Possible Roman period native settlement at Mitford Steads South (Mitford)
'NZ 173839' Mitford Steads South. A crop-mark enclosure lying on a ridge slightly to the east of the highest point at an altitude of 340ft. It comprises two rectangular enclosures concentrically placed. The outer one has slightly bowed sides and fairly sharp corners and measures 300ft by 350ft.
The inner enclosure is in the region of 150 ft square, and has an entrance midway on the east side.
There are faint traces of what may be a circular timber-built structure within the inner enclosure, and further divisions in the wide interval between the enclosures on the south west. Nothing is visible on the ground, but there is a hollow area in the field on the north side of the central enclosure.
(Listed under rectangular enclosures some of which may fall into the pattern of Romano-British rectilinear settlements). (1)(2)
Site under the plough. No surface indications or finds. Nothing can be added to Jobey's assessment of the crop-mark, and a tentative assignment to the rectilinear type of native settlement seems justified.
A second enclosure visible on the aerial photograph at NZ 17378386 is traceable on the ground, but it appears to be no more than part of a drainage system. (3)
Enclosure visible on oblique aerial photograph. (4)
Visible on GoogleEarth aerial photograph. (5)
Site also visible on Google Earth aerial photography of 14 July 2006. (6)
A near square enclosure centred within a larger rectilinear enclosure and nearby linear ditches that may be the remains of field boundaries are all visible as cropmarks and occasionally as germination marks on air photos. The inner enclosure is defined by a broad ditch and has angular but not sharp corners. It measures 38x38m. A gap near the middle of its eastern side is likely to mark an entrance. An L-shaped ditch divides off the south-east quadrant of this enclosure. Amorphous cropmarks in the south-west corner and straddling the northern side may be wear hollows associated with structures such as huts or animal pens.
The cropmark of the outer enclosure suggests it had a narrower ditch than the inner enclosure. The outer enclosure has slightly convex sides and measures approximately 123x121m at its widest points. A gap along its eastern edge may also indicate an entrance as in line with the one into the inner enclosure.
A short ditch extends northwards from the northern side of the outer enclosure and is parallel with another approximately 250m to the west, these may be part of a field system that was contemporary with the enclosures.
As noted above the enclosure is located on a low ridge with the landing away to north towards Park Burn and the River Wansbeck.
These feature are likely to be of Iron Age and/or Roman date. (7) (8)
The inner enclosure is in the region of 150 ft square, and has an entrance midway on the east side.
There are faint traces of what may be a circular timber-built structure within the inner enclosure, and further divisions in the wide interval between the enclosures on the south west. Nothing is visible on the ground, but there is a hollow area in the field on the north side of the central enclosure.
(Listed under rectangular enclosures some of which may fall into the pattern of Romano-British rectilinear settlements). (1)(2)
Site under the plough. No surface indications or finds. Nothing can be added to Jobey's assessment of the crop-mark, and a tentative assignment to the rectilinear type of native settlement seems justified.
A second enclosure visible on the aerial photograph at NZ 17378386 is traceable on the ground, but it appears to be no more than part of a drainage system. (3)
Enclosure visible on oblique aerial photograph. (4)
Visible on GoogleEarth aerial photograph. (5)
Site also visible on Google Earth aerial photography of 14 July 2006. (6)
A near square enclosure centred within a larger rectilinear enclosure and nearby linear ditches that may be the remains of field boundaries are all visible as cropmarks and occasionally as germination marks on air photos. The inner enclosure is defined by a broad ditch and has angular but not sharp corners. It measures 38x38m. A gap near the middle of its eastern side is likely to mark an entrance. An L-shaped ditch divides off the south-east quadrant of this enclosure. Amorphous cropmarks in the south-west corner and straddling the northern side may be wear hollows associated with structures such as huts or animal pens.
The cropmark of the outer enclosure suggests it had a narrower ditch than the inner enclosure. The outer enclosure has slightly convex sides and measures approximately 123x121m at its widest points. A gap along its eastern edge may also indicate an entrance as in line with the one into the inner enclosure.
A short ditch extends northwards from the northern side of the outer enclosure and is parallel with another approximately 250m to the west, these may be part of a field system that was contemporary with the enclosures.
As noted above the enclosure is located on a low ridge with the landing away to north towards Park Burn and the River Wansbeck.
These feature are likely to be of Iron Age and/or Roman date. (7) (8)
N11272
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; D Smith
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