Aerial view of Lordenshaws Iron Age hillfort. Photo © Tim Gates.

(NZ 05489925) Camp, Hut circles. (1)

The fort at Lordenshaws stands at a height of about 800ft above sea level, on a north east spur of the Simonside Hills. The ground falls away, steep on all sides except the south west; and on the north west and south east, about a quarter of a mile from the camp, the area is bounded by marshy valleys.
The camp itself is roughly circular, about 450ft overall diameter. The defences, where complete, are composed of an inner bank about 30ft overall width, with a vertical height of 4 to 6ft on the outer scarp; then a berm about 10ft wide, two ditches 1 to 3ft deep, an outer bank
and ditch, and a counterscarp bank; the overall width of these works is about 120ft.
There are entrances in the east and west sides. In their original state each entrance seems to have been formed by gateways 8 or 10ft wide passing through ramparts and connected by a track 15 or 20ft wide bounded by low stone walls.
The central area, about 200ft in diameter, contains the remains of at least four circular huts; originally probably more. In the south west quarter of the inner bank four huts have been constructed in the material of the rampart. Of these, one at least is rectangular. In the south east quadrant it appears (although certainty is not possible without excavation) that the ditches have been levelled and enclosures with two circular huts have at a later date been constructed.
To the south west of the earthwork, where the approach is easiest, is an additional defence about 5ft high, protecting an area free from any remains of huts; and about 800ft from the camp a dyke of about 30ft overall width and 4ft high seems to have extended right across the hill between the two valleys.
The camp lies at the junction of four ancient trackways. That which ran north east along the ridge is destroyed near the camp. They are all of the same character, with a flat bottom 10-15ft wide bounded on either side by low stone walls or forming a hollow way, the sides of which seem sometimes to have been revetted.
The features of this work indicate that the chief business of the occupants was raising stock. The site is very similar to Y Bwlwarcau, Glamorganshire.
Type B1 (Forts on hill tops with artificial defences following the natural line of the hill). (2)

The large area between the two lines of defence has been subdivided and appears to have been used as a stock enclosure. One of the sub-divisions contains two hut circles.
The protected passage ways of the entrances are possibly a prototype of the medieval barbican. The eastern gateway which is the most elaborate has a hollow way 4 to 9ft deep leading up to it. Traces of a road are visible between the eastern ands western entrances.
Within the inner rampart are the remains of several hut circles, two of which have been excavated. The larger one, 19ft in diameter has an encircling wall, about 2ft high, formed carefully of freestone slabs. The inner rampart encloses an area of 1.282 acres. (3)

For details of measurements etc, see map diagram. (4)

Lordenshaws - listed under pre-Roman Iron Age multivallate forts, settlements and enclosures with a later or overlying settlement of round stone huts. (5)

The fort (resurveyed at 1:2500) is as described by previous authorities, except that the feature noted by Dodds as forming an annexe to the south west is not a bank and ditch per se, but a hollow way. It appears to pre-date the remainder of the system however (see aerial photograph and survey), and its context is uncertain.
The complex of stone huts and enclosures overlying the fort is fairly typical of local Romano-British settlement. (6)

Lordenshaws hillfort and Romano-British settlement. A good example of multivallate hillfort with three ramparts and ditches and outer counterscarp bank. East entrance may be associated with later Romano-British settlement. Romano-British phase represented by secondary stone huts and walls in the fort interior and partly obliterating and overlying the south east defences. (7)

Lordenshaws (NZ 054993). Hillfort and overlying settlement. Defences composed of an inner mound, two ditches, outer bank and ditch and counterscarp bank. May be of more than one phase. Later settlement of round stone huts in south east quarter of fort. (8)

Scheduled. (9)

NZ 054 993. Lordenshaws. Listed in a gazetteer of British hillforts as a multivallate structure enclosing 0.28ha. (10a)

A survey of Lordenshaws hillfort and its environs was undertaken by RCHME in December 1990 at the request of Northumberland National Park. Published account. (10b)

NZ 055 992. Cup and ring marked rocks, stone rows, tumuli, cairns and Garleigh Hill stone circles and Lordenshaw camp, Hesleyhurst. Scheduled No ND/86. (10c)