Tinkler's Dene hillfort (Whittingham and Callaly)
[Centred NU 04930879] Camp. (1)
Rabbit Hall, or Hill, camp is so destroyed in parts that its original shape is scarcely discernible. It was an oval, the north-east and south-west diameter about 90 yards, and the north-west and south-east, about 65 yards. It has had an agger of rude stones and turf, with a ditch. The former on the eastern side for a few yards very plain, being from 2 to 4 feet high. Round the other parts of the camp, the ditch and agger are to be followed, but much defaced. (a)(2)
Rabbit Hall. Oval single ramparted earthwork, approximately 1 acre. (3)
Rabbit Hall (Dancing Hall) Type B2 (Forts on high ground less dependent on natural slopes for protection). (4)
Situated in bracken covered moorland, immediately above the 500 foot contour line on the near-level shoulder of a general north-west slope, the earthwork has steep natural slopes (approx 1:4) to its immediate north-west. 'Dead ground' to the immediate south-east however greatly reduces the defensive value of the site. It commands a good view of a valley to the north-west, but is overlooked by higher ground from both the east and the south.
Roughly oval in shape the earthwork is bounded by a single rampart of earth and stones and has entrances on the south-west and north-east sides, the former having one terminal turned slightly outwards.
The only features visible in the bracken covered interior are two roughly circular 'scooped' areas, and a slight lynchet bank which appears to have demarcated the edge of a track joining the two entrances.
The situation, and the absence of any definite traces of habitation indicate that its purpose was possibly for stock enclosing. There is no evidence for dating and no significant field names appear to have survived.
The nearest source of water is a small stream approximately 90m to the north-east. (5)
Listed as pre-Roman Iron Age univallate [forts, settlements and enclosures]. (6)
Temporarily by-passed owing to thick bracken cover. (7)
Situated on a natural terrace on the crest of a north west facing ridge the work is overlooked to the east, but takes defensive advantage of the steep drop to the west and a deep gulley, Tinkler's Dene, that crosses to the north.
Measuring overall c.85m NE-SW by c.60m transversely, the single rampart (maximum height 1.5m) that exists on the north, east and south is well preserved, except for a modern cut at the SW corner, and general lowering along the east side. On the west side, the natural scarp appears to have been slightly cut back to afford greater defence. A simple butt-ended entrance exists on the NE side.
The slight depression (maximum depth 0.2m) of an external ditch surrounds the north and south arcs of the work, but no trace was found on the least protected east side where a ditch once existed according to Authority 2.
Within the NW corner of the rough grassed interior are two roughly circular contiguous 'scoops' probably hut sites. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. (8)
NU 0492 0879. Tinker's Dene univallate hillfort 400m NE of Dancing Hall Farm. Scheduled RSM No 20992. A defended settlement of Iron Age date, roughly oval in shape and measuring 70m NE-SW by 50m NW-SE within a single rampart 8m wide and 1.5m high. The natural scarp on the W side of the enclosure has been cut back to emphasise the defensive position. Traces of an external ditch 4m wide are visible on the N side of the site; elsewhere this feature has been infilled. Within the N end of the enclosure there are two circular hollows which are interpreted as the sites of prehistoric round houses. (9)
NU 049 087. Rabbit Hall. Listed in gazetteer as a univallate hillfort covering 0.24ha. (10a)
Rabbit Hall, or Hill, camp is so destroyed in parts that its original shape is scarcely discernible. It was an oval, the north-east and south-west diameter about 90 yards, and the north-west and south-east, about 65 yards. It has had an agger of rude stones and turf, with a ditch. The former on the eastern side for a few yards very plain, being from 2 to 4 feet high. Round the other parts of the camp, the ditch and agger are to be followed, but much defaced. (a)(2)
Rabbit Hall. Oval single ramparted earthwork, approximately 1 acre. (3)
Rabbit Hall (Dancing Hall) Type B2 (Forts on high ground less dependent on natural slopes for protection). (4)
Situated in bracken covered moorland, immediately above the 500 foot contour line on the near-level shoulder of a general north-west slope, the earthwork has steep natural slopes (approx 1:4) to its immediate north-west. 'Dead ground' to the immediate south-east however greatly reduces the defensive value of the site. It commands a good view of a valley to the north-west, but is overlooked by higher ground from both the east and the south.
Roughly oval in shape the earthwork is bounded by a single rampart of earth and stones and has entrances on the south-west and north-east sides, the former having one terminal turned slightly outwards.
The only features visible in the bracken covered interior are two roughly circular 'scooped' areas, and a slight lynchet bank which appears to have demarcated the edge of a track joining the two entrances.
The situation, and the absence of any definite traces of habitation indicate that its purpose was possibly for stock enclosing. There is no evidence for dating and no significant field names appear to have survived.
The nearest source of water is a small stream approximately 90m to the north-east. (5)
Listed as pre-Roman Iron Age univallate [forts, settlements and enclosures]. (6)
Temporarily by-passed owing to thick bracken cover. (7)
Situated on a natural terrace on the crest of a north west facing ridge the work is overlooked to the east, but takes defensive advantage of the steep drop to the west and a deep gulley, Tinkler's Dene, that crosses to the north.
Measuring overall c.85m NE-SW by c.60m transversely, the single rampart (maximum height 1.5m) that exists on the north, east and south is well preserved, except for a modern cut at the SW corner, and general lowering along the east side. On the west side, the natural scarp appears to have been slightly cut back to afford greater defence. A simple butt-ended entrance exists on the NE side.
The slight depression (maximum depth 0.2m) of an external ditch surrounds the north and south arcs of the work, but no trace was found on the least protected east side where a ditch once existed according to Authority 2.
Within the NW corner of the rough grassed interior are two roughly circular contiguous 'scoops' probably hut sites. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. (8)
NU 0492 0879. Tinker's Dene univallate hillfort 400m NE of Dancing Hall Farm. Scheduled RSM No 20992. A defended settlement of Iron Age date, roughly oval in shape and measuring 70m NE-SW by 50m NW-SE within a single rampart 8m wide and 1.5m high. The natural scarp on the W side of the enclosure has been cut back to emphasise the defensive position. Traces of an external ditch 4m wide are visible on the N side of the site; elsewhere this feature has been infilled. Within the N end of the enclosure there are two circular hollows which are interpreted as the sites of prehistoric round houses. (9)
NU 049 087. Rabbit Hall. Listed in gazetteer as a univallate hillfort covering 0.24ha. (10a)
N2734
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1959; D A Davies
FIELD SURVEY, Hill forts and settlements in Northumberland ; G Jobey
FIELD SURVEY, Hill forts and settlements in Northumberland ; G Jobey
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