The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Tatham

Enclosure

Fieldnotes

What a fantastic site! We visited on a nice spring day, accompanied by the sounds of woodpeckers, golden plovers, lapwings and oystercatchers. The site itself is easily seen from the Wray to Wennnigton road, but we asked permission at Tatham Hall and walked up to the field itself. There we found a site that is in remarkably good condition for a prehistoric remain of this type.

There is an outer ditch aound three sides of the site (the stream completing the round), and within this there are several raised circular platforms that were presumably the site of huts. We counted at least 7 of these (though the blurb on the English Heritage list of scheduled monuments notes only 6).

The inner area is surrounded by a wall (stone and earthwork) which averages about a metre high - quite remarkable. There are three entrances, and the inner area is divided into two by a further wall. There is an intriguing passageway about 10 metres long that links these two inner areas - very clearly defined. There are two small enclosure areas (kilns? ovens?) within the inner area, one each side of the dividing wall. The inner area has a diameter of about 50 metres.

Outwith the outer ditch there are numerous other earthworks of undetermined vintage, including some possible kilns.

The site overlooks the rolling countryside of the Wenning valley, with views towards Hornby Castle and the hamlet of Tatham.
johnes Posted by johnes
6th April 2003ce

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