Hall Hill Farm (Longframlington)
[Centred NU 13180091] Camp. (1)
'The site of an old British [crossed through in another ink] Camp, situated about 7 chains south east of the church. Hall Hill is within the site of the camp'. [No authority is given for the type 'EC' representing the Roman period]. (2)
Hall Hill. A rectangular earthwork with single rampart. (3)
Hall Hill is said to be on the site of a Roman camp. Its situation makes this probable but the traces are slight.
The form is a rectangle measuring about 110 yards by 90 yards with the farmhouse standing in the south east corner. The north west angle of the camp has been destroyed but there are faint traces of the other three angles.
Within the camp is a spot called the Evergreen, an oval shaped entrenchment measuring about 50 yards by 20 yards; it was perhaps originally rectangular. Writers have described this feature as a mount and the present [1864] tenant can remember alterations to this part. Foundations of a building are visible on a little oblong mount about 12 x 6 yards. Opinion is that there are only the remains of a dovecote round which was a fishpond.
The existence of a Roman station must be considered doubtful, although there are indications, that the site has been fortified. The name 'Hall' would suggest the existence of a residence of which possibly the very thick walls of the present house are the remains. (4)
Hall Hill is supposed to have been built on the site of a Roman post. The remains of a triple entrenchment encircle the farmhouse. There is also a small enclosure called the Evergreen, containing the foundations of a building. Traces of platforms, on which cannon seem to have been planted are still [184*] visible on the south, north and east sides.
About 20 years ago several large stones, with a newly cut appearance were dug up at this place. (5)(6)
Hall Hill, the supposed site of a Roman station, with the remains of a triple entrenchment still visible. At Evergreen, nearby, are foundations of a building, thought to be a fort. (7)
Plan [Outline of rectangular enclosure shown by pecked line, indicating that there are little or no remains]. (8)
The farm of Hall Hill is situated on the summit of a rise about 500 feet above sea level. The ground falls away sharply to the south and there is an excellent view in this direction.
Traces of the earthwork are slight and their origin uncertain. A low mound to the west of the farmhouse is probably the Evergreen referred to by authority (4) but no building foundations are visible here or elsewhere in the area. The three parallel banks in the pasture field south of the farm appear to represent the 'triple entrenchment' referred to by authorities (5)(6) and (7) but their antiquity must be considered doubtful. They are very slight and may be associated with adjoining ridge and furrow ploughing or mark the line of an old trackway. In other places the traces of the earthwork are slight and their identification doubtful.
To the west of the farmhouse is a small outbuilding, access to which is by a Tudor-type doorway inscribed with the date '1667'. The doorway is obviously not in situ and is probably a relic of an older building which preceded the present farm. The existing farmhouse, quite modern and with walls not exceeding 0.7m in thickness, is in a commanding position and may well occupy the site of this earlier building. The name Hall Hill suggests that the former building was of some importance. Apart from the doorway no other traces of this building remains, although the adjacent field walls contain some dressed stones. There is a local tradition that a Covenanter once lived here and that the doorway is that of a Presbyterian chapel.
Apart from its high situation and the rectangular form described by authorities (4 and (8) there is no evidence of a Roman origin. If the three parallel banks to the south are part of the earthwork their situation on the lower parts of a southern slope show them to be of a non-defensive character. The other remains are too slight for any definite conclusions to be drawn. It seems likely that a building (of which the doorway inscribed '1667' is part) stood here and it is considered possible that the earthwork is merely a precinct boundary associated with this building and intended for the exclusion of animals. (9)
Listed as a rectilinear site, but unclassified. (10)
There is now nothing on the ground on which to base an appraisal of this earthwork. If MacLauchlan's representation of the remains as he saw them is correct, then the so-called 'triple entrenchment' (now virtually ploughed out) formed no part of it. For topographical reasons alone this is reasonable, and it would clearly not support the Roman tradition, which also appears to have arisen with Mackenzie.
The mound to the west of the farmhouse is still discernible. It obviously was not an integral part of the earthwork, but is a logical support for a dovecote or similar type of building. The whole site appears to be intimately connected with the 17th century predecessor of Hall Hill, and while the possibility of an earlier origin for the accompanying earthwork cannot be discounted it nevertheless seems unlikely. (11)
Planning permission granted for housing development on the site in 1990. Site developed in 1993; trial trenches dug by Bill Ford during initial works. (12)
Prior to the Doctor's Surgery, a small excavation was undertaken by local residents on the site of the former abattoir. A deep stone lined posthole was found with the stump of a post in situ. The foundations of the Surgery uncovered a ditch (Neolithic?) of which the posthole was believed to be part. The remainder of the site is believed to lie under the farm. (13)
This site has been re-classified as part of RCHME Roman Camps in England Project. Rejected as a camp. No survey action. (14a)
'The site of an old British [crossed through in another ink] Camp, situated about 7 chains south east of the church. Hall Hill is within the site of the camp'. [No authority is given for the type 'EC' representing the Roman period]. (2)
Hall Hill. A rectangular earthwork with single rampart. (3)
Hall Hill is said to be on the site of a Roman camp. Its situation makes this probable but the traces are slight.
The form is a rectangle measuring about 110 yards by 90 yards with the farmhouse standing in the south east corner. The north west angle of the camp has been destroyed but there are faint traces of the other three angles.
Within the camp is a spot called the Evergreen, an oval shaped entrenchment measuring about 50 yards by 20 yards; it was perhaps originally rectangular. Writers have described this feature as a mount and the present [1864] tenant can remember alterations to this part. Foundations of a building are visible on a little oblong mount about 12 x 6 yards. Opinion is that there are only the remains of a dovecote round which was a fishpond.
The existence of a Roman station must be considered doubtful, although there are indications, that the site has been fortified. The name 'Hall' would suggest the existence of a residence of which possibly the very thick walls of the present house are the remains. (4)
Hall Hill is supposed to have been built on the site of a Roman post. The remains of a triple entrenchment encircle the farmhouse. There is also a small enclosure called the Evergreen, containing the foundations of a building. Traces of platforms, on which cannon seem to have been planted are still [184*] visible on the south, north and east sides.
About 20 years ago several large stones, with a newly cut appearance were dug up at this place. (5)(6)
Hall Hill, the supposed site of a Roman station, with the remains of a triple entrenchment still visible. At Evergreen, nearby, are foundations of a building, thought to be a fort. (7)
Plan [Outline of rectangular enclosure shown by pecked line, indicating that there are little or no remains]. (8)
The farm of Hall Hill is situated on the summit of a rise about 500 feet above sea level. The ground falls away sharply to the south and there is an excellent view in this direction.
Traces of the earthwork are slight and their origin uncertain. A low mound to the west of the farmhouse is probably the Evergreen referred to by authority (4) but no building foundations are visible here or elsewhere in the area. The three parallel banks in the pasture field south of the farm appear to represent the 'triple entrenchment' referred to by authorities (5)(6) and (7) but their antiquity must be considered doubtful. They are very slight and may be associated with adjoining ridge and furrow ploughing or mark the line of an old trackway. In other places the traces of the earthwork are slight and their identification doubtful.
To the west of the farmhouse is a small outbuilding, access to which is by a Tudor-type doorway inscribed with the date '1667'. The doorway is obviously not in situ and is probably a relic of an older building which preceded the present farm. The existing farmhouse, quite modern and with walls not exceeding 0.7m in thickness, is in a commanding position and may well occupy the site of this earlier building. The name Hall Hill suggests that the former building was of some importance. Apart from the doorway no other traces of this building remains, although the adjacent field walls contain some dressed stones. There is a local tradition that a Covenanter once lived here and that the doorway is that of a Presbyterian chapel.
Apart from its high situation and the rectangular form described by authorities (4 and (8) there is no evidence of a Roman origin. If the three parallel banks to the south are part of the earthwork their situation on the lower parts of a southern slope show them to be of a non-defensive character. The other remains are too slight for any definite conclusions to be drawn. It seems likely that a building (of which the doorway inscribed '1667' is part) stood here and it is considered possible that the earthwork is merely a precinct boundary associated with this building and intended for the exclusion of animals. (9)
Listed as a rectilinear site, but unclassified. (10)
There is now nothing on the ground on which to base an appraisal of this earthwork. If MacLauchlan's representation of the remains as he saw them is correct, then the so-called 'triple entrenchment' (now virtually ploughed out) formed no part of it. For topographical reasons alone this is reasonable, and it would clearly not support the Roman tradition, which also appears to have arisen with Mackenzie.
The mound to the west of the farmhouse is still discernible. It obviously was not an integral part of the earthwork, but is a logical support for a dovecote or similar type of building. The whole site appears to be intimately connected with the 17th century predecessor of Hall Hill, and while the possibility of an earlier origin for the accompanying earthwork cannot be discounted it nevertheless seems unlikely. (11)
Planning permission granted for housing development on the site in 1990. Site developed in 1993; trial trenches dug by Bill Ford during initial works. (12)
Prior to the Doctor's Surgery, a small excavation was undertaken by local residents on the site of the former abattoir. A deep stone lined posthole was found with the stump of a post in situ. The foundations of the Surgery uncovered a ditch (Neolithic?) of which the posthole was believed to be part. The remainder of the site is believed to lie under the farm. (13)
This site has been re-classified as part of RCHME Roman Camps in England Project. Rejected as a camp. No survey action. (14a)
N4287
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; E Geary
FIELD SURVEY, Rectilinear earthworks in Northumberland: some Medieval and Later settlements 1960
FIELD SURVEY, Rectilinear earthworks in Northumberland: some Medieval and Later settlements 1960
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