Archaeology in VOL 22

Celebrating 25 years of in Northumberland Archaeology in Northumberland 1 Allan Hepple Holder for Economic Growth Portfolio Foreword I am Growth, Member for Economic Cabinet As the Council’s in of Archaeology to the 22nd edition to welcome you delighted some of the highlights of recent Northumberland. This issue showcases in Northumberland and, remarkably, undertaken archaeological work anniversaries. celebrates two 25-year in of Archaeology it is 25 years since the first issue Firstly, 1991. Over these years the magazineNorthumberland was published in growing in size including embracing full colour, has seen many changes, report on an ever online, but it continues to and becoming available carried out heritage and archaeological activities widening range of a has also attracted in Northumberland Archaeology across the County. of’‘Friends whose members provide invaluable support for the group publication of the magazine. of developer-funded are also celebrating the 25th anniversary We the government introduced guidance on When archaeology. it changed the way archaeologyArchaeology and Planning in 1991, operations being launched,was considered. Instead of rescue ensuring that archaeological remainsdevelopers became responsible for investigated. This workaffected by their proposals were properly knowledge and understandinghas made a huge contribution to our in discoveries and exciting of the past and revealed many new revisited on pages 4-13. Northumberland which have been work,Alongside this commercially funded community interest in It is particularly continues to grow. the heritage of Northumberland exploring number of local groups pleasing to see an ever-increasing of this work are published here, their heritage and some of the results (page 42), Flodden 500 (page 18), including Altogether Archaeology (page 32) and the Wall North of the Holystone (page 52), on the Otterburn Ranges (page 49). volunteers National Park This issue also reports on the final phase of the multi-million pound heritage-led regeneration schemes in Berwick, where tangible improvements to shopfronts and buildings have been accompanied creative projects recording more ephemeral things, like by exciting this hugely memories, anecdotes and atmosphere (page 34). With successful project nearing completion, it gives me great pleasure to report that significant funding has been secured for several new the Heritage Lottery Fund In particular, projects in the County. Lindisfarne Landscape has awarded £1.8million to the Peregrini three community projects this year and I which started Partnership look forward to reading about their results in future issues. 2 Archaeology in Northumberland Liz Williams Sara Rushton makes itpossibletopublishthismagazine. of ArchaeologyinNorthumberlandwhosecontinued support We hopeyouenjoythisissueandwouldlike tothankalltheFriends been involvedovertheyears. investigated andthelargenumberofpeopleorganisations thathave Northumberland’s past.Itshowsthewiderangeofsites that havebeen that havecontributedtoourgrowingknowledgeand understanding of in ,wehavecompiledaspecialreviewwhich showcases thesites To celebrateour25thanniversary, andthatofdeveloper-funded archaeology topical pieces. on ourwebsitesothatwecandevotemorespaceinthemagazine to archaeological assessments,evaluationsandotherwork(grey literature) slight departurefromtheusualformat,wehavepublished listof we hopethatyouwillfinditrecognisableandequallyattractive. Asa will probablynoticethelookofmagazinehaschangeda littlebut term illness.Without designinputyou Chris’spresenceandhands-on is theabsenceofourfriendandcolleague,ChrisBurgess,through long In thattimewehavefacedanumberofchallenges,notleast ofwhich carried outbetween2013and2015. published andthisvolumeintroducesawiderangeofworkthat hasbeen you foryourpatienceasitisalmosttwoyearssincethelast issuewas which againhasbeenalongtimeinthemaking. We wouldlike tothank At last,welcometothe22ndeditionof Archaeology inNorthumberland, Welcome Archaeology in Northumberland 3 4 14 16 18 20 22 24 25 26 29 30 31 31 32 33 36 38 40 42 45 46 48 49 50 52 56 58 60

Europe’s lost frontiers: Doggerland and the ’s lost frontiers: Doggerland - transition discovery at Birney Hill, New prehistoric Morpeth Grazing on Ha’Hill, Flodden Hill 2013-15 Barmoor Wind Farm at St George’s Hospital, Morpeth Iron Age Settlement for the uplands Archaeologists Club A NU Young Rescued from the Sea Investigations at the Premonstratensian Abbey of Blanchland Medieval Shotton first coastguards? Did Bamburgh shipwreck inspire Wilds of Wanney British Rock Art News of Hadrian’s Wall Community archaeology north Corbridge The Vicar’s Pele, in Layers of localism and regeneration 34 Berwick-upon-Tweed Hill, Stannington Archaeological Investigations at New approaches at Yeavering Altogether Archaeology in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Belsay Castle Heritage at Risk Excavations at Bolton Chapel local it Keeping Heritage Project Bradford Kaims Wetland In search of Holystone Priory Uppertown Farm Roman stones at West Antiquities in Northumberland Portable New designations

Celebrating 25 years of development-led development-led 25 years of Celebrating 1990-2015 archaeology Contents 4 Archaeology in Northumberland granting planning permission. granting planningpermission. made partofthesystemfor 25 yearssincearchaeologywas The followingsynopsiscelebrates Framework (NPPF). into theNationalPlanningPolicy expense. Thepolicyisnowbuilt out investigationsattheirown developers wererequiredtocarry where thiswasnotpossible of archaeologicalremainsand favour ofthephysicalpreservation 16) setoutaclearpresumptionin Archaeology andPlanning(PPG of newgovernmentguidanceon fundamentally changed.Theissue destruction bydevelopmentwas were recordedaheadoftheir way inwhicharchaeologicalsites has beenaround.In1990the that developer-funded archaeology coincidentally thesameperiod in thecountyfor25years– archaeological discoveries has beenreportingnewsof Archaeology inNorthumberland As regularreaderswillknow, Celebrating 25yearsofdevelopment-led archaeology1990-2015 Photo PCA. An aurochsskull andreddeerantlersfromHaughton StrotherQuarry. Conservation. Conservation. the adviceofNorthumberland local planningauthorities,on County Councilanditspredecessor been requiredbyNorthumberland the workdescribedbelowhas ideas aboutEngland’spast.All of theNorthEastregionandour contributed tochangingviews and recentpasthavealso ancient light onthecounty’s These discoverieshaveshednew of settlement – a possible of humansettlement –apossible preserved. Equally rareisevidence scarce andgenerallyverypoorly particularly frominlandareas, are from thelateMesolithicperiod, terms sinceanimalremains are ofgreatsignificancein regional University. Theskulls andantlers previously identifiedbyNewcastle on anancientriverterrace, of Prudhoefromapalaeochannel and wasrecoveredbyThompsons dated between5670and5520BC on theRiverNorthTyne. Theskull made atHaughtonStrotherQuarry cattle) andreddeerantlerwas aurochs skulls (aspeciesofwild discovery oftwoMesolithic and peopletocolonise.Arare rich environmentforanimals climate warmed,providinga grassland establishedasthe 12,000 yearsago,forestsand When thelastIceAgeended Cheviot Quarry. PhotoARS. A laterNeolithiclonghouseat Photo ARS. Akeldsteads. blades from Cache offlint Archaeology in Northumberland 5 Iron Age settlement Iron Age settlement at Blagdon excavations (Delhi). Photo TWM Archaeology The transition to the Bronze Age occurred around 2500 BC and pollen analysis shows woods were disappearing and grassland and moorland was on the increase as farming developed and spread. The sand and gravel workings at Lanton and Cheviot Quarries have revealed evidence of Bronze Age settlement and at Cheviot Quarry archaeologists also found evidence of massive enclosures, small horseshoe- shaped enclosures and pits, all close to the ritual monuments of the Milfield Basin. Iron began to replace bronze in making around 1000 BC although it did not become common until around 500 BC. The Bronze Age way of life is thought to have continued relatively unchanged into the Iron Age – farming cattle and sheep, raising crops and using the natural resources of the coast. settlements began to However, change from being open groups of circles to ones surrounded by banks, ditches or wooden palisades. of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age from non-grave contexts, beakers including All Over Corded Ware. there Before these excavations had been little information about the character of early Neolithic Further in the county. probable Neolithic buildings with associated , pits and postholes containing Neolithic pottery were revealed at Lanton Milfield village the At Quarry. Neolithic- remains of a short-lived Early Bronze Age dwelling was found that was in use at the same time as nearby and is the first evidence in this area for where the builders lived. One of the best caches of Neolithic flint blades in the county was discovered prior to Steads at Akeld gravel extraction from the Milfield Away by Tarmac. Basin, archaeologists working on Holy Island for Nichol, Armstrong & Lowe uncovered a possible Neolithic pit and postholes arrangement which is the earliest known structure on the island. post-built structure found at post-built for Lanton Quarry in excavations Northern may be evidence Tarmac of a small hut similar to that recorded in research excavations on the coast at Howick. The transition from the hunter- gatherer to farming way of life took place slowly from around 4000 BC. Evidence of this more settled way of life has been revealed in sand and gravel quarries in the Milfield Basin in north Northumberland where archaeologists have been Northern working with Tarmac since 2005 at two quarries (Cheviot and Lanton). A unique sequence of buildings was found at Cheviot Quarry where two early Neolithic round houses and three later Neolithic long houses together with hearths, pits and other structures and a great quantity of stone and objects may pottery, represent the earliest small farming settlement in Northumberland. is the What is more remarkable quantity and nature of pottery from the site, including 15 sherds Celebrating 25 years of development-led archaeology 1990-2015 archaeology development-led of years 25 Celebrating 6 Archaeology in Northumberland Celebrating 25yearsofdevelopment-led archaeology–1990-2015 published by TWM Archaeology published by TWM Archaeology the Northumberland CoastalPlain, brought togetherinTheIron Ageon that survives.Theresultshave been and variedarchaeological potential settlement activityandthe rich previously unsuspecteddensityof These discoverieshaveshowna settlement onthecoastalplain. the waywethinkaboutIronAge discoveries thathavechanged sites havemadesignificant mine andhousingdevelopment archaeologists workingonsurface and neighbouringTyne andWear, Northumberland In south-east Pit alignments.PhotoTWMArchaeology. plan of an Iron Age settlement plan ofanIron Agesettlement at BlagdonPark thecomplete this partofNorthumberland; and of atypepreviouslyunknown in British settlementandfield system was anIronAgeandRomano- Pegswood MoorFarm example on behalfofBanksMining. The Moor Farm, BlagdonandShotton have beenexcavated atPegswood smaller unenclosedsettlements settlements andanumberof example, largeIronAgeenclosed Northumberland,for In south-east and theArbeiaSocietyin2012. the late Bronze Age to early Iron the lateBronze AgetoearlyIron remarkable pitalignmentsspanning prehistoric settlements,some Alongside thediscoveryof lowland plain. in thesettlementpatternof recognised asonlyonecomponent in the1960sand1970sisnow George JobeyandNormanMcCord typical rectilinearformidentifiedby Age settlementsmeansthatthe and complexity ofthesenewIron settlement atShotton.Thevariety the discoveryofasmallIronAge was revealed,closelyfollowedby Archaeology in Northumberland 7 Well-preserved Roman roads have Well-preserved in uncovered elsewhere also been at Riding In excavations the county. Estates,Mill for Meadowcroft to be inDere Street was found preservationa far better state of At than had been anticipated. on Hall, excavations Walwick revealed the behalf of Mr G Wylie lying Way remains of the Military slightly north of the projected line on Ordnance Survey maps and comprising smooth but irregular- shaped and sized stone slabs, blocks and cobbles. Its appearance was considerably different to that of the same road seen further east on the western fringes of . New and innovative techniques were used by the Ministry of Defence to investigate Hadrian’s near Albemarle Barracks. Wall lie beneath Remains of the Wall the B6318 through much of the county so when the barracks facility for became a driver-training vehicles heavy lorries and tracked research was commissioned to see what impact this might have on the buried remains. Using a combination of desk top an assessment, trial trenching, engineering test called Falling Deflectometer and Weight the results were vibration testing, reassuring that modern military use of the old Military Road was not Wall. damaging Hadrian’s to replace a water main Work near Throckley uncovered new information about some cunning A Wall. defences along Hadrian’s series pits found between the Wall and its north ditch are evidence of entanglements designed to impede and similar and hold-up attackers Roman The advent of Roman Britain followed the invasion of the south coast of England in AD43. In the early AD70s, the Roman governor of Britain took over the whole of the North of England and by AD81 Agricola had advanced the Roman front line into Scotland. Gravel Quarry by at Wooperton extraction RMC Aggregates (Northern) gave the opportunity for archaeologists to investigate the Devil’s Causeway Roman road which travels through the county from north of Corbridge towards Berwick. as well as sections Unexpectedly, revealed of the road, excavations pit alignments, rectilinear ditches/ gullies, pits and postholes together with Roman pottery which seem represent the first recorded to likely Roman military site north of Low Learchild fort. because although there was no there was because although the of settlement here evidence does suggestpottery assemblage The campsome habitation. use into thesite continued in although thefirst century AD hadditches of the enclosure then. In thebeen abandoned by of the campabandoned ditches importanta substantial and assemblage of Iron Age ceramics was found, including briquetage (associated with salt production and trade). The finds include one of the largest assemblages of Iron Age pottery recovered from a site in Northumberland and the largest assemblage of briquetage then discovered in Britain and the only evidence for prehistoric salt processing north of the Fens. Lanton Iron Age and burial. Photo ARS. Age periods were found at Blagdon and Shotton. Here, long lines Park their way across the of pits snaked landscape demonstrating a regular system of land division, perhaps demarcating resources such as pasture and woodland and access to the river Blyth for particular communities or settlements. One of the greatest gaps in our knowledge of Iron Age people is where and how they dealt with at Lanton their dead. Excavations Quarry revealed the first formal Iron Age burial from the county, where remains of an elderly woman were found in a stone cist set within a pit. The natural resources of the coast were an important part of on the prehistoric life. Excavations cliff tops at Needles Eye, Berwick, in advance of an extension to the North Road Industrial Estate, found a substantial Iron Age camp. It may have been used only seasonally or annually, Celebrating 25 years of development-led archaeology – 1990-2015 – archaeology development-led of 25 years Celebrating 8 Archaeology in Northumberland east atByker inNewcastle. to otherexamples foundfurther and hold-upattackers andsimilar entanglements designedto impede and itsnorthditchareevidenceof series pitsfoundbetweentheWall defences alongHadrian’s Wall. A information aboutsomecunning near Throckleyuncoverednew Work toreplaceawatermain east atByker inNewcastle. to otherexamples foundfurther Celebrating 25yearsofdevelopment-led archaeology1990-2015 Throckley entanglements Archaeologists excavating near about itssettlement archaeology. period intheregion,little is known importance oftheearlymedieval the Humber. Yet, despitethe extended fromtheForth to with itscapitalatBamburgh, century thekingdomofBernicia, greatest extent intheseventh intellectual developments.At its forefront ofpolitical,culturaland Northumbria wasatthe In theearlymedievalperiod Early Medieval some of which showed evidence of some ofwhich showedevidenceof variety ofseeds andplantremains (Roman) vallumditchrevealed a samples taken fromfillsinthe Scientific analysisofenvironmental TTH Architects/NEPlant Sales. Heddon-on-the-Wall onbehalfof by archaeologistsworkingin 11th centurieswerediscovered processing inthe10thand food activity andlarge-scale Indications ofpossibleindustrial been recognised. more extensive thanhadpreviously Maelmin palacecomplex maybe timber buildingthatshowsthe found postholesofasubstantial Park forRobsonDesignthey small settlement;andatWhitton of timberbuildingssuggestivea Tarmac Roadstonefoundremains Farm archaeologistsworkingfor around Milfield. At Woodbridge have alsocometolightinand settlementremains Anglo-Saxon and understandingofourregion. contributing toanewknowledge developer-funded archaeologyis Yorkshire, anddemonstrateshow north NorthumberlandandNorth in theareastretchingbetween of anisolatedsecularsettlement This siteisaveryrareexample by thelateseventhcenturyAD. farmsteads inseparateenclosures Saxon periodtooneof formalised settlement intheearlyAnglo- development, fromanunenclosed showed aclearsequenceof ditched enclosures.Thesettlement sunken flooredbuildings and with aclusterofpost-built halls, settlement secular Anglo-Saxon when theyrevealedanunexpected made anexciting newdiscovery Mining Site,forBanksMining, atShottonSurface Archaeology in Northumberland 9 Dovecote remains at Hartford. Photo West NAA. A Saxon house at Shotton. A Saxon house Archaeology. Photo TWM parts of the county, development parts of the county, of vacant plots within and on the edge of villages has revealed at medieval remains, for example Embleton and Cornhill-on-Tweed, Alnmouth. Some villages are only known from documents, so when a new business park was proposed at when archaeologists excavated when archaeologists excavated a series of medieval buildings for Edwin Thompson & Co. They uncovered buildings with dwarf stone walls and clay capping, which would have supported a as well as evidence timber-frame, or street, of a narrow alley, running between them. In other Medieval archaeology has Developer-funded revealed much about the medieval period across Northumberland, especially its towns and villages where details of buildings, land division (burgage plots), rubbish disposal and some industrial practices have come to light. A previously unknown phase of occupation was found at Ancroft crop processing – charred chaff and grains of oats, wheat and barley, that suggest this took place on a large scale. It is suspected that there was a large kiln or furnace in Heddon in the 11th century; a date of AD 1030-1220 was recovered from a single oat grain. Celebrating 25 years of development-led archaeology 1990-2015 archaeology development-led of 25 years Celebrating 10 Archaeology in Northumberland Celebrating 25yearsofdevelopment-led archaeology1990-2015 complex, andinRothburyAll of awiderandasyetunknown corn dryingkilnthatmaybepart Garage siteinCorbridgefounda burning. Excavation ontheBishops the sitethatwereusedforcharcoal revealed aseriesoffirepitsacross extraction site,workforUKCoal been found.At NorthStobswood but somesmallscaleactivitieshave industries islimitedintheregion oven. Evidenceformedieval and agraindryingkilnormalting activity, includingapotterykiln evidence ofdomesticandindustrial medieval villagecontaining extensive remainsof Shotton Surface MineSiteuncovered excavation atnearbyShotton status buildingnearby. Another hinted atthepresenceofahigh enclosures andadovecote, included dwellings,workshops, of amedievalruralsettlementthat substantial andextensive remains series ofinvestigationsrevealed for thelostvillageofHartford.A the opportunityarosetosearch West Hartford,nearCramlington Lime KilnatAll Saints,. PhotoIFA. the late12thcentury, weresituated The earliestbuildings,datingto and birdbonesplantmatter. leather, richassemblagesoffish and organicmaterialsuchaswood, over 40pits.Finds includedpottery buildings, propertyboundariesand on Marygateanddiscoveredtimber examined anareaofstreetfrontage in BerwickforTerrace HillProjects in someofourtowns.Excavations openareaexcavation large-scale also providedtheopportunityfor Development-led archaeologyhas found alimekiln. Saints churchyardarchaeologists in the county from the mid-12th in thecounty fromthemid-12th The foundation ofreligioushouses Homes. during excavations forLindisfarne Gardens been foundatGovernor’s Carmelite Friary whichmay have and coins.Anotherlostsiteisthe fragments ofstainedwindowglass century andthefindsincluded demolished inthelate12thor13th building. Thebuildinghadbeen a churchorevenrichsecular or perhapsahospitalpartof the town’s lostmonasticsites, uncovered whatmaybeoneof Berwick Workspace development Excavations inWalkergate forthe rubbish dump(RottenRow). the westsidewastown’s and documentaryevidencesuggest in Ravensdownewhereexcavation parts ofBerwickhavebeenfound lining. Cluestotheusesofsome Design, foundonewithawicker of pitsatWoolmarket forYeoman town’s archaeology. Excavations Berwick andareafeatureofthe have beenfoundinotherpartsof Well preservedorganicremains were constructedinthebackplot. Scotland. Latermedievalbuildings hostilities betweenEnglandand century, possiblyasaresultofthe had beenabandonedbythe14th on theMarygatefrontagebut Photo NPA. Garage. Kiln atBshops Archaeology in Northumberland 11 Wicker-lined pit in Berwick. Wicker-lined Photo The Archaeological Practice. local clans, or mosstroopers, along the Border giving rise to defensible the buildings called bastles. From late 16th century changes started place in the organisation to take of farming as fields were enclosed and arable land was converted to pasture. New farming practices were adopted in the 18th century Other churches and chapels, together with their burial grounds, have also disappeared and without archaeology would developer-led only be known from documentary excavation example, evidence. For of Chevington chapel, at British site found an Coal Opencast’s unusual and interesting example built on the site of window tracery, of an earlier Iron Age settlement. Terrace at Trinity Excavations in Corbridge have regularly medieval burials from the exposed Church. graveyard of Holy Trinity Post-medieval Relations between England and Scotland gradually improved in the latter part of the 16th century culminating with the Union of the Crowns in 1603. New fortifications had been built around Berwick but throughout this period another form of attack was fought between Medieval building at Cornhill. Photo Headland Archaeology. Medieval building at Cornhill. Photo Headland century included the Dominican at Bamburgh where work Friary has allowed a more detailed ground plan to be reconstructed. of the Brinkburn, excavations At Priory for Landmark Augustinian found substantial remains of Trust the principal gatehouse that suggest the layout was very different from a conventional one. Sometimes completely unexpected discoveries are made such as when building work started on a vacant plot on Castle Terrace, was Berwick and a skeleton found. Archaeologists went on a lost 12th century to excavate church and well-preserved burial ground which lay outside the walls of Berwick, in the former village of Bondington. The church may have been founded as a hospital and was probably abandoned when villagers retreated inside the town walls during the Anglo-Scottish wars of the 14th century. Celebrating 25 years of development-led archaeology 1990-2015 archaeology development-led of 25 years Celebrating 12 Archaeology in Northumberland historic building recording and historic buildingrecordingand these buildingshasincludedboth living. Archaeologicalworkon years, usuallyrelatingtomodern planning applicationsoverthe have beensubjecttovarious domestic oragriculturaluseand Northumberland arestillin Many ofthebastlesin operated byBanksMining. (Delhi) opencastcoalsites, work atShottonandBlagdon mine workingswerefoundduring 22m deep.Historicpillarandstall of bellpitsandmineshaftsupto new windfarmfoundtheremains mining. At BarmoorworkonEDF’s this isespeciallylinked withcoal and growthintheNorthEast time ofindustrialdevelopment The post-medieval periodwasa transhumance. largely replacedthepracticeof dominated bysheepfarmingwhich transformed byenclosureand were built.Theuplands the county, wheremodelfarms in Glendaleandlowlandareasof to increaseproductivity, especially Celebrating 25yearsofdevelopment-led archaeology1990-2015 Photo TWMArchaeology. Pillar andstall mining remainsatBlagdon(Delhi). period. widened inthepost-medieval showing thatthestreetswere medieval settlementremains, Street, Warkworth haverevealed Berwick-upon-Tweed andCastle investigations alongMarygate, the medievalstreetpattern, Northumberland continued While manyhistorictownsin incharacter.largely pre-industrial Towns andvillagesremained beneath theselaterbuildings. medieval remainsstillsurviving in Northumberland,withearlier, of manypost-medieval buildings foundations appeartobeafeature across thecountyshowthatlimited Archaeological investigations previously blocked original doors. at Chesterwooduncoveredtwo mortar attheGolfHouseBastle removal oflatercementand their metrethickwalls.The these substantialstructureswith involved intheconstructionof surprisingly limitedgroundworks investigations haveshownthe Manyofthese monitoring work.

chapels across Northumberland. chapels acrossNorthumberland. There isawealthofnonconformist England after1895. France in1881andintroducedto septic tankswerefirstpatentedin Documentary evidencestatesthat Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. early 19thcenturydateat119-125 a primitiveseptictankoflate18th- example, theapparentevidenceof the post-medieval periodwith,for to challengehistoricdocumentsin Archaeological discoveriescontinue Berwick. PhotoAOCArchaeology. Brick sprungroofofseptictankin

Archaeology in Northumberland 13 replaced the original timber rails. the original timber replaced War of Britain in World The defence traps in the anti-tank II is visible which are still visible and pillboxes The morewithin the landscape. wartime has, onhuman element of during buildingoccasion, been found Mary’s St Hospital At recording. caricatureStannington, a graffiti 1943 Churchill from of Winston at Cragendwas recorded, while WWII graffiti near Rothbury, Farm included instructions on farming practices in various languages, presumably for the instruction of as well as other Prisoners of War, graffiti left by the British forces guarding them. buildings under threat have Post-war also been recorded by archaeologists and one the biggest was the former Station, demolished in Blyth Power 2003. Built by the newly nationalised electricity between 1955 and 1966, it was one of a group of power stations that advanced the industry’s technological development. Research uncovered a vast archive of material and showed that it was an early of the very large post-war example stations built in rural settings. EW and KD The work described above was carried out by independent archaeological companies and include: Alan Williams Archaeology, AOC Archaeology, Archaeological Research Services, Archaeological Services Durham Bamburgh Research University, Headland Archaeology, Project, CFA Associates, Ian Farmer Archaeology, Lancaster University Archaeological Archaeology, Unit, North Pennines Northern Archaeological Associates, Pre-Construct Archaeology, Ryder, Peter The Archaeological Practice, Michael and Tyne Archaeology, TWM Truman, Service. Museums Wear An assessment of the formerAn assessment House onMiddle Meeting in Berwick-upon- Chapel Street it is the concluded that Tweed an 18th of last surviving example in Berwickcentury meeting house of only aand may be the oldest largelyhandful which survive Recording of intact in the county. at Glanton builta small gospel hall was formerlyin 1904 showed it home to the Glanton Brethren – a nonconformist congregation whose acceptance of members from the congregation resulted in a controversy that split the movement worldwide. The 19th century was a period of innovation, much of it originating in Northumberland and the were the North East. Waggonways precursors of the railways, which was shown clearly at Wylam, where archaeological investigation work on the old railway line revealed two parallel rows of stone sleeper blocks from the earlier waggonway which would have carried the iron plate-way which Wylam sleeper waggonway and chair. Photo TWM Archaeology. Churchill graffiti at Stannington. Photo The Archaeological Practice. Chapel Street Meeting House, Berwick. Photo The Archaeological Practice. Celebrating 25 years of development-led archaeology 1990-2015 archaeology development-led of 25 years Celebrating 14 Archaeology in Northumberland identified that there was evidence identified thattherewasevidence based assessmentofthesitehad Prior tothefieldworkadesk- (HER 14893). proposed development use andwasnotpartofthe 18th century, butisinresidential constructed inthe17thorearly site, isaGradeIIListedBuilding is locatedatthecentreof cultivation. BirneyHall,which to medievalridgeandfurrow surviving earthworksrelating and modernperiods,withsome throughout thepost-medieval agricultural incharacter development areahasbeen The majorityoftheproposed scheme. areas ofgreatestimpactunderthe trenches intotal,targetingthe involved theexcavation of89 (NGR NZ14976992).Thework south oftheoutskirtsPonteland Birney HillFarm, situatedtothe comprised 20fieldstothenorthof The proposeddevelopmentsite at thesite. a proposedmixed-use development help informaplanninginquiryfor the ConservationTeam inorderto Planning Serviceontheadviceof Ponteland. Itwasrequiredbythe place onlandatBirneyHill, archaeological evaluationtook In thewinterof2014an New prehistoricrockartdiscoveryatBirneyHill,Ponteland

might be important for future might beimportantforfuture in manycases,afactorwhich suitable forradiocarbondating interest. Theseremainsarealso which areofarchaeobotanicial produced charredplantremains many ofthearchaeologicalfeatures from thissitedemonstratedthat The assessmentofthesoilsamples casual loss. end, althoughthelattercouldbea copperalloystrap an Anglo-Saxon second centuryRomanpotteryand was asmallassemblageoffirstto only datingevidencerecovered features westofBirneyHall.The with aparticularconcentrationof focused intwoareasofthesite, Roman periodactivity. Thesewere indicative ofprehistoricand/or revealed bytheworkwhichare a numberofringditcheswere medieval period.Significantly, Bronze Agethroughtothe possibly rangingindatefrom encountered inseveraltrenches, Archaeological featureswere period settlement. indicative ofprehistoricorRoman in thewiderarea,whichare Cropmarks hadalsobeenrecorded top ofanaturalhill(HER10867). Heddon LawsFarm, locatedon tothewestofsiteat including aBronzeAgeburial for prehistoricactivityinthearea, from BirneyHill. and ringmarkings, with prehistoriccup Boulder decorated six ofwhichhad ring-marks. The decorated with over30cup-marks, x 0.9m,withtheuppersurface The bouldermeasured1.5m x1m likely tobeofLateNeolithicdate. cup andringdecoration,which is face oftheboulderwascovered in a rareandimportantfind.One of BirneyHillFarm, whichwas recovered fromatrenchnorth sandstone boulderwasalso Unexpectedly alargedecorated recovered fromthesite. relatively littleartefactualevidence work consideringtherewas Archaeology in Northumberland 15 Trial trenching at Birney Hill. Trial We may never know the original We location of the decorated boulder, unless further archaeological work in the surrounding is undertaken landscape. The find is now on display in the Great North Museum. This work was funded by Lugano by Wardell Group and undertaken Armstrong Archaeology. Martin Railton Armstrong Archaeology Wardell which were located some distance to the north and south. Decorated boulders were often incorporated into Bronze Age monuments, and it has been could speculated that this example have been part of a now-destroyed Bronze Age burial monument. the boulder could also However, have been a free-standing . Similar free-standing examples are known from elsewhere in Northumberland and Cumbria, Stone at including the Tortie Hallbankgate, near Brampton. boulder had sustained some plough damage, with linear scars running across the carved panel. When discovered, the cup and ring panel was facing north-west marked in the direction of the Simonside the boulder was Hills. However, not believed to be in its original location, but rather was buried within a natural hollow in the clay subsoil, possibly as a result of field clearance. No other archaeological finds or features were associated with the boulder and it appears to be unrelated to the ring ditches, New prehistoric rock art discovery at Birney Hill, Ponteland Hill, Birney at discovery art rock prehistoric New 16 Archaeology in Northumberland Grazing onHa’Hill,Morpeth innovative social enterprise, innovative social enterprise, are provided by Flexigraze, an The sheepareShetlandsand make ithappen. everything fellneatlyinto place to like allthingsthataremeanttobe, graze thehillwassuggestedand the hill.Theideatousesheep of epiphany, like thesunrisingover the North East therewasa moment green spacemanagersfromaround Then, in2012,duringameetingof needed maintenance. brows eachsummerwhenthehill park managersfurrowedtheir gardeners’ moraleslumpedand job soonputuptheirprices,park Contractors broughtintodothe brambles andblackthornscrub. carpet ofrosebaywillowherb, gone by, invisibleunderthedense ground, createdbygrazersoftimes burrows, badgersettsanduneven withrabbit maintenance task, motte becameamuchdreaded The annualstrimmingofthe expected ofmottesandbaileys. maintain asthe‘grassy mound’ proving abitofhandfulto safety conscioustimesitwas But inourcurrenthealthand early 1500s. traversed byTurner himselfinthe in 2001,andwasprobablyeven of theWilliam Turner Garden opening in1929,theinstallation to createtheparkintimeforits the uprootingofmarket gardens thriving andpopularmarket town, development ofMorpethasa The hillhasoverseenthe and Active Northumberland. Northumberland CountyCouncil Park, itisownedand managed by Located inthemidstofCarlisle century motteandbaileycastle. Ha’ HillinMorpethisan11th care of the sheep consists of feeding care ofthesheep consistsoffeeding membership of thescheme.Daily very reasonablefeeandannual are coveredbyFlexigraze fora dipping, licencingandmovement All requirementsforshearing, grazing possibleatCarlisle Park. by Flexigraze iswhatmakes Having thesheepprovided website ishttp://flexigraze.org.uk. interested infindingoutmoretheir local conservationgrazing. Ifyou’re reinvesting anyprofitsbackinto Flexigraze isnot-for-profit, throughout NorthEastEngland. reserves andimportantgrasslands specialising ingrazingnature the dominant specieslistedearlier, the hill,which haschangedfrom we havemonitoredtheflora on the GrowingWild projectmeans as amenitygrassland.Being partof was, mostly, previouslymanaged Northumberland onlandthat flower meadowsacrosssoutheast saw theestablishmentofwild the GrowingWild projectthat provided bySitaTrust through stock fencingforthesheepwas The fundingtoprovidethe and areaddressedpromptly. problems arereportedtoFlexigraze the CarlislePark gardeners,any and counting, whichisdoneby Archaeology in Northumberland 17 Sheep grazing on Ha’Hill, Morpeth. that they would be safe on the hill, forthe sheep have now worked three successful summers and are much loved by park staff and visitors provide an interesting They alike. attraction for visitors, although we discourage feeding and encourage dogs on leads, and the hill provides enough space for the sheep to it. wander off if they feel like to see the sheep If you would like on the hill, the sheep are here from around June to November annually. Emma Evans probably created by badgers and present for decades was efficiently widened and deepened by the sheep as they created their own have earth ledges to rest on. We filled this abode with brash and branches from hawthorn to allow it to regenerate naturally and the sheep have created a new set of ledges further round the hill. I suspect this will be a bit of a process of eviction and re-establishment in future grazing seasons. And possibly the most important thing of all, have the sheep been accepted by visitors to the park? scepticism and doubt much After to predominantly grass with a in spectacular display of foxgloves Creeping thistle and late spring. nettle have increased in places, but there is now not a rosebay willowherb or blackthorn sapling to be seen. I’ll leave you to consider the pros and cons of changing the dominant plant species – foxgloves for bees and rosebay are excellent willowherb can support up to 19 species of moth and butterfly. The sheep have had an inevitable effect on the ground of the hill, which is not desirable for Scheduled Ancient Monument management. A pre-existing gully, Grazing on Ha’Hill, Morpeth on Ha’Hill, Grazing 18 Archaeology in Northumberland finds included Iron Age pottery finds includedIronAgepottery associated withthisactivity;other bottles (1899-1924)mayhavebeen robbed –twoBorderBreweriesLtd rampart revetmenthadbeen to theeast,thoughhereinner sequence wasseeninanewtrench two IronAgepotsherds.Asimilar inner revetmentandcontaining dark siltystonysoilsoverlyingalow while itsinnerfacewasbuttedby forming theoutersideofbank subsoil and revettedtheup-cast within therampart.Itcutthrough and formedacentraldivision lower levelthanpreviouslythought 2015 andshowntobefoundedata in ‘parapet wall’wasre-examined On thesouthernrampart rectilinear enclosure The ‘ScottishCamp’/inner Northumberland 20. be foundinArchaeology in here andpreviousreportscan 14 seasons,aresummarised planned. This,andthe2012- proceeded in2015ashadbeen excavation onFloddenHill Burgess, thefinalseasonof archaeological director, Chris illness ofFlodden500project’s Despite theabsencethrough Flodden Hill2013-15 eastwards through the middle eastwards throughthemiddle inner enclosure,runningroughly bank wasconstructedacrossthe with rubbleandlater, alowstony subsequently completelyblocked entrance wasfirstnarrowedand complex. Onthenorthside, The northernrevetmentwasmore or ditchterminalswasfound. hill in1513.Noevidenceofaditch occupationofthe Scottish army’s it hadbeeninuselongerthanthe worn appearance,whichsuggests upstands ofbedrockwhichhada with smallcobblingbetween waspatched way’ of the‘hollow surviving revetment.Thesurface post-socket intheledgeeastof found withthediscoveryofa possible earliertimberphasewas natural rockbutevidenceofa founded onaledgecutintothe through theentranceandwas southern revetmentranwestward two courseshighinplaces.The revetmentstanding a dry-stone the enclosurethatwasdefinedby approachingtheentranceto way’ revealed apartlyrock-cut ‘hollow entrance continuedin2012-13and Excavation oftheeast-facing and twoutilisedstones. to blend into a stone revetment to blendintoastonerevetment rampart forabout2.30m,seeming stones ranwestwardthroughthe were revealedin2014.Theside capstone andfurthersidestones flattish, sidestonesandanin-situ the rampart.Itcomprisedlarge, running east-west andcutting identified aculvert-like feature corneroftheenclosure north-east Excavation in2013closetothe south. a similarfeaturewasnotedtothe what mayhavebeenaditchand stony soilsfillingthehollowof dipped markedly, withdarksilty rampart thenaturalgroundprofile Between thisandtheenclosure bank offracturedandesiteandclay. to threecourseshigh,retaininga of angularrubblewasexposed, up alignedrevetment a north-south interpretation. Alittlefurthereast corner ‘bastion’ disprovedthis in 2012ofapossible1513 At angle,excavation thenorth-east rubble. which survivedasamassofsmall both supportedrampartterminals these activities.Therevetments dating evidencewasfoundfor of theblocked entranceway; no volunteer digger! track surfacingwith south revetmentsand showing northand entrance inTrench 3 Approach toeastern Archaeology in Northumberland 19

The southern rampart The southern 2: extreme in Trench revetment; centre left-inner – ‘parapet wall’; extreme right – outer revetment. Border Brewery Codd bottle 16. from Trench John Nolan Northern Counties Archaeological Services the battle, samples of charcoal from the southern ground surface were The for radiocarbon dating. taken calibrated results (SUERC-66034 and 66035) however gave dates of 3794 –3693BC and 1437- 1296BC, spanning the Neolithic to early Bronze Age! This is further indication of the time-depth of the Flodden landscape. Though the form suggests an Iron Age/Romano-British date, it is conceivable that an earthwork which would have been upstanding in 1513 might yield evidence for re-use by the Scottish army. revealed a deep plough Excavation soil covering the southern edge of a cut running north-east by south-west filled with layers of stony silt and clay soils which suggest the fill of a substantial feature, perhaps a ditch. The only finds were fragments of Iron Age pottery and work was abandoned after torrential rain left this area too waterlogged for meaningful excavation. In 2014 a section was also spread, cut across a low, embankment running west from apparently the ‘Scottish Camp’, whichthe ‘line of entrenchment’ MacLauchlan (1863) saw as connecting two 1513 redoubts. ditched dyke, This was a turf-built on both sides. On the south side, the subsoil was heavily charcoal- but on the north and below flecked the bank no charcoal was visible; there were no associated finds. Mindful of the firing of rubbish in the Scots’ camp on the morning of Two trenches were dug in 2014 to Two linear anomalies revealed examine revealed by geophysics. Excavation one anomaly corresponded closely to a ‘rumbler’ field drain but a second more substantial anomaly appeared to coincide with the ploughed out inner ditch of a double-ditched rectilinear enclosure, visible on aerial photographs and apparently seen by MacLauchlan in about 1852. Work on the south-west side Work of the Hill which was possibly equivalent to smaller wall. Two the ‘parapet’ features appear to join, culvert-like or branch from, the first but the date and function of these remains uncertain. They do not appear to have been flues as, though some material was recovered slag-like from one, there were no signs of direct heat in the vicinity and little charcoal and are too small they are to be souterrains. Possibly artificial fox-earths, post-medieval the estate having once been active and there are hunting territory, distinct similarities between the Flodden Hill features and published examples. excavated 20 Archaeology in Northumberland Barmoor Wind FarmBarmoor Wind © CFA ArchaeologyLtd. in plan. Mine shaftexposed Archaeology in Northumberland 21 normally winched out by hand using awinched out by hand normally the trackways Unfortunately, windlass. old workings, andserving the maps, haveillustrated on the historic trace. left no archaeological area lies close toThe coal seam in this work excavation the surface and the on its depth withprovided information 22 metres deep.one shaft measuring evidence of The area also contains in the vicinity of prehistoric activity the form of surface the wind farm, in finds of flint (HER 1973 & 3692) (HER 1951). The and a bronze discovery of a small pit containing prehistoric pottery during the 2006 evaluation raised the possibility that further prehistoric archaeological features and finds might be made, although unfortunately nothing definitive was recorded in the watching brief. The results of the evaluation and along with the general watching brief, archaeological background of the area, demonstrate that Bar Moor, South Moor and the surrounding area are particularly rich in post-medieval mining remains of a type known as bell pits. They were part of a wider landscape industrial post-medieval across South Moor for the extraction of coal and clay. This work was funded by EDF Energy by CFA Renewables and undertaken by the It was required Archaeology. Planning Service on the advice of the Conservation Team. Melanie Johnson Archaeology Ltd CFA Surface remains of a bell pit or mine shaft in proximity to the wind farm. Archaeology © CFA Ltd. Barmoor Wind Farm lies to the west lies Farm Wind Barmoor turbines and consists of six of Lowick It infrastructure. and associated an archaeologicalwas the subject of constructionwatching brief during which began in 2014. Edition First The Ordnance Survey ‘old workings’ map of 1860 depicts close to the and an ‘old coal pit’ to the south-west development area as as well of Southmoor Steading, a series of tracks criss-crossingthe area; the old workings and pits are also visible on satellite imagery and on the ground. The geological record shows that sporadic coal- bearing strata are present within the development area. Drift mining is also known to have occurred near the development site, with traces of workings visible adjacent to some of the wind farm access tracks. Archaeology Previous work by CFA in 2006 identified and recorded mining remains and further remains were found in the 2014 watching brief. The watching brief identified mining remains in the extensive form of bell pits, mine shafts and related features, with particular concentrations seen in two locations. to be the The bell pits are likely earliest mining features and some in nature. may have been exploratory The shafts represent a second phase and survive of deeper coal extraction as oval and sub-oval features rich in shale and coal fragments. They probably contained timber linings to maintain their sections to allow a greater working depth. Coal was Wind turbine foundation excavation showing the depth to the top of the coal seam. Archaeology Ltd. © CFA Barmoor WindBarmoor Farm 22 Archaeology in Northumberland Iron AgeSettlementatStGeorge’sHospital,Morpeth The greaterwidth displayedbythe desirable due to thesteepincline. the southandwestwouldbe less and eastsidesthataccess from been approachedfromthe north prehistoric enclosurewould have the ditchessuggestedthat the ditches. Therelativewidthof 0.4m thantheeastern‘landward’ were narrowerbyanaverage overlooking thesharpslopes, the westernmostenclosureditches, western sides.Itwasnotedthat off steeplyonitssouthernand the riverWansbeck thatslopes on aprominentbluffoverlooking enclosure issituatedonaplateau of theditchedenclosure.The features confirmingthepresence these revealedarchaeological the settlementinterior. Four of circular anomaliessituatedwithin enclosure ditchandthesub- specifically targetedacrossthe excavated, includingeighttrenches survey. Thirty-four trencheswere identified duringthegeophysical further characterisetheanomalies 2014 inordertoinvestigateand trenching tookplaceduringwinter of archaeologicalevaluation Consequently, aprogramme storage, orwaste,pits. livestock enclosuresandassociated as roundhouseremains,internal internal featureswereinterpreted inside theenclosure’sinterior. The circular featureswereidentified survey results,numeroussub- and uponfurtherinspectionofthe enclosure measured115mx40m the site.Theprobableditched in thesouth-westernareaof interpreted asaditchedenclosure linearanomaly,sub-rectangular hospital. Thesurveyrevealeda the formerVictorian psychiatric conducted inthefieldssouthof geophysical surveywhichwas work initiallyconsistedofa 2013 and2014.Thearchaeological commissioned duringthewinterof George’s Hospital,Morpeth,was proposed fordevelopmentatSt A detailedassessmentofland survey. Furthermore, referenceto identified during thegeophysical matched the position ofanomalies within theenclosureinterior and enclosure ditcheswereconfirmed gullies andprobablelivestock The locationofroundhouse drip this approach. substantial andimpressivebarrierto deliberate attempttoformamore eastern ditcheswasinterpretedasa 0 Late Neolithicdrainagegully. Photo:ARS. A fragmentofGroovedWare pottery recoveredfromapossible Drawn byARS. Plan ofexcavatedfeaturesatStGeorge’sHospital,Morpeth. 5 25m rural settlements situatedonthe characteristic ofindigenous internal features areconsidered enclosure andtheassociated The formoftheStGeorge’s exterior oftheenclosure. buried withinboththeinterior and pits ordomesticstructures,remain possibly highlightingthelocationof features, additional sub-circular the surveyresultsalsoindicatedthat

N Archaeology in Northumberland 23 , for more information). It 2010, for more if the Roman military is unclear removed the local deliberately hinterlands population from the of the wall, or immediately north farming and if traditional tribal so heavily trading had become influence that disrupted by Roman was rendered continued settlement these unsustainable. Nevertheless step findings are a significant of forward in our understanding on Wall the impact of Hadrian’s the surrounding population and opens avenues for future research into the relationships governing interactions between the occupying Roman forces and the indigenous population. was An archaeological excavation conducted at St George’s Hospital in autumn 2015 and analysis of the results is underway; it is hoped that further information can be attained from the site which will contribute towards understanding prehistoric settlement within the Northumbrian coastal plain, and particularly of the pre-enclosure phases of settlement. This work was funded by Linden by Homes Ltd and undertaken Archaeological Research Services. It was required by the Planning Service on the advice of the Conservation Team. Lotherington Rupert Archaeological Research Services Ltd References J and Muncaster, Hodgson, N, McKelvey 2012. The Iron Age on the Northum- W, berland Coastal Plain: Excavations in advance of development 2002-2010. & Wear Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne: Archives & Museums and the Arbeia So- Lotherington, R, 2014. An Archaeo- ciety. logical Evaluation at St George’s Hospital, Morpeth,Northumberland. ARS Report No. 2015/14. Unpublished Report Archaeological Research Services Ltd would like to thank Linden Homes Ltd for the kind support they have provided throughout the course of the St George’s Hospital project. Acknowledgements site at Pegswood Moor have since site at Pegswood provided radiocarbon dates which have changed this understanding. The radiocarbon dates indicate that they represent the final stage in the development of prehistoric settlements, some of which initially developed during the Bronze Age, when they were abruptly abandoned at a date broadly contemporaneous with the construction of Hadrian’s (see Nick Hodgson et al The Wall Age on the Northumberland Iron Coastal Plain: Excavations in advance of development 2002- An Early Neolithic oval shaped enclosure situated at the extreme south-west An Early Neolithic oval shaped enclosure situated at the extreme and Morpeth town of the site on a promontory overlooking the River Wansbeck centre. Photo: ARS. The south-western extent of the later prehistoric rectangular enclosure clearly rectangular enclosure The south-western extent of the later prehistoric ARS. by an earthen bank. Photo: displaying parallel ditches potentially divided south-eastern Northumberland coastal plain during the late Iron Age and early Roman period. proposed The traditional view, by George Jobey during the 1960s and 1970s, was that the rectilinear enclosures were Iron Age rural settlements which later thrived in the hinterlands north of during the second Wall Hadrian’s recent However, century AD. archaeological developer-funded of rectilinear enclosures excavation East Brunton, at Blagdon Park, and the nearby Brunton West Iron Age Settlement at St George’s Hospital, Morpeth Hospital, St George’s at Settlement Age Iron 24 Archaeology in Northumberland north Northumberland, many of north Northumberland, manyof exist inNewcastle,Kendal andin families inrural areas.OtherYACs opportunities forchildrenand specifically identifiedtoprovide The needfortheYAC was Northumberland. from south-east Harbottle andOtterburnaswell including Alston,Greenhead, Northumberland NationalPark across theNorthPennines and The YAC draws membersfrom annual “BigDig”. Flodden branchoftheYAC fortheir at Gaolandjoiningthe Medieval CrimeandPunishment Dark SkiesatOnceBrewed, The 2015programmehasincluded at StBotolph’s Chapel,Frosterley. Altogether Archaeologyexcavations given theopportunitytojoinin One atAlston.Memberswerealso mining atKillhopeandWorld War and ancientpotteryinRothbury, lead included flintknappingatSimonside National Park. In2014sessions Pennines andNorthumberland variety oflocationsacrosstheNorth with sessionstakingplaceata minimum ofsixsessionsperyear, third Saturdayofthemonthfora The YAC branchmeetsonthe Krissy Moore. Archaeologists GemmaStewartand by NationalPark Community for BranchLeadersandAssistants filling andchildprotectiontraining scratch tookseveralmonthsofform process ofsettingupthebranchfrom Altogether Archaeologyproject,the under theauspicesofAONB’s of theNationalPark. Established AONB Partnership) andChrisJones Frodsham (thenofNorthPennines following discussionsbetweenPaul Park. Thebranch wasestablished the NorthumberlandNational launched atWalltown Quarryin Archaeologists Club(YAC) was branch oftheNationalYoung Uplands andNorthPennines In April2014theNorthumberland Club fortheuplands.... A NUYoung Archaeologists practice, each child has an enjoyable, practice, each childhasanenjoyable, to childprotection policyandbest planning and rigorous adherence of people.Throughcareful session thus makingadifferenceto anumber tourist attractionsandproviders, archaeologists, otherYACs andlocal new YAC has worked with local from parentsandchildren).The has beenextremely positive(both Feedback fromindividualsessions have happenedotherwise. geographic areawhichwouldnot with archaeologyacrossthecore opportunities forchildrentoengage stage, butclearlytherearesignificant yet torevealthemselvesatthisearly long termbenefitsofthe YAC are waiting listfornewmembers.The which areoversubscribed,witha YAC membersatwork.©ChrisJonesNNPA. Northumberland National Park Chris Jones website http://www.yac-uk.org/ . for furtherdetails.OrvisittheYAC Jones ([email protected]), parents arewelcome.ContactChris but expressions ofinterestfrom Attendance ateachsessionislimited, of themonththrough2016. Sessions willbeonthethirdSaturday enable YAC childrentothrive. is hopedthattheseexperiences will experience. Itisveryearlydaysbutit informative learningandfun Archaeology in Northumberland 25 An Archaeologist’s Tale An Archaeologist’s RESCUED FROM THE SEA RESCUED FROM Volunteers working at Low Hauxley. working Volunteers Clive Waddington Clive and monitoring of eroding archaeological remains on the Northumberland coast. www.nwt.org.uk/shop/product/ rescued-sea-archaeologists-tale RESCUED FROM THE SEA - AN ARCHAEOLOGIST’S TALE CLIVE WADDINGTON With sea level rise accelerating, archaeologists are in a race against time to are in a race archaeologists rise accelerating, sea level With record ancient remains eroding from our shores before they are destroyed how of story remarkable a documents book accessible This sea. the by by and excavated discovered on a cliff edge was a prehistoric site perched results of The with the help of the local community. professional archaeologists as made an important contribution to our national story, have this excavation this book well as for Northumberland, and with an abundance of illustrations is a story of discovery, This a highly visual record of this exciting work. provides hundreds of people took part. Relive many persistence and passion in which through the pages of this book and let the story this remarkable excavation unfold just as it did for the excavators. archaeologists with the help of The results the local community. have made from this excavation an important contribution to as well as for our national story, Northumberland, and with an abundance of illustrations this book provides a highly visual record of work. This is a story of this exciting persistence and passion discovery, in which many hundreds of people took part. Relive this remarkable through the pages of excavation this book and let the story unfold just as it did for the excavators. It can be purchased direct from Trust the Northumberland Wildlife priced at £10 with all proceeds going towards further recording

Rescued from the Sea. from Rescued

A popular book providing a summary account of the rescue at Low Hauxley excavations first- from an archaeologist’s hand perspective has been published. is 64 pages Tale An Archaeologist’s in length and has full colour throughout with 78 beautifully sea level produced images. With archaeologists rise accelerating, are in a race against time to record ancient remains eroding from our shores before they are destroyed by the sea. This accessible book story documents a remarkable of how a prehistoric site perched on a cliff edge was discovered by professional and excavated – new book reveals the full story – new book Rescued from the Sea Rescued from 26 Archaeology in Northumberland Investigations atthePremonstratensianAbbeyofBlanchland commented that ‘the little town…is commented that ‘thelittletown…is remains. In1747 JohnWesley Crewe Estate,withwhichBlanchland were lefttotheTrustees oftheLord Blanchland andBamburghEstates death ofLordCrewein1721, the Blanchland andBamburgh. On the purchased thefamilyestatesincluding Lord Crewe,BishopofDurham, last heiroftheForsters, Nathaniel 1704, followingthedeathof marriage intotheForster family. In century theestatehadpassedby Blanchland andbytheearly17th In 1545William Farewell purchased two novices. an abbot,sub-prior, fivecanonsand was finallydissolvedwhenthere chapter houseandin1539theAbbey were inpoorcondition,especiallythe and Kirkharle.Theabbeybuildings St Andrew, Heddon-on-the-Wall abbey ownedthepatronage–Bywell, as vicarsoftheparishestowhich would havebeenlivingawaytoserve fell toeight,ofwhichthreeorfour the abbeyremainedpoor;numbers evidence fromVisitations showsthat and intheperiod1478-1500surviving the abbeytoanimpoverishedstate followed bytheBlackDeath,reduced 14th century, thewarswithScotland, de Bolbecin1165.From theearly an abbotandtwelvecanonsbyWalter documented abbeywasfoundedfor foundation atBlanchland,the possibility ofanearlierecclesiastical Although someevidencepointstothe and monitoringwork. as wellhistoricbuildingsrecording excavations inMarchandJune2013, comprised assessment,evaluation monument consent.Thefieldwork Team andalsorequiredscheduled on theadviceofConservation required bythePlanningService in southNorthumberland.Itwas the medievalabbeyofBlanchland Lord CreweCharityonthesiteof of TheLordCreweArmsbythe associated withtheredevelopment advance of, andduring, groundworks investigation werecarriedoutin Several phasesofarchaeological structural remains. incorporating substantial medieval outercourt, appears tobetheAbbey’s of thisthe‘Square’(againL-plan) cloister ranges;tothesouth and west (Main Block)andsouthern(Cottages) structure representingthewestern present LordCreweArmsisanL-plan of themedievalmonastery. The village perpetuatethegroundplan unique inthatthebuildingsof on thewest.Blanchlandisvirtually house andpossiblyabbot’s lodging attached atitswestend,andaguest the south,probablywithakitchen east range,afrater(refectory)on house anddorter(dormitory)inthe followed theusualpatternofachapter the monasticbuildingsatBlanchland so thereiseveryreasontobelievethat standard medievalconventualplan, show nodistinctivevariationsonthe Premonstratensian housesasarule Tower oftheLordCreweArms. partly incorporatedintheAbbot’s part ofthesouthwallnave, remnant ofthechurchiswestern tower. Theonlyotherabove-ground transept, aswellthevirtuallyintact parts ofthemedievalchanceland a 1752reconstructionincorporating its northend.Thepresentchurchis its eastsideand,uniquely, atowerat aisleon transept thathadatwo-bay nave andchancelwithanorth asymmetric plan,alongandnarrow church wasofanunusualand Buildings. ThePremonstratensian and SouthRangesoftheMonastic the AbbeyChurchandWest the investigationsreportedhereare The principalbuildingsincludedin district.’ very gemandemeraldofthemining Singleton foundthevillage‘…the the extent that in1828Archdeacon later 18thorearly19thcentury, to to itspresentformtookplaceinthe general remodellingofthevillage ruins ofitsmonasticpredecessor. The created thepresentchurchfrom into aseparateparish,theTrustees in 1752,whenBlanchlandwasmade little morethanaheapofruins,’but conform to the position of the west conform tothe positionofthewest at rightangles from it.Thelatter cloister andattwopointsbranching wall alongthesouthsideof parallel withthepresentboundary uncovered alongsideandrunning Walls ofprobablemedievaloriginwere development area,principallydrains. of servicepathwaysthroughthe a considerablenumberandvariety blue ontheplan).Work revealed proposed servicetrench(marked in order toinvestigatetherouteofa an additionaloneadjacenttoit,in the Scheduledpartofsite,with were excavated inMarch2013within A totalofsixevaluationtrenches century. before theremodellingof18th Range wasprobablyremovedinor walls areprobablymedieval.TheEast been remodelled,althoughthethicker the housesinvillagemayhave of the1813-18workswhenmany later still,andcouldhavebeenpart of theSouthRangemayhavecome the 18thcentury. Thereconstruction largely rebuiltintwophasesduring It isclearthattheWest Rangewas Archaeology in Northumberland 27 . Chapter House plan. Excavations of the east wall of the East Range East Range, with, on its west side, a surface of fragmentary flagstones, for interpreted as an under-floor stone flags. Above this was a deposit of rubble, rich in mortar and render; the latter presumably eroded from the walls of the East Range, within which was a considerable deposit medieval glass of likely of broken 13th century origin. The virtual absence of lead from the deposit leads to the conclusion that it is a destruction deposit associated with the Dissolution. In addition to the formal excavations, several phases of watching brief were carried out to the rear of the Lord Crewe Hotel. Groundworks on the former tennis courts and east (lower) lawned garden revealed a burnt, oval bowl-shaped containing depression probably an ingot of lead or pewter, the product of in situ melting of material robbed from the monastery after the Dissolution. Monitoring of service work during the excavation trenches on the lawned gardens produced no significant results, but the monitoring of landscaping work Chapter House from the east. (front) and east (rear) walls of the former East Range. The only other remains of significance uncovered were those of a flagged surface in the south-west corner of the cloister, adjacent to the present main rear entrance to the Lord Crewe Arms, but the presence of live drains there prevented full excavation. work in June 2013 saw the Further 3 and 4. The of Trenches extension continuation northwards of the west wall of the East Range was observed in A possible cobbled surface 3. Trench sidewas found on the west (external) of the west wall at a depth of some 1.2 metres below a deposit of rubble, rich in mortar and render - the latter presumably eroded from the walls of the East Range – within which was a small number of medieval glass sherds. East of the wall (i.e. inside the East Range) bordering the north side of the service trench cut was a wall, interpreted as the north face eastwardsof a cross-wall, extending 4, In Trench across the building. revealed the further excavation continuation of the east wall of the Investigations at the Premonstratensian Abbey of Blanchland Abbey Premonstratensian at the Investigations 28 Archaeology in Northumberland Abbey ofBlanchland Investigations atthePremonstratensian House of the medieval Blanchland House ofthemedieval Blanchland walls oftheEast RangeandChapter character andstateofsurvival ofthe 14 isthefirsttohaverecorded the The fieldworkcarriedoutin 2012- and southwalls. have beensetalongthenorth,east stone bencheswhichwouldoriginally the structurewererevealedpartof cornersof and south-east north-east indicating anarchedopening. Inthe wall absentsavefortwopierbases, by5.49m,with thewest 7.59 mN-S comprised arectangularstructure, shallow depth.Theexposed remains walls oftheChapterHouseatavery on themiddlelawnedgardenrevealed with the walls of the East and South with thewalls of theEastandSouth to artefactsuncovered inassociation Withmedieval cloistralwalk. regards are likely tobeassociatedwiththe are moredifficulttointerpret, but the southsideofformer cloister, of surfacesandeast-west wallsalong importance. Otherremains,notably floor surfaceswhichenhancetheir nevertheless retaintracesofmedieval overlain bylaterphasesofbuilding, surviving lesswellandpossibly well; thoseoftheEastRange,while Chapter Housesurviveparticularly importance. Theremainsofthe which areregardedasofnational Abbey, allsurvivingremainsof The ArchaeologicalPractice Richard Carlton design typesforthenorthofEngland. the repertoireofgeometricgrisaille considerable importanceinextending excavated inTrench 4isof of medievalpaintedglasspartially- the latter, thedenseconcentration and windowglass.With respectto except forarchitecturalfragments Ranges, littleofsignificancewasfound Plan ofinvestigations.

Archaeology in Northumberland 29

AD Archaeology close to the Anglo-Saxonclose to the settlement peripheral featuresmay represent associated with it. Discussion at the westernAlthough the remains within theend of the village lie of tofts, theseprojected north row and thewere not encountered upon theeffect of local topography It is is unclear. earlier village layout representedpossible that the plots by the boundaries were focused along another axis, such as a possible medieval precursor to Shotton Lane. only a small portion present, with At of the western end of theexposed village, questions remain as to how this new evidence fits within the medieval village layout, which only further investigation will illuminate. Archaeological evidence from the evaluation trenches consisted of a series of gullies or ditches with no structural evidence. This is not necessarily indicative of their absence but could reflect the limited archaeological intervention and the paucity of survival of such remains at the site. Indeed very few structures toftssurvived within the fully exposed at the Site 1 excavation. Sherds of pottery from the west end of the village belonged to a single jar of Shotton Ware, probably manufactured in the village in the late 12th to late 13th geophysical Although the century. survey suggests that no additional undiscovered kilns lie within the western area, the presence of a lump of slag raises the possibility that, like the eastern end of the village, the western end may also have been host to industrial activity. This work was funded by Banks by ADMining and undertaken by the It was required Archaeology. Planning Service on the advice of the Conservation Team. Muncaster Warren

Fragment of Shotton Ware of Shotton Ware Fragment pottery vessel. pottery kiln, with anomalies thatpottery kiln, with anomalies may represent chambers of a kiln and this lay associated works. However, beyond the area of proposed mine workings and was not investigated Elsewhere, evidence for a further. number of boundary features was found: to the south a former post- medieval field boundary and trackway as well as a feature possibly predating ridge and furrow cultivation; and to boundary ditches ofthe west likely possible medieval or prehistoric origin. to test the were excavated Trenches results of the geophysical survey and establish if significant archaeology occurred in areas of the site affected by the proposed mining. Three principal areas of archaeological interest were identified: 1. South-eastern the medieval part of features included, village: excavated a ditch that appears to represent a rear toft boundary and other features associated of medieval date. Pottery with these features shows them to date from the same period of activity associated with the rest of the medieval village. end of the medieval 2. Western village: the boundaries identified by geophysical survey revealed the hitherto unknown western extent of the village. Some features suggest the whilst settlement activity, presence of medieval plough furrows beyond the western ditch suggests it represents the limit of more intensive activity associated with the village. 3. Undated features and watercourse: two undated gullies found relatively

and evaluation toIn 2013, a proposed extension the mine workings presented the opportunity for further investigations of the medieval village using geophysical survey and evaluation The survey identified trenching. magnetic anomalies associated with the south row of village tofts. Whilst the individual tofts themselves were not clearly distinguished, their southern limit could be broadly followed, particularly at the eastern end where a well-defined linear their limit.anomaly marked A large area of magnetic disturbance within the tofts suggests another Geophysical survey Previous Work Shotton village is considerably Today, smaller than its medieval counterpart, which documents show had 30 tenements in 1325. in 2008 revealed The excavations that medieval Shotton had a two row village layout, consisting of a bywide open space, or green, flanked two rows of tofts (enclosures within which individual farms commonly of a potterystood). A rare example kiln was discovered in the south row of tofts and pottery evidence showed the eastern end of the village was occupied from the late 12th century until it contracted in the Another oven or mid-14th century. kiln was found north of the present village, which supports documentary evidence that associates potters with the village over several generations. Additional work at Shotton Triangle at Shotton Triangle work Additional more of Shottonhas revealed Cramlington. Itmedieval village, near in 2008 duringwas first investigated of Shotton Surface excavations the discoveryMine, which led to of an Anglo-Saxon settlement that to the village (seemay be a precursor 21) in Northumberland Archaeology boundaries andas well as prehistoric settlement activity. Medieval Shotton Medieval 30 Archaeology in Northumberland first coastguards? Did Bamburghshipwreckinspire vessel lyingon itsstarboardside the portsideof awoodensailing to containthe exposed remains of completely dry. Thewreckappeared tidal conditions,meantitwas never own scourwhich,alongwith the Thesiteitselfsitswithinits slack. one houreithersideoflow-water and wasonlyexposed forroughly zone totheeastofBamburghCastle The shipwreckwasintheintertidal Development Fund. Beauty Partnership’s Sustainable Area ofOutstandingNatural from theNorthumberlandCoast work wasfundedthroughagrant including dendrochronology. The to conductanextensive survey volunteers, tooktheopportunity with localarchaeologistsand and Kevin Stratford,together archaeologists JessicaBerry Archaeology SeaTrust (MAST) This timehoweverMaritime children inthe1960s. many rememberingplayingonitas wreck appearssporadicallywith residents havereportedthatthis below BamburghCastle. exposed ashipwreckonthebeach A largeSpringtidein2013partially but alsoprovided refugeatthe not onlywarn shipsofthecoastline first coastguard atBamburghdid coastguard systemintheworld. The up whatisrecognisedasthe first Bamburgh thatin1781he set the treacherouswatersaround was soconcernedforsailors in at BamburghCastle.DrSharp the CreweTrust, wasinresidence Dr Sharp,oneofthetrustees sailed alongtheeastcoastwhile it meansthattheshippotentially The dateof1768issignificantas England makingthewreckBritish. timber originatesfromtheEastof David alsoestablishedthatthe of UniversityWales Trinity Saint was conductedbyDrRoderickBale dendrochronological analysis,which was felledinorafter1768.The that thetimberinquestion quem dateof1768–meaning survey yieldedaterminuspost Excitingly, thedendrochronology the sand. the possiblesurvivalofdecksbelow and theexposed deckbeamssuggest the hullstructureofportside section ofthewreckconsisted with itssterninshore.Theexposed Northumberland CoastAONB Jessica Turner www.thisismast.org available ontheMASTwebsite – Full reportand moreinformation wreck isburiedoncemore. area ofthewreckand,fornow, the resulted inalargedumpsandthe A massivetidalsurgeinlate2013 the ship. eventually revealtheidentityof maritime documentsmight that furtherresearchofhistorical Itishoped list/list-entry/1418570). historicengland.org.uk/listing/the- Monument in2014(https://www. Heritage ListasaScheduled site andaddedittotheNational national importanceofthewreck Historic Englandrecognisedthe link totheworkofDrSharp. because itcouldprovideadirect extent ofthesurvivalbutalso extremely rareintermsofthe beach atBamburghisnotonly This remarkable survivalonthe their cargoandburiedthedead. castle forshipwrecked sailors,stored

Archaeology in Northumberland 31

Watch out for more updates at: Watch http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/ era/ Kate Sharpe Relics of War: a guide to the a guide of War: Relics include in the military remains 20th century as wellNorthumberland landscape of Henryas a new presentation surveys of Watling MacLauchlan’s more For Street and Dere Street. website of Wanney titles see the Wilds . at www.wildsofwanney.co.uk Prehistoric rock art at Ketley Crag. Seventeen sites comprising Prehistoric rock art at Ketley 65 panels of prehistoric carvings were scheduled following work by the Northumberland and Durham Rock Art Project between 2004 and 2009. A diverse range of panels and motifs in various locations Whitsunbank, Crag, Buttony, have been scheduled including Ketley which also includes an early Amerside Law and Lemmington Wood medieval runic inscription. The updated website includes a new section on the CSIRM Project, and updated pages on recording techniques and recent excavations. New images of the Rombalds Moor rock art have been added to the Gallery pages.

Local publisher Wilds of Wanney has of Wanney Wilds Local publisher low cost catalogue of small, a growing culture the history, books exploring and landscape of Northumberland. has and publisher Ian Hall Author in the 20tha particular interest the county andcentury remains of this magazinehas contributed to in in the past (see Archaeology Northumberland 20). Recent titles WildsWanney of

England’s Rock Art database and website updated and expanded It is now eight years since the launch of the England’s Rock Art (ERA) website and database in 2008. The site was launched following the Herculean recording efforts of volunteers who took part in the Northumberland and Durham Rock Art Pilot (NADRAP) Project. A great deal has happened since then in terms of recording , The discoveries, and excavations. completion in September 2013 of a second recording project in Carved Stone Yorkshire: West Investigations: Rombalds Moor (CSIRM) provided an opportunity both theto update and expand database and the website. An additional 500 panels have been added to the original 1500 from the North East, each with extensive records comprising measurements, descriptions, drawings, photographs, and 3D models. These records include comprehensive evaluations of the current condition of the panels, and assessments of future risks. This type of information helped Historic England to decide which carvings warranted formal Scheduling in Northumberland and Durham and it is hoped that the recording carried rock art Yorkshire out for the West will be instrumental in similar British Rock Art News British Rock Scheduling in this area in the future. 32 Archaeology in Northumberland north ofHadrian’sWall Community archaeology with a cup-marked boulder on its boulderonits with acup-marked cairn potentially largeploughed-out a identified newsites,including of previouslyknownfeaturesand the groupinvestigatedanumber Programme (NMP)datawithlidar, survey, theNationalMapping results ofTim Gates’2004aerial Historic EnvironmentRecorddata, north ofSewingshieldsCrags.Using surveyed anareaofsome40hectares Altogether Archaeologyfieldwork, and alsoaspartofthefinalyear In 2015thegroup,independently programme ofeveningtalks. leading guidedwalksandprovidinga work ontheirwebsite,andthrough field surveysandreportsontheir The groupcarriesoutdetailed currently hasamembershipof30. whose presidentisStanBeckensall, interested inprehistory, thegroup, times. Principally, butnotexclusively, Hadrian’s Wall sinceprehistoric in theareaimmediatelynorthof archaeology ofallhumanactivity group wasestablishedtorecordthe Altogether Archaeologyproject.The North Pennines AONB Partnership’s formed, asadirectresultofthe the Wall ArchaeologyGroupwas In 2014theTynedale Northof (TNOW). channel motifs byAnneBowyer Drawing ofthecups,gridand medieval ploughing evidenced by the medieval ploughing evidencedbythe the remainsof acairn,truncatedby low moundthat webelievecouldbe to belocatedintheperimeter ofa Leestone has revealedtheDavy’s at Fowberry Enclosure. Oursurvey such example inNorthumberland extremely rarewithonlyoneother ‘checkerboard’ motif. Thisisofitself is whatappearstobea‘grid’ or bounded bythesegroovesthere head atitsbase.Inthecentralarea the groovebeingbroadenedintoa serpentine shapewithindicationsof of thesegrooveshasadistinct through naturalprocesses.One to beofhumanorigin,ratherthan of incisedgrooveswhichappear 30 simplecupmarksandanumber examination identifiedamorethan than previouslythought.Careful to havebeenfarmoreextensive boulder foundthedecoration investigation ofthecup-marked south westernedge.Further detailed unteers. Notethe“checkerboard”patternatbottom. Altogether ArchaeologyandTynedale NorthoftheWall ArchaeologyGroupvol- Decorated boulderrevealedduringdetailedsurveyworkby btck.co.uk/ btck.co.uk/ http://tynedalearchaeologygroup. Archaeology Group Tynedale NorthoftheWall Phil Bowyer recording ofnumerousfieldbanks. through theidentificationand to thepreviouslyrecordedremains and hasprovidedvaluablecontext tentatively datedtotheBronzeAge; hut circlesoutsideanenclosure, identified atleasttwounrecorded robbed burialcairn.Ithasalso which mayhavebeenaheavily circle atthewestofprojectarea, previous interpretationsofastone The workhasalsocastdoubton occurs throughouttheenclosure. 10m wideridgeandfurrowwhich

Archaeology in Northumberland 33

deposits or features within, or perhaps even pre-dating, the Pele. No dateable material was recovered which could be firmly associated with the construction phase of the building. John Nolan Northern Counties Archaeological Services

Roof flag stone with bone peg. West wall of Vicar’s Pele exposed during excavations. wall of Vicar’s Pele West stone, and a sandstone ‘wrestler’ ridge tile were also recovered. Apart from vestiges of a construction cut for the south wall, no in-situ medieval deposits or features survived within the test pit area. Some mid-late 13th century pottery was recovered, all residual in post- This probably medieval contexts. derived from disturbance to medieval

The Vicar’s Pele stands on the south- stands Pele The Vicar’s St Andrew’seast side of churchyard of Corbridgeand on the north side place. It is a three-storiedmarket dating to thetower house, probably The century. first half of the 14th is through a entrance to the Pele gable wall, fromdoorway in the east rises to first floorwhich a mural stair doorway leadslevel, and another floor chamber. into a vaulted ground ‘minstrel’sApart from a modern gallery’ at the west end, the second It is and third floors are missing. a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade I listed building and lies within a Conservation Area. sold by was recently The Pele Northumberland Estates and work to convert it into an events venue through Spence and was undertaken Dower Architects. The conversion included provision of a toilet with mains drainage and water in the south-west angle of the vaulted ground floor chamber and a steel gallery with glass balustrading at second floor level. Both alterations were predicated on minimal intervention into the historic fabric. it was inform these works To necessary to establish the depth and character of the tower foundations and see if there were any surviving a test excavating floor levels by pit at the south-west corner of the vaulted chamber. of flagged floor Below the existing laid when possibly the chamber, was restored by the Duke the Pele of Northumberland in 1910, the revealed significant excavation disturbance and post-medieval raising of floor levels. This may have occurred when the basement in was refitted as a ‘lock-up’ about 1825. Most of the deposits consisted of building rubble, including numerous broken sandstone roof flags, and sheep bones (metapodials) which had Part been used to hang the flags. of a horse carcass, a cup-marked The Vicar’s Pele, Corbridge Pele, Vicar’s The 34 Archaeology in Northumberland Lottery Fund, HistoricEngland and external fundingfromthe Heritage which concludesthisyear. With Northumberland CountyCouncil successfully beendelivered by led RegenerationScheme’has ‘Heritage- As aresult,five-year desperately required. and stepchangethatisso deliver aneconomictransformation planning processidentifiedaneedto requires investment.Thestrategic is recognisedasavaluableassetbut tourist potential;itsbuiltheritage has tremendousdevelopmentand Like manybordertownsBerwick intervention andconcertedaction. of adifferentkindthatrequires 21st centurypresentsastruggle is tomoveforwardandgrow. The modern daychallengesifBerwick preserved inaspicbuttheydopresent boundary forheritageassetstobe a barriertochangeordelineate The Walls however, donotsignify the town. bestow amuscularembracearound Elizabethan ramparts,continueto subsumed withinthemagnificent down byEdwardIin1296andlater and circuitofstonewalls,firstlaid economy. Thesuccessionofdefences population andstrugglingtourist jobs, affordablehomes,anageing legacy butalsotheprovisionoflocal care aboutthetown’s historic town’It isa‘real withpeoplewho strongest senseofenclosure”. in England,arealtown,withthe as “oneofthemostexciting towns place. Nikolaus Pevsner describedit atmosphere, qualityandsenseof has considerableanimatedvariety, outstanding militaryengineering, it domestic andcivicarchitecture years ofbridgebuilding, refined surviving medievallayout,400 a dramaticcoastalsetting. With it sitsonanelevatedpeninsularin at themouthofriverTweed, cornerofEngland the farnorth-east place. Anhistoricwalledtownin Berwick-upon-Tweed isaunique Layers oflocalismandregenerationinBerwick-upon-Tweed ‘Lowry view’). and BerwickOldBridge(aniconic historic junctionofBridgeStreet substantial THIprojectsaroundthe from theStationapproach);andfive Castlegate (agatewayintothetown repair andenhancementprojectsin concentration oflistedbuildings;16 in BridgeStreetwithitshigh conservation repairprojects (BHAIS) hasdelivered:11 Area ImprovementScheme The combinedBerwickHistoric conservation projects. been instrumentalindeliveringthe in confidenceandstature,has since 1999,thisforumhasgrown Group (CAAG). Inexistence the ConservationAreaAdvisory has beenkeenly providedthrough Schemes (APS).Communityinput (THI) andtwoAreaPartnership via aTownscape HeritageInitiative scheme hasinvested£2.8million with ownercontributions)the the formerOneNorthEast(along shop frontrepairs Tradition skills– from the conservation work with from theconservation workwith contractors who havebenefitted been carriedout mostlyusinglocal materials andskills.Thesehave traditional repairtechniques, shop frontagesaswellutilising grants haveenabledmanyimproved between ‘topandbottom’) the applications (sometimesdivided Through joined-upgrant its roofscape. important Berwickcharacteristic– repaired buildings,itenhancesan asset andbuildsupacriticalmassof only benefitsthewholehistoric protected andenhanced.Thisnot the historicbuildingissecured, to structuralfabricrepairsensure comprehensive ‘topdown’ approach The grantschemehasenableda the schemebecomeoversubscribed. particularly inYears 2and3thatsaw a directresultofthegrantscheme, taken upformeremptypremisesas living overtheshop.Manyhave historic buildingsaswelloften the peripheryoftowncentrein and amicropub,allsituatedon products, aswellcafés,restaurants businesses sellinguniqueitemsand and peoplearesituated–artisan smaller, locallyindependenttrades These discreteareasarewherethe recording CoweBuildings Photography archivestudent Archaeology in Northumberland 35 School project at work future generations in the process. The THI has also supported two mentoring schemes with young people – one with a planning undergraduate with Berwick Middlewho worked School and the other a photography archive student who has been recording the Cowe buildings. The school pupils focused on Bridge Street. Ensuring cross-curriculum activities, the lesson plans include design, creative history, geography, writing and IT skills. Explaining to nine‘heritage-led regeneration’ year olds was both enlightening and fascinating to watch. Their project was Present, Future’ entitled ‘Past, in Year presented as an exhibition 1 and 2 and they have continued to present their work to the annual Heritage Day in Berwick. The school has rolled out the project across five classes as a lasting legacy of the Berwick Historic Area Improvement Scheme. The undergraduates who benefitted from the training/mentoring initiative both got first class honours degrees and continue to work in the field of planning/conservation and museum/archive recording. AR : Left No 2 Castlegate before works BELOW: No 2 Castlegate after works An artist photographer, a writer and a writer photographer, An artist were commissioned a filmmaker of the nowto ‘capture the magic’ buildings’ (withvacant ‘cockle Cowe history) through a130 years of family A moredifferent creative discipline. valuable methodabstract, but no less and people, aof recording buildings poems and filmbook of photographs, times in one(that was shown five are bothday to a sold out audience) as theyevocative and stimulating contemplate the concept of heritage, bygone times and ‘home’. memory, most projects within the historicLike an overridingenvironment we express need to ‘conserve the past for future generations’, yet so rarely engage the additional skills training andadditional working with thepartnership Officer andConservation Project Historic England. also supportedThe heritage projects a number of complementary funders andinitiatives with other design workvolunteers, including: the public realm,and improvement of recording andfacilitating building enhanced Berwickcontributing to an archive. It has broadened the scope of understanding by capturing the ephemeral things – the discarded remnants of past industries, memory, anecdotal evidence and ‘atmosphere’, bythat can only be experienced spending time in a place. Layers of localism and regeneration in Berwick-upon-Tweed in regeneration and localism of Layers 36 Archaeology in Northumberland opportunity to identify traces of the opportunity toidentifytracesofthe but probablyalsoprovidesaunique its hunter-gatherer groupslivedon evidence ofthefloraandfaunathat earlier, landscapescontainnotonly lost lands.TheseMesolithic,and amongst themostsignificantofthese including theNorthumbriancoast,is continental EuropeandBritain of theNorthSeabasinbetween and Doggerland,occupyingmuch and archaeologicalexploration of thelastfrontiersgeographical world, theselandsrepresentone to thousandsofpeople.Across the shelves thathadoncebeenhome vast landscapesoncontinental of thelastIceAgeinundated Rising globalsealevelsattheend that havebeenlosttotheoceans. in anydepthbysciencearethose that havenotyetbeenexplored The onlyinhabitedlandsonEarth Europe’s lostfrontiers:DoggerlandandtheMesolithic-Neolithic transition implements of wood, basketwork, implements ofwood,basketwork, mixture. Heoughttoherefindalso false inscriptions,oraccidental rifled tombs,burialsinoldergraves, be troubledbynocomplicationsfrom his weaponsandtools.Herehewill ancient racesofman,sealedupwith antiquary shouldfindtheremainsof exact amount ofthesechanges.The leave nodoubtastotherealityand such favourableconditionsasto ancient changesofsea-level,under the geologistshouldbeabletostudy suggested that“…(intheseareas) Submerged Forests. Reid’sstudy in 1913,publishedabookentitled British geologistClementReidwho, Europe wasinitiallyappreciatedby earlier prehistoryofnorth-west Doggerland tounderstandingthe The potentialimportanceof practise intonorth-westernEurope. introduction ofspecificNeolithic © NorthSeaPalaeolandscapes Project. Dogger Bank. Britain andtheNorthSeashowing the suggesting thatthenature of the wheat intheUKby2,000 years – not cultivation,ofdomesticated pushed backthepresence,if reconstruction. Theresults sediments forpalaeoenvironmental recovered fromarchaeological Cliff ontheSolentusedDNA the submarinesiteatBouldner recently, pioneering studieson wetlands andsaltmarshes.More and hills,coastlinesestuaries, revealed alongwithitsrivers,lakes larger thantheNetherlands,was new Europeanterritory, somewhat collected forenergyexploration. A landscape wererecordedusingdata 45,000km of thedrownedlandscapesand be usedtomapthetopography seismic reflectionsurveyscould of Birminghamrevealedthatmarine Initially, researchattheUniversity of eventschangedthissituation. such observationsfurtheranumber prospection werenotsuitedtotake techniques ofarchaeological these issues.Althoughestablished the seabed,raisedawarenessof prehistoric materialrecoveredfrom appreciation ofthequantities Bryony Colesandanincreasing 1998 aseminalarticlebyProfessor largely fulfilleduntilrecently. In Reid’s pessimisticcommentswere attention; andbothpasson.” are toomoderntobeworthhis the geologistremarksthatthey to theprovinceofgeology, and inclined tosaythattheybelong interest …thearchaeologistis forests seemtobeoflittle “…however, thesubmerged the water-level.” rarely preservedindepositsabove or objectsinleather, suchasareso 2 ofinundatedprehistoric Archaeology in Northumberland 37

Seismic view of a submarine river valley. © North Sea Palaeo- landscapes Project. Map of Eastern Mesolithic Doggerland showing topography and Map of Eastern Mesolithic Doggerland showing topography and Project. © North Sea Palaeolandscapes hydrology. Professor Vince Gaffney Professor Vince School of Archaeological Sciences University of Bradford References 1998. Doggerland: a Coles, B J, of the Proceedings speculative survey. Society 64, p. 45-81. Prehistoric S and Smith, Fitch, V, Gaffney, the Lost World: 2009. Europe’s D, of Doggerland, CBA rediscovery Research Report 160. Bates, R, G, Momber, Smith, O, M, Pallen, S, Fitch, Garwood, P, (in R G, V and Allaby, Gaffney, review). Sedimentary DNA from a submerged site provides evidence of wheat in the British Isles 8000 years before present. Science 27 February 347 Issue 6225 (DOI: 2015 Vol 10.1126/science.1261278) evidence from inundated coastal from inundated coastal evidence or better preserved, sites is different, inland. than those further ResearchIn 2016 the European newCouncil will fund a at the Grant project Advanced to buildUniversity of Bradford Coreson these achievements. two along will be extracted river valleyssubmarine mappingidentified by seismic and data from sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) and palaeoenvironmental analysis will be used to build dynamic models of the changing geomorphology and ecology of Doggerland from around 10,000BC until its eventual total inundation around 5,500BC. In doing so the project will explore, in a manner never previously attempted, the re-settlement and abandonment of a previously inaccessible, prehistoric country off the eastern coasts of England and investigate how the transition from a hunter gatherer economy to farming occurred on the great plains that were ultimately lost to the sea. Europe’s lost frontiers: Doggerland and the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition Mesolithic-Neolithic the and Doggerland frontiers: lost Europe’s 38 Archaeology in Northumberland with gaps to indicate possible post with gapstoindicate possiblepost an alignment of squaredstones broad linearstonefeaturecontaining spreads ofcobbles;onewhich, a within theenclosure,were several Overlying theditchfilland also to formtwoormoreenclosures. series oflargeditcheswhichappear the naturalsubsoil,principallya numerous featurescutandbuiltinto Trench 8inmoredetail,revealed in ordertoinvestigatetheareaof sample’ carriedoutinJune2014 The processof‘strip,mapand deep, clearlyofsomeantiquity. structure andditchesupto1metre were thefoundationsofWWII east ofthesite,inTrenches 7and8, feature ofsomeageandinthenorth- originated asalikely boundary this includedaditchfeaturethat the westernboundaryofsite out ofthe35trenches.Towards archaeological resultsfromthree April 2014yieldedsignificant The evaluationcompletedin stripped area. Iron Ageorigininthecentreof extremely coarsepotteryoflikely a small,concentratedscatterof in theeastpartofsiteand World War Two (WWII)structure south, concretefoundationsfora cultivation featuresrunningnorth- of extensive ridgeandfurrow in 2013revealedtheremains The strippingprocesscarriedout undertaken between 2010and2012. earlier assessmentandevaluation archaeological evaluationfollowed April 2014.Thisinvasiveschemeof of evaluationbetweenMarchand 2013 andinJune2014,withaphase undertaken between JulyandAugust map andsample’investigations comprised twophasesof‘strip, Northumberland. Thefieldwork west ofStanningtoninsouth of Well HillSurfaceMine site associated withthedevelopment advance of, andduring, groundworks investigation werecarriedoutin Three phasesofarchaeological Archaeological InvestigationsatWell Hill, Stannington Plan ofenclosures andassociatedfeatures recorded followingsite stripping . Aerial viewfromthewest(byTSpicer). Archaeology in Northumberland 39

of a farmstead. Evidence for later phases of activity on the site are provided in the form of two small fragments of 19th probably century domestic pottery, related to the modern farmstead, and six fragments of a NAAFI cup, presumably associated with the remains of documented WWII buildings. This work was funded by Hargreaves UK and undertaken by The Archaeological Practice. It was required by the Planning Service on the advice of the Conservation Team. Richard Carlton The Archaeological Practice View from north over Trench 8 of ditch features (part of outer enclosure) features (part of outer enclosure) 8 of ditch View from north over Trench exposed during evaluation in the extreme north-east of the site. forming possible enclosures, the most substantial ditch is, in form, similar to late Iron Age enclosures of a form common in the region. The form of this ditch suggests a protective function, quite possibly to corral stock against the incursions of predators, while those to the west, are much slighter and may have enclosed agricultural land rather than stock. The stone spreads and gullies in the interior of the principal the enclosure appear to be later, stone spreads probably having have been inserted to form hardstanding for stock management. It is speculated that an earlier (perhaps Iron Age) enclosure, was reused in the and subsequently extended medieval period when it formed part settings, may be structural. Elsewhere be structural. settings, may were of the enclosure in the interior gullies, somenumerous shallow some curvilinear, straight and others spreads.obscured by later cobble scale of mostThe character and was ratherof the internal gullies suggesting that they were similar, but nocut for similar purposes, was forthcomingadditional evidence and dateto determine the nature of their function, ie, whether they were construction trenches for (round house) structures or merely drainage gullies. In general terms, the distribution of these gullies did not appear to form a distinctive pattern suggestive of structural arrangements and gives the impression of having been created over a longer timescale, perhaps in phases. Most of the medieval pottery derived from the site came from within the inner enclosure. The pottery fragments included parts of a jar rim and two rod handles, as well as a large part of a green-glazed whiteware jug and a possible bowl origin. Tyneside or curfew of likely Three other large sherds, in a fine sandy brown fabric, were blackened on the inside, also suggesting a curfew (or at least some - related activity); a curfew (from a large was ‘couvre feu’) the French domed vessel used to cover fire at night to reduce the risk of sparks without having to put the fire out. In addition to the features within, or contained represented by, the inner and outer ditches, a number of other features are worthy on aerial visible of note. Notably, views of the site is another ditch, perhaps part of another enclosure west of that called the ‘outer’ ditch; this follows a course northwards from its junction with the southern arm of the latter and appears to be on a similar scale. It is suggested that, while there is little evidence to determine phasing of the substantial ditches Archaeological Investigations at Well Hill, Stannington Hill, Well at Investigations Archaeological 40 Archaeology in Northumberland barrow andpossible standing and fieldsystems, aswella settlements and/or Romano-British of BronzeAgeandLateIron Age Gefrin Trust. Thissuggestsnetworks Durham Universitypilotand The are workingtogetherwith the of theUniversityChester, who University andStewartAinsworth led byAlOswaldfromSheffield these areasiscurrentlyunderway, A moredetailedsurveyofsome systems onseveralsidesofthehill. networks ofsettlementsandfield multi-period features,including revealed anumberofpotential around Yeavering Bell.Thishas been broughttogetherfortheland with historicmapping, hasalso A similarrangeofdata,together and geophysicalsurveyofthesite. the resultsofaerialphotography refined andadjustedtoalignwith 1977 volume.Thedatawasfurther and excavation plansfromhis produced byBrianHope-Taylor; surface modeldata;siteplans Detection andRanging)digital tested, including:LiDAR (Light data setshavebeenintegratedand progress, sofarawiderangeof Although theworkremainsin different remotedatasources. as drawingtogetherarangeof site anditshinterland,aswell information system(GIS)ofthe been usedtobuildageographic facilitated apilotproject.Thishas funding andfromtheTrust In 2014-15,universityresearch new approachestothesite. its rolewithintheTrust in applying University hascontinuedtofulfil in Northumberland19),Durham across 2005-9(seeArchaeology geophysical surveyconducted Following onfromtheintegrated new archaeologicalapplications. aimed attestingtheviabilityof Yeavering innorthNorthumberland palacesiteat Anglo-Saxon investigations onthefamous has supportedarangeoffield Since 2005TheGefrinTrust New approachesatYeavering sprinkled stumps of‘conserved’ have allseen sites wherecasually appearance and extent, but we public understandingofits former remains atasitecanactually limit claim thatthevisibilityofa few It mightseemratherperverse to on thesiteanditshinterland. exploratory surveyandinvestigation develop aresearchdesignforfuture an informedbasisfromwhichto The pilotprojectaimstocreate chronological framework. medieval hinterlandandbroader considering thepalaceinitsearly sites andsequenceswithaviewto to lookatthewidermulti-period been reviewed.Work isunderway Historic EnvironmentRecordhas at abroaderscale,datafromthe different timesoftheyear, while photography) ofthesitetaken at 3D models(includinginfrared is alsocreatingphotogrammetric Durham studentDarrenOliver, and 1960s.Usinganaerialdrone, Areas A,BandDinthe1950s and stagesofexcavation across a newinsightintotheprocesses have beenreassessed,providing Hope-Taylor photographicarchive In addition,imagesfromthe remodelling. these earlyremainsexhibit signsof Afewof stone tothesouth-east. The Grandstand,markedoutwithanEfcoStrimmer. and RogerMiket Al Oswald,Stuart Ainsworth Buchanan, Darren Oliver, Dr SarahSemple,Brian visit www.gefrintrust.org. the workoftrustandupdates, For moreinformationonAd Gefrin, for yourself. cut inlateAugust; judgetheresults were givennomorethanasecond Hall andtheGrandstand.Both to trialthemethod:Edwin’s Great 2015 wemarked outtwostructures a lightchalk-line ontheslate.In or strimmer–theequivalentof cutting thegrasswithalawnmower marking outtheirlinesimplyby However, wehavebeenlightly embedded concrete,orwood. line offoundationtrencheswith upon it,suchasmarkingoutthe any damaging, indeliblemarkings We cannotforexample, make slate’. we mightuseonthis‘blank imposes limitationsonthetools as aScheduledAncientMonument limited however, inthatitsstatus upon itwhatwewish.We are blank slate,allowingusto‘draw’ Gefrin, inthatitistrulyvisuallya sense wearefortunatewithAd something oldoncestood.Inone than pointingupaplacewhere walling conveylittlemore Archaeology in Northumberland 41 The site of Yeavering: digitized and geo-rectified plans of the palace complex and associated features. complex and palace digitized and geo-rectified plans of the The site of Yeavering: Project Gates. Composite image: © The Yeavering Use of aerial photograph with kind permission of Tim Gates. and Tim Edwin’s Hall, marked out with a Flymo. 42 Archaeology in Northumberland ring duringthe excavation ofaburial schoolboys of a pricelessgoldtress- result ofthediscovery byfourlocal around theworld!Thiswas the been readbymillionsofpeople website; astorywhichmust have News read storyontheentireBBC project wasthesubjectof most For awhileinJuly2014,theAA Kirkhaugh deliver theprojectoverrecentyears. archaeologists whohavehelpedto volunteers andalltheprofessional the fantasticworkofproject appropriate acknowledgementof Beauty (AONBs)’. Theawardis Areas ofOutstandingNatural contribution tothewellbeingof best practiceoroutstanding annually forthe‘thebestproject, Bowland Award. Thisisawarded project wasawardedtheprestigious Penrith, theAltogetherArchaeology Association ofAONBs conferencein In July2014,attheNational gmail.com email toaltogetherarchaeology@ register yourinterestbysendingan welcome tojointhisgroup–youcan regardless ofpastexperience, is the area’s archaeologicalheritage, years tocome;anyoneinterestedin throughout theNorthPennines in survey andexcavation projects They aimtocontinueundertake ‘Altogether (AA). Archaeology’ a newgroup,retainingthename have noworganisedthemselvesinto Northumberland. Thevolunteers in CountyDurham,Cumbriaand events acrosstheNorthPennines of fieldworkprojectsandassociated project andtookpartinawiderange volunteers registeredwiththe until November2015.Nearly600 and ranforthreeyearsthrough the mainprojectbeganin2012 Lottery Fund. After apilotphase, largely fundedbytheHeritage community archaeologyproject, North Pennines AONB Partnership’s Altogether Archaeologyisthe Introduction Altogether ArchaeologyintheNorthPennines AreaofOutstanding NaturalBeauty as theAmesbury Archer, though buried herehad suchexotic origins never knowwhether theindividual the acidsoil),sowewillprobably teeth (theyhadrottedaway dueto mound failedtofindanybones or the AA excavation oftheKirkhaugh to Stonehengewherehedied. Sadly, Alps, andforsomereasontravelled teeth provedthathewasborninthe Analysis oftheAmesburyArcher’s Practice, NewcastleuponTyne). dig (assistedbyTheArchaeological who alsodirectedtheKirkhaugh was directedbyAndrewFitzpatrick, , theexcavation ofwhich of theAmesburyArcherfromnear whole ofBritain,thefamousexample only onecomparableburialinthe of copperwhenhedied.Thereis been inthearealookingforsources an earlymetalworker whomayhave gold), theburialwasprobablythatof anvil, usedforworkingcopperand ‘cushion stone’(ahand-heldportable , apotterybeaker, anda include jetbuttons,topqualityflint finds, which,inadditiontothegold, Judgingbythe from about2,400BC. burial moundatKirkhaughdates grandfather oftwotheboys!The found in1935bythegreat-great one ofapair, theotherhavingbeen objects everfoundinBritain,was The object,oneoftheearliestmetal mound atKirkhaugh,nearAlston. at Kirkhaugh,July2014.Photo:MarcJohnstone. Local schoolboys….and….withthenewlydiscoveredgoldtress-ring on thecompany website–www. fascinating information isavailable of thisveryimportant site;much oversee thefuturemanagement Heritage Ltd,hasbeensetup to for-profit company, Epiacum just northofAlston.Anew not- (Whitley Castle)Romanfort, has beenundertaken atEpiacum Over recentyearsmuchwork Epiacum andGilderdaleBurn 1935 discovery). 21, formoreinformationaboutthe Archaeology inNorthumberlandvol the burialmoundwasbuilt.(See here, perhaps5,000yearsbefore Mesolithic settlementofsomekind excavation; clearlytherehadbeena flint wasalsorecoveredduringthe sizeable assemblageofMesolithic In additiontotheburialmound,a there isafairchancethathedid. Photo: ElisabethLangton-Airey. The goldtress-ringfromKirkhaugh.

Archaeology in Northumberland 43 A jet bead, one of several A jet bead, one of several found hundred Roman objects molehill during the Epiacum 5 years survey over the past (light detection and ranging) survey, (light detection and ranging) survey, the volunteers also uncovered two small areas of a well-preserved and sandstone-apparently very extensive slabbed surface surviving apparently intact to the south of the fort. This has been interpreted as a largely intact Roman parade ground (or waggon park); if the former then it is a very rare find within the context also of Roman Britain. Volunteers completed a detailed survey of the ruined historic farm building of Holymire, adjacent to the Roman Lidar image of Epiacum Roman fort and surrounding area. The Maiden Way seen Roman road (overlain by medieval ridge and furrow) can be clearly of passing north-south to the east of the fort. The settlement Gilderdale Burn in ringed in red. (Lidar image © Historic England/North AONB). Pennines (The Archaeological Practice). Results suggest that the site dates from the pre-Roman Iron Age and was abandoned at about the time the Roman fort was built. Analysis of samples from the of a timber- built roundhouse demonstrates that the people living here grew cereals, including spelt wheat and and also gathered barley, six-row wild resources including hazelnuts. cattle, They presumably also kept although no evidence for this was found. Using evidence from lidar Epiacum molehill survey in progress. epiacumheritage.org. The Roman epiacumheritage.org. to forts at Carvoran onfort, linked Thore and Kirkby Wall Hadrian’s on the A66 via the road known to must have us as the Maiden Way, been sited here in order to oversee lead and silver mining in the North archaeological Detailed Pennines. survey of the fort and its landscape by Englishsetting was undertaken Heritage (now part of Historic England; download the report at: http://research.historicengland.org. uk/ number 89/2009) as part of the project on Alston ‘Miner-Farmer’ Subsequent work undertaken Moor. in partnership with volunteers by AA Epiacum Heritage has included the resulting in annual molehill survey, the recovery of hundreds of Roman coins, beads artefacts such as pottery, of glass and jet, iron nails and a little bronze dolphin. All objects recovered which has during the molehill survey, place each spring for fivenow taken years, are recorded and catalogued with the same precision as if they and a full were from an excavation report on the results is in preparation. project, During the Miner-Farmer about twenty previously unrecorded roundhouse settlements of presumed Iron Age or Roman date were recorded by Historic England within a few kilometres of Epiacum. During September 2015, an was completed of one excavation of these settlements, at Gilderdale Burn, close by the fort. This was directed by Stewart Ainsworth (of and Chester Team Channel 4’s Time University) and Richard Carlton Altogether Archaeology in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Natural Outstanding of Area Pennines North the in Archaeology Altogether 44 Archaeology in Northumberland Altogether Archaeology keystothepast.info through Keys tothePast. www. Record andwillbeaccessible the countyHistoricEnvironment this informationwillbeenteredonto back intoprehistorictimes.Allof fascinating rangeofsitesextending post-medieval sites,nowincludesa previously largelydominatedby the AllenValleys andHexhamshire, the historicenvironmentrecordof detail. Asaresultofallthiswork, never previouslystudiedinany sites thatwerealreadyknownbut additional informationaboutmany sites, thelidarsurveyhasuncovered dates. Inadditiontothese‘new’ extensive fieldsystemsofvarious date, medievalsettlementsand settlements ofIronAgeandRoman discovered, includingroundhouse siteshavebeen Over 800‘new’ unrecognised archaeologicalsites. in thesearchforpreviously Allen Valleys andHexhamshire years examining lidarmapsofthe volunteers havespentacoupleof Stewart Ainsworth,agroupofAA Working inpartnershipwith Valleys andHexhamshire Lidar Landscapes:Allen into avisitorcentre. may beconsolidatedanddeveloped the 17thcenturyandinfuture fort, whichdatesbackprobablyto August 2014. Gilderdale Burn, StewartAinsworthexplaining theexcavationsto visitors, through them. The implications of through them.Theimplicationsof have hadsubstantialroadspassing many ofthemilecastlesmaynever variable, theytendtosuggestthat function. Althoughtheresultsare complex wasoriginallyintendedto in whichtheentireHadrian’s Wall the milecastlesandthusofway understanding ofthepurpose work wasdesignedtoimproveour with DurhamUniversity. This on Hadrian’s Wall inpartnership geophysical surveysofsixmilecastles AA volunteersalsocompleted Oxford ArchaeologyNorth.The completed inpartnershipwith military sites.Thesesurveyswere archaeology inadditiontoRoman Wall containsmuchimportant that thelandaroundHadrian’s medieval date,demonstrating sites ofprehistoric,Romanand careful recordingofarange p 32.Thesehaveincludedthe LeeandRavensheughsee Davy’s been completedatSewingshields, surveys ofextensive landscapeshave Bowyer) importantarchaeological (founded byAA volunteerPhil Wall communityarchaeologygroup established Tynedale Northofthe Authority, andtherecently Northumberland NationalPark In partnershipwiththe Park landscapesurveys Northumberland National North Pennines AONB Paul Frodsham and nottotheAONB Partnership. [email protected] group shouldbeaddressedto the newAltogetherArchaeology note thatanyquestionsabout eventually beavailable.Please links toallprojectreportswill northpennines.org) where Pennines AONB website(www. project isavailableontheNorth the AltogetherArchaeology Further informationabout website. how todosocanbefoundonthe for possibleinclusionanddetailsof continue tosuggestlotsmoreobjects –wehopethatpeoplewill be ‘full’ Thevirtualmuseumwillnever uk. – youcanfinditatwww.npvm.org. in Weardale). Whynottake alook anchor oftheTitanic (partlymade with theleadindustry, andthe medieval coffins,remainsassociated Roman altarsandcoins,early stone andcarvedstones, about 60objects,suchasprehistoric July 2015andcurrentlyincludes Practice. Itwasofficiallyopenedin Johnstone ofTheArchaeological with specialistadvicefromMarc Weardale Museum(Ireshopeburn), set upincollaborationwiththe interest inthearea.Ithasbeen local peopleorotherswithan that theycanbeappreciatedby to bringsuchfindstogether, so Museum (NPVM)isaninitiative The NorthPennines Virtual Castle, Carlisle,orevenLondon. for example in Newcastle,Barnard end upinmuseumsoutsidethearea; the NorthPennines, theyusually When importantfindsaremadein Museum (NPVM) North Pennines Virtual order toclarifytheresults. in further fieldworkmaybejustified this requirecarefulthoughtand

Archaeology in Northumberland 45 Sandstone structure abutting the Tower. Jon McKelvey AD Archaeology a useful contribution to the understanding of the archaeology of the site. Probable medieval cobbled surface next to the Tower. Probable medieval cobbled surface next 0.40m by 0.30m by 0.35m in size. The southern side of the alignment of four blocks was 0.35m from the The stone north wall of the Tower. structure lay directly beneath the garderobe chute on the north face of probable that it and it is the Tower relates to this feature. One possible interpretation is that it formed a foundation for a superstructure (perhaps in timber) to deflect waste from the garderobe into a drain and prevent it accumulating at the base of the wall. A trench against the western wall of the North Range revealed a cobbled surface of probable medieval date at the base of the trench. The structural remains and cobbled surfaces were not disturbed by the their recording works. Following they were covered with membrane and a layer of soil to ensure their preservation in situ. Whilst it is difficult to interpret features from such small-scale the interventions discovery and recording of the structural elements associated with and the location the medieval Tower of the cobbled surfaces represents century tower th

century buildings. A series of six century buildings.

th In 2014, AD Archaeology wasIn 2014, AD by English Heritagecommissioned an archaeologicalto undertake in advance of the excavation protection atupgrading of lightning Belsay Castle – a 15 test pits, 1m by 1m in size and 0.50mtest pits, 1m by 1m adjacentdeep, were hand-excavated producedto the walls and three remains.evidence of archaeological A trench adjacent to the southern the revealed wall of the Tower foundation plinth and a course of foundation stones from the southern The foundation face of the Tower. plinth, which was only partially consisted of two layers of exposed, roughly laid sandstone blocks and fragments (up to 0.30m by 0.20m in size), the lowest of which projected 0.30m south of the line of the Tower the plinth was Above wall itself. a wall foundation layer consisting of a single course of tightly-jointed rectangular sandstone blocks, 0.30m in height set in a yellow-white This wall foundation layer mortar. was overlain by a course of thinner blocks with an offset which stands above the present ground exposed stone-cappedlevel. An east-west drain was located 0.60m south of the wall. The capping stones were only but were unworn partially exposed suggesting that this was constructed as a subterranean feature. The drain parallel to the line ran east-west and may of the wall of the Tower represent a feature of medieval date. to the northern wall A trench next revealed a cobbled of the Tower medieval date. One surface of likely of the connecting trenches to link to the cables on the walls exposed a sandstone structure abutting the It consisted north wall of the Tower. of two dressed sandstone blocks wall, with their abutting the Tower north-south, set 1.65mlong-axes north-southapart. Running between these two blocks was an alignment of four sandstone blocks, averaging

house with an attached range of earlyhouse with an attached 17 Belsay Castle Belsay 46 Archaeology in Northumberland on theneediestcases.Critically, our historicsitesandfocusattention understand theoverallconditionof partners, wecancontinuetohelp otherwise. With willingownersand of implacableenemies,naturalor under constantattackfromanarray landscapes oftheNorthEastare The historicbuildingsand at risk. think itiscrucialtotackleheritage other agenciesandgroupswhoalso with owners,localauthoritiesand projects withoutlocalpartnerships encourage anddeliversuccessful Historic Englandcouldnot national totalof5,534entries. Risk Register, makingup5.4%ofthe on theNorthEast2015Heritageat development. Thereare302entries from neglect,decayorinappropriate historic sitesknowntobeatrisk provides anannualsnapshotof The HeritageatRiskRegister heritage-at-risk/) historicengland.org.uk/advice/ conservation areas(http://www. heritage assetsandlocallydesignated includes allnationallydesignated has expanded sincethenandnow Risk Registerin1998.The the creationoftheirBuildingsat on behalfofheritageatrisksince England) hasbeencampaigning and MonumentsCommissionfor Historic England(HistoricBuildings Heritage atRisk Felton Park glasshousebefore repairs.PhotobyRichard Barnes. threatens to overwhelm our upland threatens tooverwhelmourupland ways ofcontrollingbracken, which research projecttofindeffective This yearwearefundingajoint Longhoughton fromtheRegister. and thelimekilnatLittleMill, Mohopehead leadmine,West Allen their fundingandadviceremoved successful partnership.Lastyear this yearandwillbolsteranalready Stewardship schemeisre-launched Natural England’sCountryside Park. Mill andarareglasshouseatFelton important millmachineryatLinnels Conservation Areastothesurveyof within Berwick-upon-Tweed recently rangefromseveralbuildings grant-aided byHistoricEngland cleared atWark Castle.Otherassets Coquet Island,andvegetationwas the monasticcellandtoweron structures wererepaired,including Bardon Mill,anumberofimportant been fullyrepairedatTow House, a rareheatherthatchedbarnhas Using HistoricEnglandgrantaid feature inthepagesofthismagazine. Northumberland andmanyofthese Register intheNorthEast–11 removed 27heritageassetsfromthe sustainable solutions.Lastyearwe and organisationstodeliver start, andbringtogetherindividuals options beforerepairprogrammes we needtoidentifyissuesand Historic England Kate Wilson projects. get involvedwithheritageatrisk success andenablemorepeopleto and eventssothatwebuildonour development ofbestpractice,skills continue toprovidesupportforthe and itisimportantthatweall risks toheritagehasalastinglegacy contribution inthefighttoreduce and volunteergroupsthattheir awareness amongstcommunity Encouragingly, thereisincreasing risk. local capacitytotackleheritageat like Inspired Futures, whichbuilds The HLFarealsosupportingprojects Grants forPlacesofWorship scheme. Fund toenablethemdelivertheir expert advice totheHeritageLottery year. HistoricEnglandprovides their churchfromtheRegisterlast Hepple whosuccessfullyremoved the communityatChristChurch, Places ofWorship inthe regionlike with thosewhomanageandcarefor We alsoneedtocontinue towork Northumberland Ingram valley(seeArchaeology in Harehaugh hillfortandsitesinthe of bracken is alreadyoccurringon landscapes. Successfulclearance

21). Archaeology in Northumberland 47 Tow House after repairs. Photo © Historic England. Tow Felton Park glass house after repairs. Photo by Robin Dower. glass house after repairs. Photo Park Felton 48 Archaeology in Northumberland and historical complexity and have increased itsstructural The excavations atBoltonChapel and attachedburialground. within theboundsofchapel graves arelikely tooccuranywhere since themedievalperiod and has beenusedasaburialground structure, suggestingthatthesite and veryclosetothechapel burials, someatshallowdepths excavations revealedanumberof or 14thcenturies.Elsewhere,the grave slabdatingtothelate13th carved stone,probablyasmall the latterdiduncoverare-used although theinvestigationof the nave,areofminorsignificance, boiler roomonthenorthsideof including thoseofa19thcentury uncovered duringtheseworks, Other structuralremains time inthelatermedievalperiod. of thenavewasrebuiltatsome ground levelbeforethewestwall to havebeendestroyeddown the smallsouth-westtowerappears church. Subsequently, theplinthof a lateradditiontotheNorman of a13thcenturytower, perhaps this areaareinterpretedasthose porch. Theexcavated remainsin the naveandwestwallof the areabetweensouthwallof of themedievalperiodsurvivein that significantstructuralremains present seriesofexcavations are The principalfindingsofthe of significanthistoricalinterest. probable prehistoricoriginandis raised moundandenclosureof the 12thcentury. Itsitsupona Edlingham anddatestoatleast ease situatedintheParish of Listed Building, isachapel-of- Bolton Chapel,aGradeII Glanton inNorthumberland. (NGR NU1063013674),near for newservicesatBoltonChapel with theexcavation oftrenches during groundworksassociated conducted inMayandJune2013 Archaeological monitoringwas Excavations atBoltonChapel The ArchaeologicalPractice Richard CarltonandPeter Ryder Archaeological Practice. Council andundertaken byThe Whittingham Parochial Church This workwasfundedby Battle ofFloddenin1513. English Armyonitswaytothe overnight restingstationforthe site onaccountofitsroleasan in theFloddenVirtual Museum site. Thechapelisnowincluded religious probably pre-Christian already knownasthatofan‘early’, enhanced thestatusofsite, Interpretive planofBoltonChapel.

discovered duringtheexcavations. Inscribed medievalgravecover south-east. remains fromthe View ofexcavated Archaeology in Northumberland 49

Volunteers excavating at excavating Volunteers Burdhopecrag. © Phil Abramson. then the rampart was re-instated. The end result is that a monument which could have been a candidate for the heritage at risk register has been conserved in perpetuity…or flock of sheep at least until the next decides to use it for a windbreak! Phil Abramson DIO Archaeology Advisor

Otterburn Ranges. Photo: © Phil Abramson. Filming Tales from Northumberland with at the from Northumberland with Filming Tales to five years to organise the logistics to five years to organise the logistics of for a site recce. I exaggerate course, but there are those amongst the team who relish the remoteness and isolation of the far flung sites and rose to the challenge of the inspection. One of the sites included in the survey was the Roman Camp at close to the former Burdhopecrag, Redesdale Camp, just off the A68 Roman camps were at Rochester. temporary defensive structures, constructed in enemy territory during the army’s campaigning season. It is thought that a Camp could have been used for only a matter of days before it was abandoned when the army moved include clues to a Camp on. Visible a low earthen rampart and an outside ditch, but internal evidence is very sparse, probably because the army erected tents rather than first buildings in the Camps. At glance the Camp at Burdhopecrag appeared to be in good condition, but on closer inspection by the volunteers it was clear that the rampart was being eroded by sheep down for shelter from hunkering the winter storms. A team was assembled and the erosion scrapes were cleaned back, recorded and

community involvement in heritage condition surveys condition in heritage involvement community some Ranges occupy The Otterburn in the of moorland 23,000 hectares and boasts one ofsouthern Cheviots of multi- the highest concentrations monuments inperiod archaeological About 95% of the Ranges the country. Nationalare in the Northumberland the and it is the shared aim of Park (MOD) andMinistry of Defence National Park the Northumberland ensure that to (NNPA) Authority the monuments are well managed and, as far is possible on an active military training area, that they are brought to the attention of the public at large. Whilst visits to some of the monuments can be arranged during non-firing times, over the past few years some of the archaeological sites on the Ranges have been brought to a wider audience by featuring on television and radio programmes or by write-ups in popular magazines. One of the more successful methods of monument management has involved members of the local community who survey the monuments and produce a condition understand assessment report. To how this has come about we must turn the clock back some four years when archaeologists from the Historic England National Park, and the MOD organised tuition sessions in Monument Condition Assessments in response to requests from members of the public. Site recces, case studies, workshops and safety briefings were all part of but the main the training package, ingredient was, and continues to be, the enthusiasm, goodwill and archaeological nous of the volunteer surveyors. Otterburn Ranges is home to some 75 scheduled monuments, all of which are subjected to a five year rolling programme of inspection. This is not too problematic for the more accessible sites, close to HQ and situated by the side of a road… but for those sites situated close to well away from the Scottish border, up anywhere and anyone, it can take local: it Keeping 50 Archaeology in Northumberland Bradford Kaims WetlandBradford Kaims HeritageProject and the sheer amount of features and thesheeramountoffeatures The preservationisbreath-taking the MesolithictoBronzeAgeperiods. archaeology withremainsspanning there isavastamountofamazing The resultssofarhaveshown the site. is theprimaryreasonforevaluating gradually dryingout.Thispeatloss last centuryresultinginthepeat level hasbeendroppingoverthe organic materialbutthebasinwater conditions forpreservationof Bog. Thepeathascreatedexcellent alkaline peatbogsiteatNewham (Scots kaim: ahill)rollingintoan The siteisaseriesofglacialkaims ongoing evaluation. developed intoexcavation and pitting andfieldwalkingquickly prehistoric activity. Initialtest- looked apromising candidatefor Bradford Kaims in2009asthearea investigate thelandscapecloseto Research Projectbeganto Historic England.TheBamburgh by theHeritageLotteryFund and north Northumberland,supported site nearthevillageofLucker in truly remarkable ancientwetland and universitiestoinvestigatea working withthelocalcommunity The BamburghResearchProjectis Kaims Northexcavations in2015. sequence undertaken anywhere. analysisofaburntmound in-depth todothe most micro-stratigraphy it providesanopportunitytouse unpicking theserelationships,but going tobeacomplicatedprocess and theyoverlieeachother. Itis to bemanyphasesbothfeatures mounds haveemerged.Thereseem between theplatformandburnt In onetrench(6)relationships preserved bythepeat. platform area,whichiswell an associatedextensive, wooden Bronze Ageburntmoundsand of aseriesNeolithicandEarly Kaims North isaninvestigation and 2015seasons. This isabriefroundupofthe2014 and artefactsisalmostoverwhelming. as asweatlodge, similartothe which hasinitially beeninterpreted measuring about2mindiameter, structure wasalsodiscovered, stakes andtimbers.Acircular stake holesaswellwell-preserved a lake edge.Therearehundredsof Neolithic landsurfacedowninto of archaeologyrunningfroma revealed acomplex sequence In onetrench(9)excavation preservation isfantastic. down intoalake edgewherethe a Neolithiclandsurfaceasitruns Kaims Southisaninvestigationof dating backtotheNeolithicperiod. a hugeamountofworked wood and heavilystratifiedcontains and over15mwide.Itreallyisvast found tomeasureover3mdeep, Stirling University, theplatformwas coring, byDrRichardTipping of combination ofexcavation and what ismadeupfrom.Usinga and identifyhowdeepitis to lookattheprehistoricplatform Another trench(10)waspositioned interpret thembetter. thatwillallowusto micro-activity burnt moundsarecreatedandthe will becarriedoutintotheway beneath themounds.Further work of Neolithicbuildingremains mounds andthereareclearsigns troughs areassociatedwiththe from theNeolithicperiod.Several occupation andindustrialactivity reveal complex features,showing been totallyexcavated inplacesto The burntmoundsequencehas abundance. worked woodin of seasonshowing Trench 10nearend Archaeology in Northumberland 51 : outube: /bamburghmedia Blog bamburghresearchproject.wordpress.com Web: www.bamburghresearchproject.co.uk Twitter: @brparchaeology Y archaeology is here, what condition it is in and how we can best recording and approach excavating, protecting it. The importance of the site, together with ongoing gradual erosion from drainage works, means action is needed soon. Gethin Paul Bamburgh Research Project a functioning copy of a paddle found in 2013. Community Archaeology Over 100 community volunteers have been involved in the latest season, including young archaeologists. They are all from the local area and are dedicated and enthusiastic, turning up in all weathers. They really were a pleasure to have on site and contributed massively to the and general on site excavation atmosphere. Final thoughts… continue in 2016 and will Work few seasons it is over the next hoped to complete the evaluation stage in order to assess how much Trench 11 with well-preserved wood and a sand topped palaeochannel. 11 with well-preserved wood Trench Experimental Archaeology This season has included a lot of archaeology – brewing experimental edible bread, baking almost beer, working flint tools and making tools from bone, all using prehistoric greatest Arguably the . success came from the woodworking where wooden wedges and a stone were used to split logs and make axe ones seen in North American First ones seen in North American First Nation sites; a nearby hearth and of the water’sproximity edge are very compelling. well-preserved wood was Further revealed in another trench (11); and there are much of it is worked hints of trackways running back towards the burnt mounds, or possible sweat lodge sites. Bradford Kaims Wetland Heritage Project Heritage KaimsBradford Wetland 52 Archaeology in Northumberland In SearchofHolystonePriory for fivedays, themajorityfrom about 15people cameeachday scale excavation. InMarch2015, Archaeology tocarryouta small- and CoquetdaleCommunity National Park Authority from theNorthumberland The groupthenreceivedgrants priory walls. church, whichsuggestedpossible images onthesouthsideof scans revealedseveralinteresting scanning aroundthechurch.His Andrew spentseveraldays Scheduled AncientMonument), had beenobtained(thesiteisa site. Oncethenecessaryconsents ground penetratingradarofthe DeepScan ARLtd,tocarryout offered helpbyAndrewWilson of The groupwasfortunatetobe of newgraves,norththechurch. large wallwhilstdigginganumber gravedigger revealedpartsofa revitalised in2014whenthelocal However, thegroup’s interestwas inconclusive. the church;resultswere,sadly, surveys tothenorthandsouthof University tocarryoutgeophysical to workwithateamfromDurham in 2005whenagrantwasreceived The group’s investigationsbegan the siteofnunnery. the presentchurchissituatedon These accountsgenerallyagreethat stone inhousesandwalls. elaborate graveslabsandworked altogether grander, including village therearecluestosomething rebuilt in1848,butthroughoutthe present churchwassubstantially towards itsdissolutionin1539.The century, thoughfortunesdwindled role inCoquetdalefromthe12th known tohaveplayedanimportant few remainingdocumentsitwas village (HER1211).From the nunnery whichoncestoodinthe the locationofmedieval Archaeology Grouphasresearched For severalyearstheHolystone Introduction, byJanFrazer eastern cloistral range. forming theexternal wall toan the eastendof thePrioryChurch, be asouthwardscontinuation of that thesubstantialwallis likely to director RichardCarltonbelieves outside ablocked doorway. Dig feet, suggestingithadbeen reused away, probably bythepassageof on thegraveslabhadbeenworn shaft. Someofthedecoration grave slab,decoratedwithacross and theworkrevealeda2mlong came tolightwereallsubstantial already emerging. Thewallsthat lunchtime partsofahugewallwere south ofthechurch,andbyfirst shown tolookpromisinginthearea dug intheareasthatradarhad good weather. Threetrencheswere Holystone itself, andfortunatelyin Probable eastwallofaneasternclaustralrangeintrench3. room orpassage runningalongside opened from the churchintoa doorway, whichmusthaveonce corresponding southsideof the been removedtogetherwith the rebate; thedoorthreshold had comprised stoneblockswith adoor door openingwasrevealedthat Here, thenorthsideofasplayed the navewallbelowgroundlevel. church andexcavations exposed south-west corneroftheexisting The firsttrench extended fromthe by RichardCarlton The Excavations, remains. backfilled inordertopreservethe day windowandeverythingtidily The digwascompletedinitsfive- Archaeology in Northumberland 53 Medieval grave cover. earlier date and perhaps associated reconstruction with a post-medieval of the church. A drain found running beside the south wall of the current church could be associated with a narrow the sleeper wall, possibly east-west wall for the north cloister walk. The stone culvert comprised narrow flags set on edge, set on well-dressed (probably reused) flags with rougher capstones above. North of the drain feature, at the same depth as the floor of the culvert, a medieval cross slab grave cover was discovered. Although the damaged east end of the slab remained under the baulk of the trench, it was possible to determine that its length was about 2.15m and that it was between 0.38 – 0.46m wide, with quite a broad incised cross shaft (95mm wide). This trench also revealed a blocked doorway in the nave wall that measures 1.15m wide and whose jambs survive to a height of 1.6m. A door sill forming the lower part of the blocking may be original but appears somewhat incongruous. The doorway sits below but off-centre of which two-lighta blocked window, in turn has been supplanted by a round-arched 19th-century window sandstone ashlar, 0.52m wide and sandstone ashlar, up to three courses high, sitting on a rough cobble foundation or levelling course. Though well-built the wall was with mortar bonding, poorly coursed and appeared to be made from reused blocks. It is thought to be of 18th century or Trench plan. Trench – perhaps into the sacristy or a passage through the west range, or the north cloister walk. The second trench was positioned against the south wall of the church, close to the east end of the current north-southnave. Running through the trench was a wall of well-tooled In Search of Holystone Priory Holystone of In Search 54 Archaeology in Northumberland In SearchofHolystonePriory complex, thePriorychurch eastof its toweratthe westendofthe made, withtheparishchurch and in the14thcenturyhasbeen Priory asitmayhaveappeared an reconstructiondrawing of the Based onthisnewinformation, the ChapterHouse. have beenfoundedonremainsof on thenorthsideofrow, may abandonedhouse more-recently the late19thcentury. Another, church thatweredemolishedin of formercottagessouththe have beenrepresentedbyarow the southclaustralrangemay side ofthechurch.Inaddition, onthe north from grave-digging and aLadyChapelwhichisknown west cornerofthepresentchurch, south aislearcadeatthesouth- known fromtherespondofits presence ofaparochialnave, observations, thissuggeststhe along withevidencefromother of themedievalpriory. Now, together thelayoutandlocation been foundinthequesttopiece another pieceofthejigsawhas As aresultofthisrecentwork Plan ofthe1840s. shortened churchontheTithe abutting thesouthsideof the schoolhousebuildingshown and islikely tobeassociatedwith 0.59m wide,abuttedittothewest A narrowereast-west wall,only east endofthemedievalchurch. claustral range,inlinewiththe to betheeastwallofaneastern 0.95m deep.Thewallisthought wide; thewallsurvivedupto the baseofwallabout1.54m and foundationcoursesmaking out byaseriesofprojectingplinth course 0.90mwide,butstepped of tooledsandstonewiththeupper south. Itwasbuiltoflargeblocks substantial wallrunningnorth- and excavation revealedavery buttressofthechancel south-east A thirdtrenchextended fromthe of vaguelyRomanesquecharacter. North-south post-medieval wall inTrench 2. Archaeology in Northumberland 55 General view of excavations. Reconstruction drawing of Holystone Priory, by Peter Ryder. by Peter Reconstruction drawing of Holystone Priory, Jan Frazer, Jan Frazer, Holystone Archaeology Group Richard Carlton, The Archaeological Practice Ltd it with Lady Chapel attached to its Chapel attached it with Lady side the and on its south north side buildings. cloister and conventual has finally So it appears the group Priory’spinned down the exact publicised with location – which it in the church a month-long display by 70 and a public talk attended night in July. people on a grim wet

In Search of Holystone Priory Holystone of In Search 56 Archaeology in Northumberland Roman stonesatWest UppertownFarm base, which has been used as one of base, whichhas beenusedasoneof It isasocket stone,possibly analtar another barninthefarmcomplex. The secondstoneisbuiltinto pediment. feature, whichtakes theplaceofa been foundinRomanBritain forthis capital (fig3).Sofarnoparallelhas down intotheotherwiseplain shorter lowersectionprojecting up tothelipoffocusand the higheruppersectionrunning decorates thefaceofcapitalwith plaque irregular lozenge-shaped the bolstersaremissing(fig2).An bolsters (fig1)butthefrontsof focus standingproudoftheflanking The topofthealtarhasabossed from Carrawburgh. presumed tohavecomeoriginally by RichardWright in1941and org/inscriptions/1520); itwasseen (http://romaninscriptionsofbritain. altar isalreadyrecordedasRIB1520 460mm anddepth:240mm).The to becalculatedas740mm(width: inside thebarnallowingitsheight damaged baseofthealtarisvisible inscription mightbecarved.The together withthedie,onwhichany to beinthebodyofbarnwall although anydecorationislikely on thevisiblepartofaltar, There isnodiscernibledecoration projecting outtoformthestep. into thewallandcapital built withthebaseincorporated horizontally whenthebarnwas chicken step. Thealtarwaslaid a barnwallandlatterlyusedas The firststoneisanaltarbuiltinto appear tobeof19thcenturydate. the Romanstoneswerebuiltbutthey the twobuildingswhichincorporate Roman fort.Itisnotknownwhen fort and5kmnorth-westofChesters ofCarrawburghRoman north-east 1.5km fromTurret 30A,1.75km lies northofHadrian’s Wall about including anunusualaltar. Thefarm West UppertownFarm, Simonburn, were recordedinfarmbuildingsat In 2015anumberofRomanstones Photo byLAllason-Jones. Fig2 Sideview showingoriginalrightbolster. Photo byLAllason-Jones Fig1 Bossedfocusontopofaltarstandingproudtheflanking bolsters. Archaeology in Northumberland 57

principia at Chesters but, in Fig5 End of voussoir showing Fig5 End of voussoir incised motif. Photo by L Allason-Jones. Carrawburgh did not uncover that It should section of the building. that the overall be noted, however, dimensions of the internal buildings at Carrawburgh fort are smaller than those at Chesters. The presumption is that the West Uppertown voussoirs came from the this the absence of further proof, must remain a presumption. A new English Heritage project on the loose stones at Chesters may reveal similar voussoirs from that exercise. Based on a report by Lindsay Allason-Jones

Fig4 Base stone showing the socket in the centre. Photo by L Allason-Jones. Fig3 Original front face of the alter Fig3 Original front face motif. showing the unusual Photo by L Allason-Jones. have an average span of 3m – the north gate of Milecastle 37, for has a span of 3.1m. The example, outer entrance of the principia at Chesters measures 3m, whilst the inner entrance measures 3.25m. between the distance However, the piers of the cross hall in the basilica of the Chesters principia measure about 4m and a stone built within one of the piers has similar dimensions to those from It is possible Uppertown. West that the voussoirs under discussion could have come from a similar cross hall at Carrawburgh fort but of the principia at the excavations the foundation stones of an external external stones of an the foundation stone Only half of the stair (fig4). height:survives and it measures: depth:280mm, width: 670mm, evidence of330mm. There is no tool marks aredecoration but the face. Although thestill visible on the those of measurements reflect socket described abovethe base of the altar that the oneit cannot be presumed other. was supported by the has also staircase The same external been built using at least 13 stones that resemble Roman voussoir stones (length: 65cm, widths: taper from 28cm to 22cm); more may be within the stair’s structure. One has four straight tooled lines on one face; each line is about 70mm long and 5mm wide and has been made by a round-ended, iron tool (fig5). Some of the other stones have similar Dr Roger motifs but none as clearly. site but was visited the Tomlin unable to state whether these marks were intended to provide keying for mortar (although this is very different to diamond broaching) or were numeric quarry marks or guides to the builders. There is the question as to where such voussoirs might have originated. A calculation by a civil engineer with Loic Fields, Ove Arup, confirms that, on the presumption that the arch is a constant radius and fills a full 180° the span covered would be about 4.5m. There would be some variation, given that the voussoirs are not precisely the same measurements and it is unknown if the joints would be mortared or not. The 4.5m calculation presumes 20mm mortaring; but 4.5m is an The Wall. unusual span for Hadrian’s six voussoirs known from the Roman bridge at Chesters, the closest likely bridge over a watercourse to West Uppertown, have an average width of 43cm tapering to 35cm; the spans for the Chesters bridge have been calculated as 10.5m. Milecastle gates Roman stones at West Uppertown Farm Uppertown West at stones Roman 58 Archaeology in Northumberland Portable AntiquitiesinNorthumberland common Roman findsandthe After coins,broochesare the most objects areparticularly significant. in thecountymeansthatRoman The presenceofHadrian’s Wall spearhead usingthesideloops. fitted inthesocket andtiedtothe It wouldhavehadawoodenshaft smaller fromrepeatedsharpening. life span,thebladeisnowmuch and largerbut,duetoitslong originally been“leaf-shaped” however thebladewouldhave Itisnearlycomplete, 800 BC. and datestotheperiod1500 one ofonlyfivefromthecounty spearhead (NCL-E6C2CE). Itis to theBronzeAgeincludingthis objects areweaponswhichdate and someoftheearliestmetal database aremadeofmetal Most oftheobjectsonPAS together. hides sothattheycouldbesewn which wereusedtocreateholesin area includingawls(DUR-6B4726) more obviousflinttoolsfromthe mainly projectiles.Therearealso together tocreatecompositetools, worked stonesandtheywereused means thattheyareverysmall objects aremicrolithswhichjust Tyne Valley. Mostofthisgroup of themhavebeenfoundinthe andagroup 9,000 to3,450BC which datetotheperiodabout reported tothePAS areflinttools Some oftheoldestobjects finds.org.uk. Antiquities Schemewebsitewww. all canbeseenonthePortable The objecttypesrangegreatlyand post-medieval andmodernperiods. throughtothe to4,000BC) BC Mesolithic period(about10,000 objects rangeindatefromthe walkers and evengardeners.The there arealsomanyfoundbyfield by metaldetectorists;however 2012. Mostobjectsarestillfound in NorthumberlandsinceJanuary and 906ofthesehavebeenfound recorded itsonemillionthobject Antiquities Scheme(PAS) In September2014,thePortable (see https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/628877). A castcopper-alloy spearheadofMiddle-LateBronzeAge 1cm 1cm id/740382). record/ artefacts/ database/ finds.org.uk/ (see https:// Tyne Valley from the (9000-3450 BC) date of Mesolithic two flintawls A groupof Archaeology in Northumberland 59 1cm 1cm

A cast copper-alloy dragonesque A cast copper-alloy brooch of the early Roman period, dating around AD 50-175 (see https://finds.org.uk/database/ artefacts/record/id/523573). England and Wales with a network with a network England and Wales Liaison Officers. If you of local Finds or someone you know has found an to have artefact that you would like identified or recorded, please contact see Liaison Officer, your local Finds website: www.finds.org.uk. PAS Lauren Proctor Liaison Officer Finds An early Anglo-Saxon pyramidal mount from a sword-scabbard, made from cast from a sword-scabbard, made An early Anglo-Saxon pyramidal mount gilded silver with garnet inlay (see https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/584446). to other objects of a similar date to other objects of a similar date including a , some brooch fragments and a shield boss. Sometimes, small objects can be just as informative and important as larger objects or hoards. In November 2013, an Anglo Saxon was reported object (NCL-925284) This small from north of Hexham. -shaped object turned out to be a silver sword mount with spaces on each side and the top for small garnets. Some of these are however the ones that are missing, still present show that underneath is a thin sheet of cross-hatched gold which shows through the stone. The back of the object is hollow with a bar running from It is unclear one side to the other. what these objects were used for but they were probably attached to a scabbard using a leather thong as an ostentatious show of wealth. These small scabbard mounts are not uncommon finds, with famous from the Sutton Hoo examples burial and the Staffordshire Hoard, example however this is the first from to be reported to the PAS Northumberland. Antiquities Scheme The Portable is still recording finds from across example shown (NCL-2B2544) is is (NCL-2B2544) shown example known as a dragonesque. of a type only complete with It is nearly and, when part of the pin missing have been first made, it would it a very highly polished making . distinctive piece of commonly are type this of Brooches but there found across the country in the north of is a concentration of Scotland. England and south used in the Iron This style is first to Age; however it continues be used into the Roman period. This is particularly interesting as the indigenous art style is found across Roman sites in Britain but often incorporates new techniques brought over from the Continent. Brooches are often used as markers for identity and the combination of the traditional styles with Roman techniques suggests a new sense of being Romano-British. One of the most important finds to be reported in recent years is the Alnwick Sword (NCL-7EF795). The sword dates to the period around AD 550 to 650 and is made through a process called This technique pattern welding. uses strands of different iron alloys which are heated and adhered to the surface of the and once cleaned and polished, this produces an intricate pattern. Due to the skill needed for this process, the result is high status weapons. heated in a this sword was Later, furnace and folded over on itself before being buried. This adds to the significance of this object as it suggests that it was “ritually killed” before being buried in the ground. The obvious effort required for this process means that it was important for the sword to be out of circulation and not taken are many There used any longer. potential reasons for this and one possibility is that the owner died and so his sword was killed in order for it to accompany him in death. It is worth noting that the sword was not found in isolation, but near Portable Antiquities in Northumberland in Antiquities Portable 60 Archaeology in Northumberland EW uk/listing/the-list/) (https://www.historicengland.org. and ontheNationalHeritageList designation-yearbook-2013-14/) uk/images-books/publications/ (https://historicengland.org. 2013-2104 Heritage DesignationYearbook sites canbefoundintheEnglish More informationaboutallthese Monument. enjoys protectionasaScheduled Nunnery. Eachofthesesitesnow site inBerwickidentifiedasLeonard’s (see p31),andamedievalmonastic Blyth, prehistoricrockartpanels Aircraft BatteryatGloucesterLodge, War andColdWar HeavyAnti- site atBamburgh,aSecondWorld They includean18thcenturywreck England asnationallyimportant. recently beenrecognisedbyHistoric A numberofsitesintheCountyhave New designations Photograph: AlanWilliams never tohaverecovered. Halidon Hillin1333andappears Scottish defeatattheBattleof nunnery wassackedafterthe geophysics andexcavation.The recorded fromaerialphotographs, site today, itsremainshavebeen Although littlecanbeseenofthe in 1140byKingDavidofScotland. Berwick-upon-Tweed wasfounded St Leonard’sNunnerysite,

Painting byThomasBushHardyRBA1842-97. by thesandandnotraceremainedexposed. built in,orshortlyafter, 1768.Byearly2014thewreckhadbeenreclaimed Tree-ring studiesofsomethetimbersindicatethatvesselwas probably The woodenvesselisofcarvelconstructionandlayburiedinthesand. The BamburghwreckwasrevealedaftersevereweatherinJune2013. Aerial photographofGloucester LodgeBattery(BKS184001960). are dominatedbytheColdWar remodelling. adapted andre-modelledin1946 andthephysicalremainsthat survive today retained aspartoftheNucleus Force andadaptedforColdWar use.Itwas Gloucester LodgewasoneofonlyafewSecond World War sites LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS Northumberland Conservation contributors: Karen Derham, Annette Reeves, Sara Rushton, Jessica Turner, Liz Williams Other contributors: Phil Abramson Ministry of Defence, Stuart Ainsworth University of Chester, Lindsay Allason-Jones, Phil Bowyer Tynedale North of the Wall Archaeology Group, Brian Buchanan Durham University, Richard Carlton The Archaeological Practice, Jan Frazer Holystone Archaeology Group, Paul Frodsham, Vince Gaffney University of Bradford, Paul Gethin Bamburgh Research Project, Melanie Johnson CFA Archaeology, Chris Jones Northumberland National Park, Rupert Lotherington Archaeological Research Services, Jon McKelvey AD Archaeology, Roger Miket, Warren Muncaster AD Archaeology, John Nolan Northern Counties Archaeological Services, Darren Oliver Durham University, Al Oswald Sheffield University, Lauren Proctor Portable Antiquities Scheme, Martin Railton Wardell Armstrong Archaeology, Peter Ryder, Sarah Semple Durham University, Kate Sharpe, Kate Wilson Historic England Northumberland Conservation can be contacted on the following telephone numbers and email addresses: Chris Burgess & Sara Rushton: Northumberland Conservation Managers and County Archaeologists (job share) Tel: (01670) 622650 Email: [email protected] Nick Best & Karen Derham: Assistant County Archaeologists Development Management and Planning Tel: (01670) 622657 / 622655 Email: [email protected] Sharon Kelly, Annette Reeves & Val Robson: Building Conservation Officers Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Tel: (01670) 622645 / 622659 / 622711 Email: [email protected] Liz Williams: Heritage and Historic Environment Record Officer Historic Environment Record, aerial photographs and historic landscape character Tel: (01670) 622656 Email: [email protected] John Scott: Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site Management Plan Co-ordinator Tel: 07725 957901 Email: [email protected] Northumberland Conservation, Development Services, Planning Economy & Housing, Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF Tel: (01670) 620305, Email: [email protected] Published in 2016 by Northumberland County Council with the support of the Friends of Archaeology in Northumberland www.northumberland.gov.uk/archaeology

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