Hillfort and Old Callaly Castle on Castle Hill (Whittingham and Callaly)
(NU 06080971) Castle Hill. Camp. (1)
Camp. (2)
On the top of the steep wooded Castle Hill are traces of a medieval tower built within a prehistoric camp. In 1415 the castle of Old Callaly was held by Sir John Clavering. The name Old Callaly suggests that the later tower, round which the modern castle was built, was already standing in the valley in 1415, but that the earlier tower on the hill was still used as a place of defence. [Callaly Castle NU 00 NE 2]. (3)
The camp on the conical topped hill, called Castle Hill, is covered with wood and ferns. The shape of the inner ward is nearly a semi-circle, with a diameter of about 100 yards. Area about 3/4 acre. Three of the sides are very precipitous so that a second rampart has not been continued all round, but on the fourth and west side, where the slope is not so rapid, an outer line is continued forming a sort of outer bailey. The ditch towards the west side appears to have been excavated out of the rock, and was about 40 feet wide, flanked by a wall on the opposite side. About 100 paces down the slope was a similar wall. The works appear to have been of considerable strength. They measure more than 21 feet to the bottom of the ditch. The whole fortified space is about 6 acres. (4)
Castle Hill. Oval multiple-ramparted earthwork, approximately 1 1/2 acres at 55 22' 55" N Lat; 1 54' 15" W Long. Later building on site. (5)
Callaly Castle Hill. Type B1 (Forts on hilltops with artificial defences, following the natural line of the hill). (6)
On the north side the slopes are very steep and there is only one rampart, but there are two elsewhere, and there is a third at about 100 yards down the hill on the west side on the more vulnerable side. Two entrances are traceable nearly opposite to each other, that on the west, south-west side is causewayed. The inner rampart is formed in places of roughly squared, built-up stones, sometimes even bedded with lime. The height from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the rampart on the west side is 30 feet. (7)
Callaly Castle Hill 'camp' (County number 259) (Recommended for scheduling). (8)
Situated on the summit of prominent Castle Hill at about 950 feet above sea level the earthwork has excellent natural defences, with very sttep slopes to the north (almost 1:1) and slightly less steep in other directions. There is an uninterrupted all round view and the site is overlooked only from Callaly Crag, about 450m to the south.
The main earthwork on the hilltop is irregularly shaped, defended by a scarped bank to the north and a strong ditch with counterscarp banks on the other sides. There is also an inner rampart with traces of walling in places. Interior features are two rectangular steadings to the north-west, presumably the remains of the medieval tower mentioned by Authy 3. To the west of the main earthwork are two outer annexes.
To the west of the main earthwork, where the ground slopes less steeply are two outer annexes or baileys contained by banks of earth and stone, with traces of walling on the tops of the banks. There are no signs of habitation within the annexes.
The continuity of shape between the north and south-east sides of the main earthwork and the bank forming the inner annexe suggests that this combination may have formed the original earthwork, and that at some later date, possibly for defensive reason in medieval times the perimeter was shortened by cutting a ditch through the rock, roughly bisecting the original area.
There appears to be no convenient source of water, the nearest being a small stream about 500m to the west, and on ground about 350 feet lower. (9)
Listed as pre-Roman Iron Age univallate fort. The annexe may have served as a fold or corral for stock. (10)
Earthwork as described by Authy 9. The bank forming the annexe on the west side is weaker than the main work and does not appear to have been a continuous feature. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (11)
As described. Surveyed at 1:10,000. (12)
NU 0602 0971. Univallate hillfort and medieval tower, 750m E of Callaly Castle. Scheduled RSM No 20973. The irregularly shaped hillfort measures a total of 225m E-W by 115m N-S and exhibits several phases of activity. The main enclosure on the hilltop is roughly sub-rectangular in shape and is 80m E-W by 50m N-S; it is surrounded on three sides by a rock cut ditch 12m-17m wide and 3m-7m deeper than the internal ground level. There is a counterscarp bank 4m wide which rises 2m-3m above the external ground level and an internal bank 3m wide and 0.8m high. The N side of the enclosure is defended by a strongly scarped bank. Two opposing entrances in the E and W sides are carried on causway across the ditch. Within the enclosure there are the remains of two rectangular buildings in the NW corner. They measure 15m x 13m and 15m x 8m. These are interpreted as the remains of Old Callaly Castle known from documentary sources to have been held by Sir John Clavering in 1415. The use of the term Old Callaly suggests that the later tower, around which the present castle (NU 00 NE 2) was built, was already standing in 1415 and that this earlier tower on Castle Hill was retained as a place of defence or a lookout. West of the main enclosure there are two contiguous annexes, the inner one defended by a bank 7m wide giving access to the second, defended by a bank 4m wide. More than one period may be represented by the remains on Castle Hill, and the strong ditch may be a later medieval feature associated with the medieval tower, this being constructed within the earlier defensive system. In the late 19th century several Bronze Age stone coffins were discovered during quarrying on the N side of Castle Hill. (13)
Camp. (2)
On the top of the steep wooded Castle Hill are traces of a medieval tower built within a prehistoric camp. In 1415 the castle of Old Callaly was held by Sir John Clavering. The name Old Callaly suggests that the later tower, round which the modern castle was built, was already standing in the valley in 1415, but that the earlier tower on the hill was still used as a place of defence. [Callaly Castle NU 00 NE 2]. (3)
The camp on the conical topped hill, called Castle Hill, is covered with wood and ferns. The shape of the inner ward is nearly a semi-circle, with a diameter of about 100 yards. Area about 3/4 acre. Three of the sides are very precipitous so that a second rampart has not been continued all round, but on the fourth and west side, where the slope is not so rapid, an outer line is continued forming a sort of outer bailey. The ditch towards the west side appears to have been excavated out of the rock, and was about 40 feet wide, flanked by a wall on the opposite side. About 100 paces down the slope was a similar wall. The works appear to have been of considerable strength. They measure more than 21 feet to the bottom of the ditch. The whole fortified space is about 6 acres. (4)
Castle Hill. Oval multiple-ramparted earthwork, approximately 1 1/2 acres at 55 22' 55" N Lat; 1 54' 15" W Long. Later building on site. (5)
Callaly Castle Hill. Type B1 (Forts on hilltops with artificial defences, following the natural line of the hill). (6)
On the north side the slopes are very steep and there is only one rampart, but there are two elsewhere, and there is a third at about 100 yards down the hill on the west side on the more vulnerable side. Two entrances are traceable nearly opposite to each other, that on the west, south-west side is causewayed. The inner rampart is formed in places of roughly squared, built-up stones, sometimes even bedded with lime. The height from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the rampart on the west side is 30 feet. (7)
Callaly Castle Hill 'camp' (County number 259) (Recommended for scheduling). (8)
Situated on the summit of prominent Castle Hill at about 950 feet above sea level the earthwork has excellent natural defences, with very sttep slopes to the north (almost 1:1) and slightly less steep in other directions. There is an uninterrupted all round view and the site is overlooked only from Callaly Crag, about 450m to the south.
The main earthwork on the hilltop is irregularly shaped, defended by a scarped bank to the north and a strong ditch with counterscarp banks on the other sides. There is also an inner rampart with traces of walling in places. Interior features are two rectangular steadings to the north-west, presumably the remains of the medieval tower mentioned by Authy 3. To the west of the main earthwork are two outer annexes.
To the west of the main earthwork, where the ground slopes less steeply are two outer annexes or baileys contained by banks of earth and stone, with traces of walling on the tops of the banks. There are no signs of habitation within the annexes.
The continuity of shape between the north and south-east sides of the main earthwork and the bank forming the inner annexe suggests that this combination may have formed the original earthwork, and that at some later date, possibly for defensive reason in medieval times the perimeter was shortened by cutting a ditch through the rock, roughly bisecting the original area.
There appears to be no convenient source of water, the nearest being a small stream about 500m to the west, and on ground about 350 feet lower. (9)
Listed as pre-Roman Iron Age univallate fort. The annexe may have served as a fold or corral for stock. (10)
Earthwork as described by Authy 9. The bank forming the annexe on the west side is weaker than the main work and does not appear to have been a continuous feature. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (11)
As described. Surveyed at 1:10,000. (12)
NU 0602 0971. Univallate hillfort and medieval tower, 750m E of Callaly Castle. Scheduled RSM No 20973. The irregularly shaped hillfort measures a total of 225m E-W by 115m N-S and exhibits several phases of activity. The main enclosure on the hilltop is roughly sub-rectangular in shape and is 80m E-W by 50m N-S; it is surrounded on three sides by a rock cut ditch 12m-17m wide and 3m-7m deeper than the internal ground level. There is a counterscarp bank 4m wide which rises 2m-3m above the external ground level and an internal bank 3m wide and 0.8m high. The N side of the enclosure is defended by a strongly scarped bank. Two opposing entrances in the E and W sides are carried on causway across the ditch. Within the enclosure there are the remains of two rectangular buildings in the NW corner. They measure 15m x 13m and 15m x 8m. These are interpreted as the remains of Old Callaly Castle known from documentary sources to have been held by Sir John Clavering in 1415. The use of the term Old Callaly suggests that the later tower, around which the present castle (NU 00 NE 2) was built, was already standing in 1415 and that this earlier tower on Castle Hill was retained as a place of defence or a lookout. West of the main enclosure there are two contiguous annexes, the inner one defended by a bank 7m wide giving access to the second, defended by a bank 4m wide. More than one period may be represented by the remains on Castle Hill, and the strong ditch may be a later medieval feature associated with the medieval tower, this being constructed within the earlier defensive system. In the late 19th century several Bronze Age stone coffins were discovered during quarrying on the N side of Castle Hill. (13)
N2752
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; D A Davies
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1972; D Smith
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1976; I S Sainsbury
FIELD SURVEY, Hill forts and settlements in Northumberland ; G Jobey
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1972; D Smith
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1976; I S Sainsbury
FIELD SURVEY, Hill forts and settlements in Northumberland ; G Jobey
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