Showing 1-20 of 335 miscellaneous posts. Most recent first | Next 20 
Pastscape description:
The earthwork in Hailes Wood is on a spur of the Cotswold escarpment with steep natural slopes to the west, and more gentle slopes to N and S. The ground rises steadily to the east, and on this side the defence is strongest with a bank up to 2.3m in height above a ditch which is 1.5m deep. On the south side a ditch and slight outer bank is in use as a path, except where it turns at the SW corner to end on the natural slope. The SW approach is also defended by two additional banks between the outer ditch and the level area above it, which has been cut off from the rest of the interior by a ditch up to 1.8m deep. The total area enclosed is 1 1/2-2 acres. Modern paths run through the earthwork, but the entrance near the SE corner may be original.
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Pastscape description:
Remains of a probable IA fort situated upon the flat summit of the northern end of the ridge called The Warren, and centred at SP02403180. The work is roughly oval in shape, measures about 230.0 m, NW-SE, by 170.0 m transversely, and is contour-following all the way.
Where the defences crossed the ridge at the northern and southern ends, no traces remain, probably due to ploughing.
Along the W side, the upper slopes of the ridge have been steepened by scarping, and are 5.0 m in height, 10.0 m in length. A probably original entrance cuts very obliquely up through the scarped slopes near to the NW corner of the work.
The E side has been reduced by ploughing to a lynchet-like slope, 5.0 m in length, 1.5 m in height.
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English Heritage description:
Despite some disturbance in the past, the two bowl barrows known as Stumps Cross round barrows survive well.
The monument includes two bowl barrows, aligned north west-south east, set just below the crest of a hill in the Cotswolds and within two separate areas of protection. The northern barrow mound measures 20m in diameter and is 0.6m high while the barrow mound to the south measures 18m in diameter and is 0.5m high. Surrounding each mound is a ditch from which material was excavated during the construction of the barrows. These ditches are no longer visible at ground level, having become infilled over the years, but survive as buried features about 2m wide.
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Coflein has the following description:
A sub-oval hilltop enclosure, 120m by 90m, defined by a bank, ditch and counterscarp, with entrances to the SW and NE.
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English Heritage description:
The monument includes four contiguous bowl barrows aligned east-west and situated along the crest of a hill in the Lower Greensand. The western barrow has a mound 30m north-south, 23m east-west and 2.2m high. To the east the second and third barrows form a double mound 32m east-west and 20m north-south with each mound standing to a height of 2m. The most easterly barrow has a mound 30m north-south, 28m east-west and 2.2m high. All of the mounds have a slight hollow in the centre suggesting that they were all once partially excavated. Surrounding the mounds is a single ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become partially infilled over the years but is still visible to the south of the mounds as a slight earthwork 4m wide and 0.3m deep, the rest surviving as a buried feature.
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Two bowl barrows in the grounds of Capesthorne Hall. EH descriptions:
NW barrow (SJ 84297 72889)
The monument includes a bowl barrow located on the summit of a rounded knoll 200m north-east of Capesthorne Hall. It includes a slightly oval turf-covered earthen mound up to 1m high with maximum dimensions of 27m by 25.5m. A broken ornamental stone pedestal on the barrow's summit is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath the pedestal is included.
SE barrow (SJ 84512 72570)
Despite some minor disturbance to the monument by a combination of rabbit holes and tree roots, the bowl barrow 450m south-east of Capesthorne Hall survives well. It is a rare survival in Cheshire of an unexcavated example of this class of monument and will retain undisturbed archaeological deposits within the mound and upon the old landsurface beneath.
The monument is a bowl barrow located on a local high point in woodland 450m south-east of Capesthorne Hall. It includes an earthen mound measuring 20m in diameter and up to 2m high.
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Round barrow in the grounds of Birtles Hall. A BA urn was found in the Hall's grounds. EH description:
The monument is a bowl barrow located on the summit of a natural rise 230m west-south-west of Birtles Hall. It includes a slightly oval earthen mound up to 1m high with maximum dimensions of 20m by 19m.
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Large but damaged bowl barrow. EH description:
The monument includes a bowl barrow situated on heathland at the highest part of the Ashdown Forest, towards its eastern edge. The barrow has a roughly circular mound approximately 26m in diameter and up to 0.5m high. The uneven surface of the mound suggests that it has been partly disturbed by World War II army training activity. Surrounding the mound is a ditch from which material used to construct the barrow was excavated. This has become infilled over the years, but is likely to survive as a below ground feature up to 2m wide.
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EH description of univallate fort:
The monument is situated in an isolated context, approximately 110m NW of Cherry Pool Farm in the parish of Claverdon, and includes a slight univallate hillfort of Iron Age date. Barnmoor Wood camp is located on the southern edge of a slight plateau. The defensive earthworks of the site enclose a raised central area of approximately 1ha. The defences include a ditch, an internal bank and traces of a counterscarp bank along the southern edge of the site. It is thought that the slope of the hillside made a counterscarp on the northern and eastern sides of the hillfort unnecessary. The 8m wide ditch is approximately 3m deep and the internal bank is up to 12m wide at its base and 1m high. The outer edge of the ditch has been partly damaged at the south-eastern corner of the site, probably by quarrying. Access into the interior of the hillfort is currently by means of causeways across the central part of the western defences and at the north-eastern corner of the site. The latter is a 5m wide inturned, or funnel, entrance and may represent the original entrance to the site. The interior is almost oval in plan and measures approximately 125m west-east and 100m north-south. No internal earthworks are visible, although the remains of internal structures will survive beneath the ground surface. All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, but the ground beneath these features is included.
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Small Late Iron Age settlement enclosure, destroyed in the 1940s during construction of an airfield runway. Still shown on the 1949 "Provisional" edition of the OS 1:25000 map.
From Pastscape:
An irregular, almost D-shaped enclosure, defined by a single bank and ditch was excavated by W F Grimes in 1942-3. (Sited at SK 9443 2295). The area enclosed was about 240 feet by 210 feet and had a simple entrance in the middle of the straight, western side.
Round huts, defined by drip-water gullies, some of which intersected indicating successive occupations, were found. There were also other gullies, pits and walls representing storage arrangements and a smelting site. The pottery was predominantly Belgic in type with a little Roman material including fragments of a glass bottle and a bronze brooch. The whole suggests an occupation of mid-lst century AD. Finds to be placed in Grantham Museum.
Site obliterated by construction of airfield runways.
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English Heritage description of large bowl barrow:
The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a bowl barrow located 80m above sea level on the western slope of the valley of the River Witham. It is prominently situated on the crest of the slope, immediately to the south of the northern field boundary hedge, some 150m east of the Great North Road. The grassy mound has a rounded summit and gently sloping sides, and shows no sign of any disturbance. It is c.50m in diameter and stands to a height of approximately 2m above the surrounding pasture. Material for the construction of the mound would have been quarried from an encircling ditch. This ditch is no longer visible but is thought to survive buried beneath the present ground surface.
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From Pastscape, referencing "Long Barrows of The Cotswolds" (1925) by OGS Crawford:
Two upright stones known as "Odo and Dodo", now in the grounds of Prescott House, were reported by Mr Passmore to have been removed from Nottingham Hill Camp about1860. One is 7ft high, the other 6ft, and both taper to a rough point.
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English Heritage description:
The monument includes the known surviving extent of the Iron Age fortified settlement which lies in an open valley immediately to the east of the town of Bourton-on-the-Water. The fortified site covers an area of approximately 23ha and lies on a gravel terrace between the Rivers Dikler and Windrush. The camp is rectilinear in form and defended by a double rampart, each bank having an external ditch. These defences are visible as earthworks on the north, east and south sides of the enclosure where they survive to a height of up to 2m. On the western side the line of the defences has been obscured, and probably destroyed by building works. Two original entrances into the camp have been identified, one in the centre of the northern side, which is still visible, and the other in the centre of the west side of the defences, which has been built over. On the eastern side of the enclosure, extensions in the form of banks with external ditches project for about 150m eastwards from the north east and south east corners of the enclosure. These extensions define an annexe of about 6ha, flanking a naturally marshy area near the River Dikler. The first plan of Salmonsbury Camp was produced in 1840 by Sir Henry Dryden and W Lukis. In 1881 the entire circuit of the defences could still be traced and masonry was noted in the main rampart, which stood to a height of 2m at that time. A series of excavations was undertaken by Dunning between 1931 and 1934, and revealed evidence for pre-Iron Age, Iron Age and Roman occupation of the camp, as well as Anglo-Saxon activity within the general vicinity. Pre-Iron Age activity was represented by the presence of a Palaeolithic tranchet axe, numerous flint flakes, several arrowheads and sporadic finds of Peterborough ware pottery of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date. Dunning believed that his excavations of 1931 revealed two phases of Iron Age occupation, the first of which preceded the construction of the defences, and which he dated to the later first century BC. The second phase of occupation corresponded with the construction of the defensive enclosure and was dated to the first half of the first century AD. Both phases revealed evidence for occupation in the form of round houses, rubbish pits, pottery and metalwork, including a hoard of 147 currency bars found in 1860. Roman occupation within the defended enclosure at Salmonsbury dates from the later 1st century to the early 4th century AD, during which time the defences to the east appear to have been reduced, possibly to aid the cultivation which was taking place within the area. Although there is no evidence for Anglo- Saxon occupation within the area of the camp, several burials have been found dug into the ramparts and two small cemeteries have also been discovered, one close to the northern rampart and the second close to the south east corner of the enclosure. It is also clear that the camp retained considerable significance for the local community, as it is recorded as `Sulmonnes Burg' in a charter of Offa of Mercia dated AD 779, and the courts of the Liberty or Hundred of Salmonsbury traditionally assembled at the northern entrance to the enclosure throughout the medieval period.
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English Heritage description:
The monument includes a univallate cross-dyke situated on Barrister's Plain, a narrow saddle between Round Hill to the north-west and Grindle Hill to the south-east. The dyke is visible as a well defined linear bank of earth and stone construction 170m long, averaging 5.5m wide and 0.6m high, with a flanking ditch on its north-west side 3m wide and 0.4m deep. The earthworks are orientated north-east to south-west, cutting across the line of the ridge top at its narrowest point. The bank tails off down the sides of the hill at either end to link the precipitous north and south scarps of the spur; the ditch fades out as the bank ends. The bank is lowered between 19m and 28m from the southern end, possibly the result of slighting at some time in the past. A trackway 4m wide crosses the ditch and cuts through the bank some 66m from the southern end of the dyke. Although this appears modern, it could represent the original position of a passage through the dyke. The structure is clearly not of a defensive nature, being too slight and overlooked from both sides. However, it effectively isolates the eastern tip of the spur, `Grindle Hill', from the main body of the hill to the west and would have functioned as part of a system of land management during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age.
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English Heritage description:
The monument includes a substantial cross-dyke, a linear bank, a sample of ridge and furrow and two sub-circular features. The cross-dyke lies orientated NNW to SSE crossing a broad roughly east to west ridge, ending on the edge of a steep sided gully in the south and a somewhat more shallow gully in the north. The earthwork is cut by a modern field boundary 130m from its north end, the portion to the north being within enclosed sheep pasture, that to the south in open moorland. As a result the survival characteristics of the two sections of earthwork differ. The northern portion is visible as a substantial earth and stone bank 142m long averaging 6m wide and 0.8m high, surmounted by a modern hedge bank and hedge. This is cut at its southern end, immediately north of the fence line, by a modern break 3m wide. Though there are no surviving physical traces of a ditch alongside the bank, differential growth in the grass cover on the west side suggests that a ditch does survive here as a buried feature. The larger portion of the dyke lies to the south of the enclosed land in open moorland; here it includes a linear bank some 240m long, averaging 8m wide and varying between 0.2m and 0.8m high on its east, downslope, side, 0.8m to 1.2m high on its west, upslope, side. The bank is flanked along its west side by a clearly visible ditch which averages 5m wide and 0.6m deep. This appears to be a continuation of the buried ditch noted as a crop-mark in the northern section of the earthwork. A second bank, 1.5m wide and 0.2m high, lies parallel to the main embankment on the west side. It commences 4m south of the modern field boundary and runs for some 68m south before fading out. From this point a section of the ditch running roughly between 69m and 91m south of the hedgeline appears to have been re-cut into the base of the main ditch, giving an incised ditch 1m wide and 0.2m deep at the base of the embankment. The southern portion of the cross-dyke is cut in three places: immediately south of the field boundary a trackway 4m wide runs parallel to the edge of the enclosed land, the track cutting through the bank and lying on a level roughly at the bottom of the ditch. The double bank, strengthening the cross-dyke defences at this point, suggests that this is the position of an original entrance gap. A hill drain 2m wide cuts through the earthworks 51m south of the field boundary and a second trackway cuts through both the bank and ditch some 130m south of the hedgeline. The second trackway cutting is 2m wide and incised 0.6m into the old land surface, below the base level of the ditch. Though it appears modern, its position may also represent the original location of an entrance gap through the earthworks. The cross-dyke would have functioned as a boundary structure associated with a system of land management during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. To the east of the cross-dyke some 93m south from the hedgeline and running roughly at right angles to the main dyke, a medieval field bank abuts onto the earthwork. It runs east for some considerable distance averaging 2m wide, 0.2m high on its north side and 0.4m on its south side, where it is flanked by a ditch 1m wide and 0.1m deep. The area to the north of this bank, between it and the enclosed land, shows evidence of vestigial ridge and furrow; it lies orientated east to west and averages 4m wide. At the northern end of the section of earthwork, in open moorland, are two sub-circular rubble walled features, the remains of small huts or animal shelters. One is located on the alignment of the main ditch and overlies the western bank; its south and west sides survive as a low rubble wall averaging 0.5m wide and 0.1m high abutted onto the main bank. The second lies 18m east and 10m south of the hedgeline. It comprises a low rubble wall of similar construction forming a small oval structure 7.4m east to west by 6m north to south with walls 0.2m high on their external face, 0.1m high on their internal face and is open on the south side. All modern boundary features overlying the monument, and the water tank building at SO44329694 are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.
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Canmore description:
Dun Ban occupies the sloping simmit of a conspicuous rock rising some 50ft from the sea-shore connected with the land on the NW by a narrow rocky ridge, above which it rises some 25ft in a steep, grass-covered slope, broken up by several lines of rocky outcrops, two of which seem to have been utilized as defensive lines as there are indications of building in the gaps between the rocks. At the lowest part of the ridge an outcrop has been strengthened at the NE by building so as to form an outer barrier. The summit of the rock, which measures some 80ft E-W and 44ft N-S, shows a sharp slope towards the sea and has been surrounded by a stone wall the greater part of which has disappeared. On the NW, the landward side, at the highest point of the rock, it shows a width of 6ft and a height of 1ft 6ins, and the entrance seems to have been at the NE end of this wall. On the steep E slope, 2ft of the outer face of a well-built wall remains in position over a length of some 21ft.
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Canmore description of this ruinous dun:
The remains of Dun a Chleirich occupy the summit of a small rocky peninsular on the sea-shore. It is reached by a narrow neck on the NW or landward side, which stands about level with the fort. Towards the sea, where it is rocky but not precipitous, it reaches a height of 50ft above the beach. It is defended by a stone wall, now very dilapidated, built round the edge of the summit and following the sinuosities of the rock. Internally the dun measures some 52ft NW-SE, and 51ft NE-SW. In some places the outer face of the wall shows 3ft in height, but generally it is very dilapidated. On the NW towards the land, the wall has been of considerable strength, as it now shows a rough mound of stones, 20ft in breadth and 3ft in height at other parts the wall varies from 4ft 3ins - 6ft in thickness.
In the S corner of the enclosure are the stone foundations of a roughly circular structure, about 12ft in diameter internally, the remains of the wall being spread over a width of about 5ft.
The entrance was probably at the E end of the NW wall oppisite the approach ridge.
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Canmore description:
On the S side of the small bay lying immediately to the S of Rudha Dubh, is a rocky plateau standing some 25-35ft above the sea, and connected with the land on the W side by a narrow neck. It is of very irregular outline, being almost split in two by a deep gully running in from the seaward side. Known usually as Carn Breac, but sometimes as Dun Acardinon, its defensive character is clearly indicated by a stone wall, whose grass-covered mound, some 12ft in width and 3ft high, can be traced on the W side standing on top of the scarp of the hollow outside measuring some 12ft deep. A portion of the ground occupied by this wall has been levelled to form a potato garden, and a section of the wall is exposed. The remains of a wall, now 6ft wide and 2ft high, are seen on the edge of the cliff on the SW, and there are traces of a similar construction to the NE. At this place there is a small terrace lying outside and about 10ft lower than the wall, which has also been defended by a breastwork built on the edge of the rock. The dun measures about 136ft E-W and 87 ft N-S.
RCAHMS 1928.
Dun Acardinon, the remains of a dun, as described by RCAHMS, except that the 'section of wall exposed' is a modern revetment on the edge of the potato patch.
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Canmore description:
On the shore about 400 yards SSW of Ostaig House is a flat-topped rock tapering away towards the land in a gradually narrowing ridge and rising abruptly some 25ft above the strand. The summit it occupied by the remains of a Dun Ila, a small fort of quadrilateral shape, measuring internally some 46ft NW-SE and 31ft across the widest part, which is next the sea. The remains of its wall, built on the edge of the rock, are traceable all around except on the NE flank. The best preserved parts are towards the land to the NW, where it shows a breadth of 9ft and a height of 4ft 6ins above the interior, and at the W corner, where it is 3ft 6ins high.
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Cairns, with well-preserved cists, either side of Allt an Leth-bheinn outlet. Canmore descriptions:
Western site
On the oppisite side of the stream from NG61SW 3 on the summit of a knoll rising abruptly behind a cottar house some 40 yards distant from and 40ft above high-water mark, are the remains of a much dilapidated cairn of stones. A fine cist lies uncovered, formed of four slabs of red grit, and measures 2ft 9ins in length, 2ft in breadth and 2ft 6ins in depth, the longer axis running ENE by WSW. The covering slab lies beside the grave. About 1ft to the E. is the side slab of a second cist still in position, which had been built parallel to the first cist, but the other slabs of this grave have been removed. There are indications of two other burial chambers which have been destroyed.
RCAHMS 1928.
The remains of a cairn with cist; as described by RCAHMS. It is so mutilated and robbed that its size cannot now be determined.
Visited by OS (A S P) 15 June 1961.
Eastern site
Near the shore at Inver Aulavaig, on the E side of the mouth of a small stream, Allt an Leth-bheinn, some 40 yards distant from and 22ft above high water mark, are the remains of two circular cairns of stone occupying a rough heathery ridge.
The first cairn measures 18ft in diameter and barely 2ft in height. It was opened many years ago when the greater portion of the northern half was removed, and a short cist containing a skeleton in a contracted position was discovered in the centre of the mound. The side slabs and one end are still in position and the covering stone lies beside the grave. The cist lies nearly NNE - SSW and measures 3ft 4ins in length, 2ft 2ins in depth, while the cover which is almost square in shape, measures 3ft 9ins long, 3ft 7ins in breadth and 6 ins thick.
The second cairn lies some 15ft (10.0m) SE of the first and is of the same dimensions but better preserved. It contains a central short cist, of which the sides and ends are still in situ. It lies almost due NE-SW and measures 3ft 4ins by 1ft 8ins by 1ft 10ins the cover-stone, which lies quite near, is of irregular shape and measures 3ft 4ins by 2ft 6ins and is 6ins thick.
The W slope of the ridge between the cairns and the estuary shows numerous small heaos of stone said to be the remains of other cairns. Some 27 yards SSW of the second cairn is a small cottar house, immediately to the N of which are the foundations of a former schoolhouse. When the material was being removed, a cist is reported to have been discovered under the floor which is no more than 12ft above high water mark.
RCAHMS 1928.
Two cairns with short cists as described by RCAHMS.
'A' NG 605 127 Cist (Site of).
There is now no trace of the cist in the schoolhouse.
Visited by OS (A S P) 15 June 1961.
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Showing 1-20 of 335 miscellaneous posts. Most recent first | Next 20 |
Twin interests are music and prehistory - music obviously includes Mr Cope, but wide variety of other things including Durutti Column, New Order/Joy Division, Billy Bragg, Smiths, Chameleons, Cardiacs, 50s rock'n'roll, etc. Many hols (and every opportunity) spent dragging very patient girlfriend to see vaguely discernable stone lumps obscured by mud and vegetation, particularly in West Penwith, also the Peak District and Herefordshire/Shropshire. Used to live in Yorkshire (Blakey Topping and High Bridestones being favourites) now live in Gloucestershire and pining for stone circles. Also blaming TMA in general and Gladman in particular for increasing levels of obsession where Wales is concerned. And now also blaming Drewbhoy for the urge to move to Drewland, RSC Central. No car (and can't drive) so sites are visited by public transport and on foot, which is still just about possible, despite the efforts of our beloved government to reduce/stop less profitable services by cutting funding everywhere. Working for a government scheme designed to kill your dreams. Appreciate a nice pint after a hard day's stone spotting (particularly in the Tinners Arms at Zennor).
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