Iron Age defended settlement near Wood House (Hedgeley)
(NU 09291781) Camp. (1)
No sign of internal occupation, but a number of very earthfast blocks of stone. Ramparts of earth and stone, some of the latter immense. Doubtful whether outer (3rd) wall was carried round the west side which is steep. At northwest quadrant outer wall seems to have curved inwards, possibly to form an entrance. (2)
An oval camp with an ancient road plainly traceable up the hill to it; nearby are circular ruins which may be foundations of small rude huts. (3)
Entrances at WNW and ESE with a circle of stones at south-west corner 40 feet in diameter. (4)
This triple ramparted earthwork is situated on the highest part of undulating moorland with a good defensive position on the north and west sides - the east and south sides face the gently sloping moorland.
The ramparts are made of stones and earth and there are no ditches as aids to defence. The inner bank is by far the strongest - 4m to 10m in width and from 1m to 2m high.
The outer two ramparts form well defined outer annexes which could be utilised as stock enclosures - these ramparts have an average width of 4m and average height of 1.2m. At the NE and NW angles of the outer annex there are upright stones forming barriers - the latter is well defined and lies in close relation to the entrance through the inner and intermediate ramparts - it acts as a form of guide to the entrance. At the outer side of the inner rampart is a large block of stone which demarcates the NW entrance: another entrance at the SE side is also lined by large stones. The circle of stones at the SW corner is natural rock outcrop.
The 'ancient road' leads up the hill from the NW in a south easterly direction from NU 09241799 to NU 09411787; it is a well formed hollow way 5m wide but has steep sides and could be of a late date and have no connection with the earthwork.
The earthwork is considered a defensive habitation site with outer annexes and is proabably native in origin. (5)
There is one internal hut circle visible within this earthwork measuring 8m in diameter, and having walling visible at ground level. There is no adjacent apparent water supply.
'Circular ruins' as quoted by Hodgson are actually rock outcrop - prevelant in this region. (6)
Listed as pre-Roman Iron Age mutivallate (forts, settlements and enclosures). (7)
A multivallate hill fort generally in good condition, but obscured by re-afforestation. Published survey (25 inch) revised. (8)
NU 0929 1781. Multivallate defended settlement 350m NE of Wood House. Scheduled RSM No 21021. A roughly oval enclosure 50m SW-NE within triple ramparts of earth and stone, the strongest, inner, example being 4m to 10m wide and 2m high. On average the two outer ramparts, which form stock annexes, are 4m wide and 1.2m high. Entrances lie in the NW and SE quadrants and are lined with large stones. Within the enclosure are the stone foundations of a single round house 8m in diameter; others may survive beneath the dense vegetation. (9)
A survey of the hillfort was carried out in March 1998 by The Archaeological Practice. This aimed to establish the full extent of the earthworks of the hillfort; provide a boundary around the hillfort to demarcate an area of proposed tree felling; and prepare an updated plan of the hillfort. The hillfort was seen not to extend any further than had been previously indicated by G Jobey, the only omission being the northern portion of the inner rampart. The survey was conducted as part of a management plan and ahead of the possible development of the hillfort as an educational resource. (10)
An Iron Age multivallate hillfort, centred at NU 0929 1781, is visible as an earthwork on air photographs. The hillfort is defensively situated at 213m OD on a hill with steep slopes to the west and north, but sloping more gently to the east and south. It consists of two contemporary earthwork ramparts and one possibly later outer enclosure bank. The inner-most rampart is 'D' shaped and encloses an area 0.18ha. It is 4m wide. There are potential entrances on the north-west and north-east sides (being continuous through each rampart). The second rampart is of similar shape to the first but measures 94.8m by 65m (0.30ha), and 4m wide. The outermost enclosure maintains an entrance in its north-west corner and lies on the very top of the hill slope. It is rectilinear and orientated south-west/north-east. It measures at least 184m by 109m, and is 2.5m wide. The east side is not completely visible. A hollow way (NU 01 NE 46) bisects the outer enclosure to the north-east. (11)
A management plan made in 1997 by Northumberland FWAG for the Beanley Farm Partnership made a number of suggestions for the management, enhancement and interpretation of the hillfort. These involve the selective clearance of trees from the area and such removal to involve the lifting and carrying of the trees away. (12)
General association with HER 21244. (13)
No sign of internal occupation, but a number of very earthfast blocks of stone. Ramparts of earth and stone, some of the latter immense. Doubtful whether outer (3rd) wall was carried round the west side which is steep. At northwest quadrant outer wall seems to have curved inwards, possibly to form an entrance. (2)
An oval camp with an ancient road plainly traceable up the hill to it; nearby are circular ruins which may be foundations of small rude huts. (3)
Entrances at WNW and ESE with a circle of stones at south-west corner 40 feet in diameter. (4)
This triple ramparted earthwork is situated on the highest part of undulating moorland with a good defensive position on the north and west sides - the east and south sides face the gently sloping moorland.
The ramparts are made of stones and earth and there are no ditches as aids to defence. The inner bank is by far the strongest - 4m to 10m in width and from 1m to 2m high.
The outer two ramparts form well defined outer annexes which could be utilised as stock enclosures - these ramparts have an average width of 4m and average height of 1.2m. At the NE and NW angles of the outer annex there are upright stones forming barriers - the latter is well defined and lies in close relation to the entrance through the inner and intermediate ramparts - it acts as a form of guide to the entrance. At the outer side of the inner rampart is a large block of stone which demarcates the NW entrance: another entrance at the SE side is also lined by large stones. The circle of stones at the SW corner is natural rock outcrop.
The 'ancient road' leads up the hill from the NW in a south easterly direction from NU 09241799 to NU 09411787; it is a well formed hollow way 5m wide but has steep sides and could be of a late date and have no connection with the earthwork.
The earthwork is considered a defensive habitation site with outer annexes and is proabably native in origin. (5)
There is one internal hut circle visible within this earthwork measuring 8m in diameter, and having walling visible at ground level. There is no adjacent apparent water supply.
'Circular ruins' as quoted by Hodgson are actually rock outcrop - prevelant in this region. (6)
Listed as pre-Roman Iron Age mutivallate (forts, settlements and enclosures). (7)
A multivallate hill fort generally in good condition, but obscured by re-afforestation. Published survey (25 inch) revised. (8)
NU 0929 1781. Multivallate defended settlement 350m NE of Wood House. Scheduled RSM No 21021. A roughly oval enclosure 50m SW-NE within triple ramparts of earth and stone, the strongest, inner, example being 4m to 10m wide and 2m high. On average the two outer ramparts, which form stock annexes, are 4m wide and 1.2m high. Entrances lie in the NW and SE quadrants and are lined with large stones. Within the enclosure are the stone foundations of a single round house 8m in diameter; others may survive beneath the dense vegetation. (9)
A survey of the hillfort was carried out in March 1998 by The Archaeological Practice. This aimed to establish the full extent of the earthworks of the hillfort; provide a boundary around the hillfort to demarcate an area of proposed tree felling; and prepare an updated plan of the hillfort. The hillfort was seen not to extend any further than had been previously indicated by G Jobey, the only omission being the northern portion of the inner rampart. The survey was conducted as part of a management plan and ahead of the possible development of the hillfort as an educational resource. (10)
An Iron Age multivallate hillfort, centred at NU 0929 1781, is visible as an earthwork on air photographs. The hillfort is defensively situated at 213m OD on a hill with steep slopes to the west and north, but sloping more gently to the east and south. It consists of two contemporary earthwork ramparts and one possibly later outer enclosure bank. The inner-most rampart is 'D' shaped and encloses an area 0.18ha. It is 4m wide. There are potential entrances on the north-west and north-east sides (being continuous through each rampart). The second rampart is of similar shape to the first but measures 94.8m by 65m (0.30ha), and 4m wide. The outermost enclosure maintains an entrance in its north-west corner and lies on the very top of the hill slope. It is rectilinear and orientated south-west/north-east. It measures at least 184m by 109m, and is 2.5m wide. The east side is not completely visible. A hollow way (NU 01 NE 46) bisects the outer enclosure to the north-east. (11)
A management plan made in 1997 by Northumberland FWAG for the Beanley Farm Partnership made a number of suggestions for the management, enhancement and interpretation of the hillfort. These involve the selective clearance of trees from the area and such removal to involve the lifting and carrying of the trees away. (12)
General association with HER 21244. (13)
N3146
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1955; E Geary
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1970; B H Pritchard
MANAGEMENT SURVEY, Management Plan: Beanley Plantation Hillfort & Cist 1997; Northumberland FWAG
FIELD SURVEY, see Event 14779 1998; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY, Beanley Hillfort 1998; The Archaeological Practice
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, English Heritage: Till Tweed NMP 2003; English Heritage
MEASURED SURVEY, RCHME: Beanley Moor Survey ; RCHME
FIELD SURVEY, Hill forts and settlements in Northumberland ; G Jobey
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1970; B H Pritchard
MANAGEMENT SURVEY, Management Plan: Beanley Plantation Hillfort & Cist 1997; Northumberland FWAG
FIELD SURVEY, see Event 14779 1998; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY, Beanley Hillfort 1998; The Archaeological Practice
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, English Heritage: Till Tweed NMP 2003; English Heritage
MEASURED SURVEY, RCHME: Beanley Moor Survey ; RCHME
FIELD SURVEY, Hill forts and settlements in Northumberland ; G Jobey
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