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

Warton Crag

Hillfort

Miscellaneous

The summit of the Crag has a commanding view over Morecambe Bay and vessels approaching the sea entrance to Leighton Moss could be spotted immediately from here. On the northern and eastern sides of the summit - and really difficult to make out - are the remains of three stone-built ramparts which make up a small fort. Thought for a long time to be Iron Age, archaeologists more recently have been divided about it's origins. Some have suggested it could be older - perhaps Neolithic or Bronze Age - while others have noted a similarity with post-Roman defensive settlements elsewhere in Britain. As with Summerhouse Hill, eighteenth-century antiquarians report the excavation of burial mounds on the skirts of Warton Crag' in which human remains and earthenware beakers were found.

Walking around the moss and exploring the surrounding hills, the impression gained is that this was an important area for prehistoric peoples. The woods, the marshy fringes of the bay and the seashore itself were clearly valuable sources of food and materials.

The hills provided sites to bury their dead and possibly somewhere where religious ceremonies and celebrations were held. The summit of Warton Crag meanwhile has been a safe haven for many generations of local people: a look-out post to spot the arrival of threatening newcomers and a fortress to retreat into in the event of attack.

Leighton Moss Ice Age To Present Day by Andy Denwood (Published 2014)
drewbhoy Posted by drewbhoy
13th January 2015ce

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