Whitley Church

Situated on the top of Wharncliffe Crags. A series of enclosures formed by stone and turf banks surveyed and later excavated by the late L.H. Butcher and members of Hunter Archaeology Soc. 1958-1960.
The excavation revealed a cobbled floor and entrance plus post holes. The finds were mostly of roman pottery including some Samian ware. It was concluded therefore as a Romano-British settlement
There is a long standing legend that this was once a church of Whitley village (now lost). It is also in the area associated with the Dragon Of Wantley. There is no such place as “Wantley” and I wonder if it could be a corruption of the place name Whitley.
See above plan for results of the excavation.