
Gerrick Moor stone with Freebrough Hill in the background
Gerrick Moor stone with Freebrough Hill in the background
Gerrick Moor is one of those busy little sites with something for everyone.
Park up on the layby on the northern side of the A171 and then cross the road and walk back down the bank. You’ll come to a gate, this leads you onto the ancient Siss Cross pathway , which was an ancient pannier route.
Turn left up onto the moor and head for the prominent Herd Howe barrow. If you glance behind, you will be rewarded with lovely views of Freebrough Hill (who needs to build a Silbury when nature has provided one ready assembled!).
There are numerous earthworks and barrows in this area indicating it was a busy little spot. Although it’s not mentioned on any map, there is a beautiful standing stone about 200m north east of Herd Howe. Its a typical North York Moors stone, about 3m tall. Also check out the enclosure 200m north west, its a rectangular enclosure with a low bank and ditch approx 50m across.
The proximety of this site to the road makes it a nice little place to spend an hour. I’d recommend it.
Theres a pub at the bottom of the hill too.
“Further east on Gerrick Moor there is an unrecorded cross-ridge work, about a quarter of a mile long, with a fosse on the south side, at an altitude of 825 feet. It runs slightly north of west to south of east across the moor between the steep slope of Gerrick Hawa and some very boggy ground of danby peat holes. It no doubt served as a defensive to the settlement site of the urn people, who buried their cremated dead in the Herd Howe which is a little to the north.
Near the Howe is another earthwork 215 by 185 feet, like that above Box Hall. It consists of a low rampart with outer ditch, rounded corners, and an entrance on the south side. Adjoining it are the remains of a similar work. It resembles an entrenchment of the Bronze or early Roman age excavated by Pitt-Rivers on Handley Hill, Dorset.”
Early man in N.E.Yorkshire
Frank Elgee
1930