“A small promontory fort is formed by a stoney bank and shallow ditch, with rough walls round the other approaches formed by aligning rocks on the site along natural breaks of the slope. A D=shaped area, 15m by 16m, abuts on the inside of the bank within the vestiges of a rough wall. Incorporated in this wall is a long stone of triangular section, on which a pair of opposing slots have been cut in adjacent sides.” YAJ 49, 1977
B
BrigantesNation
“H.G.Ramm reports a probalbe cursus in the Scales, Fimber Grange and Fimber Station area. An aerial photograph taken by John Dent has entended parallel ditches previously known in fragmentary form and enabling them to be interpreted as a cursus running along the valley floor, the north ditch from SE89396106 to SE 90756104 and the southern ditch from SE 89376103 to SE 90686102. The distance between the ditches varies from 18-27m west of fimber grange to 30-37m east of the Grange.
“H.G. Ramm reports that a hange has been identified on an Ordnance Survey air photograph as a crop mark showing through ploughed ridge and furrow. It has a diameter of 61m with entrances to the north west and south east.” YAJ 49, 1977.
“A previously unrecorded promontory fort was identified by D. Smith on air photographs and later surveyed by him and G. W. Goodall. A single rampart with external ditch extends accross the west-facing spur of Live Moor to enclose an area of approximately 2 acres known as Knolls End. Where best preserved the rampart is 7.3m wide and 2.3m high externally and .5m internally, while the ditch is up to 1.5m wide and .6m deep with a fragmentoary counter scarp bank. The work has been mutilated by quarrying and associated trackways, but a gap in the rampart and ditch at NZ 49640126 probably represents an original entrance” YAS 51, 1978.
Image credit: BrigantesNation.com
This cave has shown extensive use from the Mesolithic and before to the Roman period. Finds have included animal bone, flints and pottery.
“A section cut accross the cursus by P. Topping of Newcastle University showed that both ditches had been re-cut from a norrower almost V-shape to a wide shallow form. A truncated post hole was found dug into the silting of the eastern ditch. A large low mound apparently lay within the ditches at the north west end of the cursus. There was also evidence here os external pits possibly holding upright timbers” YAJ 51, 1978
“Earthworks with internal ditch and bank are not uncommon in Northern England. The Great Ayton enclosure resembles in plan Studfold Ring near Sproxton but the bank and ditch of the latter are very large in comparison and its date is unknown. The geometry of the enclosure is strikingly similar to that od West Brandon Iron Age enclosure in Durham, but there the ditch was probably on the outside of the bank.” Tinkler and Pratt 1978 YAS, 50.
The enclosure appears to have been for pastoral use and has been dated to 100-300BC. The enclosure has had a lengthy period of use, extending into the Roman period. Soil analysis has shown that the surrounding environment was mainly openb grassland at the time of construction.
“Apron full of Stones, a ring cairn built almost completely of grit and sandstone, is perched on a post-glacial lake shore, the valley having been dammed by a terminal moraine immediately above Thornton Force. During the prehistoric period the floor of this small valley was virtually covered by a braided river streaming over the old lake flats; these surface waters were canelised during the eighteenth century enclosures in the lower part of the valley. Near the cairn a large wall was built to direct the Bingsdale Beck along the north eastern side of the valley. Most of the material for this wall came from the top of the cairn., and to aggrevate matters the river was made to impinge upon the river bank/lake terrace at the spot where the cairn was built.” Alan King, 1977, YAJ 50.
” the complex ritual landscape at Ferrybridge...Crop marks in this area reveal an extensive system of monuments and fields...A 100m diameter henge monument dominated the prehistoric and Romani-British...it has suffered seriously from ploughing....nearbye were two 15.5m post circles and a short pit alignment and paralell ditch....Dating revealed dates of usage to be 2590-2142BC, 3040-2625BC and 3358-2876BC...these monuments generally appear to date to the later Neolithic and Bronze Age, and continued to be constructed for around 1500 years” A New Link to the Past – Roberts, Burgess and Berg, 2001.
This site is thought to be of the same type as the Thornborough series and may therefore show, together with Newton Kyme a possible extension to the sacred plateau.
This henge is apparently of the Thornborough type and may therefore be an extension of the Swale – Ure plateau group.
It was completely destroyed in the late first century AD when the Roman’s built a fort over it – together with Catterick these henges also add weight to Julian Cope’s theory about the Romans trashing the prehistoric ancient sites.
This henge was originally thought to be a Roman Amphitheatre but is now more likely to be a henge. It’s odd that a bunch of Roman archaeologists mistook a stonebuilt structure for one made of earth. The henge has had a treble blow in terns of damage – firstly the Roman road of Dere street went through its centre – perhaps adding weight to Julian’s assertions about the Roman conquest. Secondly, the racecourse went over it, and thirdly the remainder is being quarried. Poor old henge.
“Until now the Mayburgh henge has been considered exceptional in that it lacked a ditch and its single bank was composed of small river derived stones. The Catterick henge appears, from the excavated evidence, to be of similar plan and construction, and it is only slightly larger than Mayburgh, which has diameters of c. 87.5m (internal) and c 124m (external) with a single entrance through the 36.6m wide bank. Unfortunately none of the apparent gaps in the bank at Catterick can be positively identified as entrances”. P. R. Wilson – Catteractonium.
Another orthostat – this one has been drilled.
Image credit: brigantesnation.com
This stone “collection” is roughly central to the enclosure.
Image credit: brigantesnation.com
this is the enclosure looking down from the hill above. From this angle it looks a lot less circular than when you are on a level with it. The meandering nature of the feature creates a definite early Iron Age feel – I’d suggest a lot earlier, given that this lead mining region saw it’s first period of expansion early in the Bronze Age.
Image credit: brigantesnation.com
This is one of the largest orthostats, the yellow thing beside it is my metre rule.
Image credit: Brigantesnation.com
I’m not really sure what this is, other than it’s more than what it is currently used for – an animal enclosure. I visited this place on the way to the Gayle mines. There are two places locally called Castle – this place and Castle Knoll, at the top of the escarpment. But no obvious castle. Anyway, this enclosure comprises of a very rough circle of orthostats that have been left in situ and used to create an sheep enclosure. in the centre is a stone on top of a stone. From what I know about the region, these orthostatic walls were created at the very beginning of the clearance of the fields, an a guess I’d say that these were placed here during the late bronze age, as man made the transition to a farmer. However, they could be earlier – very little work has been done on these types of walls so far, although I have come across some partially cleared fields with orthostatic walls, associated to Iron Age type dwelling enclosures quite near to here so I’m pretty certain as to my interpretation.
The enclosure looks like it originally opened to go up the hil and a tight double wall of orthostats creates a narrow causeway which drives up the hill side for some way, then widens out in a similar way to what are known as “banjo enclosures” – creating a bottle neck or funnel into enclosure. These have so far been interprested as for animal use, however, my gut feel is that this was not the primary purpose here. About half way up the hill, just as you enter the mining zone the orthostats disappear. They don’t appear to have been taken, they just stop.
The avenue measured 37.2m wide, with flanking ditches 4.10m wide on the east side and 3.90m wide on the west.
Cursus monument 380m long and 8.3m wide, oriented northwest to south east.
The cursus is 700ft long and 95ft wide, there is an associated mortuary enclosure. The whole thing is only visible from cropmarks and has been partly destroyed. 400m souith east of Barford Sheds.
Air photo of the henges on Britarch.
“Old Montrose Cursus in Angus sits on a raised area of a valley floor which, in the event of flooding, could become an island.” Kenneth Brophy, British Archaeology Magazine, May 1999.
This cursus was originally over 1.2 kilometres long and 43 metres wide, its western half has now been destroyed by quarrying.
Spooky shot of Hutton Moor henge
Image credit: Ray Selkirk (permission obtained)
A long cropmark enclosure at Springfield Barnes, Essex, close to Chelmsford, interpreted as a Neolithic cursus, was investigated between 1979-85 By D.G. Buckley, J.D. Hedges & N. Brown which confirmed its date and established a site sequence. The enclosure was c. 690 m long and 37-49 m wide, the ditch being uninterrupted in all areas examined. Features within the interior at the eastern end included an incomplete ring of substantial post-pits which it is suggested originally formed a complete circle. Peterborough pottery, predominately Mortlake style, Grooved Ware, a small amount of Beaker pottery, earlier Bronze Age urn sherds, and flint artefacts of the late 3rd-early 2nd millennium were recovered from the cursus ditch and other features. Collectively the evidence indicates a prolonged period of use.
From ABSTRACTS, VOLUME 67, 2001 Proceedings of the prehistoric society
“A cropmark revealed pit-enclosure and pit-alignments lye approximately 250m to the SW of Findal Cottages. The pit-enclosure consists of two lines of pits (about 30-35m apart) running NNE – SSW for a distance of approximately 110m. The pits converge slightly at the SSW end and unite in a squared terminal. The NNE end also terminates in a squared traverse but has two ‘horns’ protruding out, the W ‘horn’ continuing the line of pits for a further 20m to the NNE and the E ‘horn’ veering off for 25m to the NE. There are pit-alignments nearby and a pit-circle (NN81NE 45).
Information from RCAHMS (RHM) 12 April 1994.
Cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs (RCAHMSAP 1986; CUCAP no date) have revealed a pit-defined cursus lying across the crest of a low, flat-topped ridge to the ENE of Bennybeg Craig. The cursus (EARNAP 77) comprises a subrectangular enclosure, measuring about 110m from NNE to SSW by about 35m across. Two ‘horns’ extend from the northern corners, each measuring about 22m in length and set at a slight angle to the rest of the monument. Set centrally outside the SSW end of the cursus there is a large pit. To the E of the cursus there is an alignment of at least six pits aligned from NW to SE. To the NW of the cursus there is an oval macula of unknown function (EARNAP 78). A pit-circle lying along the ridge to the E of the cursus is described elsewhere (NN 81NE 45).”
From RCAHMS – Canmore
Excavations in 1999 confirmed the existence of this cursus indicated by cropmarks. The main feature was an arc of 16 post-pits. To the W of this arc, were three parallel lines of post-holes. The northern line had over 120 post-holes ending just to the E of West Lodge. At this point it turned south and continued for an unknown distance. The two other lines of post-holes ran parallel to the northern line, 15m and 35m to the south. The site has now been destroyed by gravel quarrying.
A cursus measuring approx. 190m by 24m wide aligned ENE-WSW is located in an arable field 360m south of Blairhall farmhouse.
Associated with it are a number of archaeological features including five ring ditches, possibly showing settlement activity outside of the immediate area os the cursus.
A pit-lined cursus, running in an east – west direction for 120m, 20m apart.
This possible cursus is 60m wide and at least 300m long, it is aligned ENE-WSW and is associated with a possible neolithic mortuary enclosure.
Typical of the North Yokshire ancient monuments, the Council has chosen to ignore that they exist and build a motorway next door. Sorry to be political, but North Yorkshire is the county of destroyed ancient monuments, a trend our current council seems content to continue.
The Arrows sit close to place where the Ure changes it’s name to the Ouse. Julian mentions the Ure as the River of the Goddess Ur.
An excellent description of the various phases of this site.
More information about Thornborough here.
Thornborough – 2000BC (or there abouts) an image showing the henges and their relationship with the post alignments and burial mounds.
Image credit: Joanne and George
Southern henge panoramic view – 06/03.
Image credit: www.brigantesnation.com
Visiting Thornborough.
Come off the A1 at the B6267 junction heading for Masham. Before going to the henges I recommend a quick diversion:
After about 1/2 mile, take the next right to Kirklington, after about 1/2 mile you will enter the village, turn left and park up to visit the church.
Inside the church, to the right of the door are a number of prehistoris remains held in a cabinet, including Bronze Age pot fragments and an Iron Age bead.
Take time to view the heads in the church, in particular have a look at the “Ogmios” head, and the “fish lady”.
brigantesnation.com/SiteResearch/EarlyChristian/CelticHeads/KirklingtonHeads.htm
Once you have visted the church, back in the car and carry on out of the village (church on your right) for 1/2 mile to the juntion. Here, turn right and travel for about 1 mile till you get to Nosterfield. Turn left into the village and park up.
To get to the henges, continue walking in the direction of travel (south) out of the village until you come to a wooded area on the left. this is the first and best preserved henge. There are no access rights to any of the henges but I hear some terrible folks just walk in and look around!
Once you’ve seen the northern hange continue south down a track which runs alongside the central henge on the left. you will also see the landfill site (owned by North Yorkshire County Council) on your right, and lots of evidence of quarrying all round.
At the end of the track turn left to head towards the henge. Again I could not comment on the use of the gate to gain access to the henge. Notice that the some of the stones in the intrior of the henge wal are half covered with “gypsom plaster”. I have a theory that the henge walls were plastered white.
From the central henge you could carry on down to the southern henge, through the gate on the other side of the road. My favorite henge is the southern one. Although it is the most destroyed, it is also the mose tranquil.
Before going home, I’d also recommend a visit to another site.
If you read the friendsofthornborough.org website you will notice that we keep banging on about post hole alignments.
One the the alignments heads from the northern henge to St Michaels Well, at Well. If you rejoin the main road (in the car) and turn left, than take the next right, you will get to Well. Once you have negotiated the steep bank at Well, take the next right and park up at the Church. The church has many relics of interest. Including some find “celtic heads” and other carvings on the outside of the church. Look hard to find the horned god, fish woman and naked man shaking hands with a giant. The cross was probably from a Devils Arrows type megalith originally.
brigantesnation.com/SiteResearch/EarlyChristian/Well/Well.htm
What you have seen during this visit are clues to the significance of the area of Thornborough and it’s northern perimeter. The henges, whilst being of fundamental importance are only a part of this ritual landscape. The “god figures” held in the local churches, the significance of St Michaels Well help create a wider ritual landscape that shows a “deformed continuity” of ancient beliefs.
Not to be missed
“51/2 miles north of Ripon, 1 mile northeast of West Tanfield the Thornborough circles.
Early in bronze Age times the land about Ripon, between the Ure and the Swale, became a religious centre. Six enormous sacred sites were built in an area 7 miles long; among them at least 28 barrows were accumulated.
The most impressive henge monuments are the 3 Thornborough Circles. Of these, the central one is the most accessible, the northern one is the best preserved (because it is protected from the plough by trees). Each circle, like those east of Ripon, has a maximum diameter of about 800 ft. They are all nearly circular, with entrances NW and SE. Each has a massive bank, originally about 10ft high, with a ditch inside and outside it, about 65ft. wide and 8 – 10ft deep. The outer ditch of each circle is now filled up by the ploughing. Broad spaces about 40ft wide separate the banks from their ditches – an architectural refinement nowhere else in England.”
Guide to Prehistoric England, Nicholas Thomas