museum formed during the Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute, held at Norwich, in 1847. Memoirs Illustrative of the History and Antiquities of Norfolk and the City. Archaeological Institute. pp xxiii-lvi. p xxix.
  • <S4> Article in Serial: Bulwer, J. 1847. Notice of a Gold Torque found in the Parish of Foulsham and of an Armilla dug up at Downham. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol I pp 231-238. pp 231-235.
  • <S5> Publication: Fox, C. 1923. The Archaeology of the Cambridge Region: a topographical study of the Bronze, Early Iron, Roman, and Anglo-Saxon Ages, with an introductory note on the Neolithic Age. p 51.
  • <S6> Monograph: 1901. The Victoria History of Norfolk. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Vol 1. p 271.
  • <S7> Article in Serial: [anonymous]. 1912. [proceedings of meeting held Thursday, 18th January, 1912]. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London. Second Series Vol XXIV pp 34-51. p 46.
  • <S8> Article in Serial: 1909. [unknown]. PSAS. Vol LV.
  • <S9> Documentary Source: Various. Drawings, engravings and etchings, including numerous portraits, maps, etc, collected by Dawson Turner to illustrate Blomefield's "History of Norfolk" 1810-1847. Add MS 23024-23052. Vol VII; pp 114-115 (Add MS 23030); Vol III; p 61 (Add MS 23031).
  • TORC (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Oct 17 2025 12:42PM

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