Camp 500yds north west of Chesterhill (Newton-on-the-Moor and Swarland)
[Centred at NU 16110439] Camp. (1)
On Felton Common neat the homestead called Chesterhill there is a large entrenchment.
Camp much dilapidated, single vallum and ditch of oval shape, being 100 paces east-west and 80 north-south with entrance on east. Stones visible in rampart. In 1800 while ploughing within the camp ditch a piece of iron a yard long (similar to a poker) was found. Several foundations are inside the entrenchment. (a)(1)
Within the interior, and on the west of the exterior, rampart are traces of dwellings, but so indistinct that little can be deduced from them. About 20 yards from the outer rampart on the south side are faint traces of a fence which may have been part of the defences of the camp. There is a spring 180 yards to the north which could have been the water supply. (2)
This earthwork is situated on the summit of a gentle rise with an extensive view in all directions.
It has been mutilated in places by modern quarrying and a hedge but in its original form it probably consisted of a rampart with an outer ditch and outer bank.
The entrance on the west side has traces of internal defences, although the outer bank to the north suggests a form of passage entrance. On the east side is a break in the rampart apparently caused by modern quarrying.
In the south west corner of the earthwork are two enclosures forming annexes on both sides of the main rampart. Superficially these annexes appear as a single enclosure overlaid by the larger earthwork, but the junctions of the banks do not coincide and no conclusions can be made without excavation.
There are two probable hut circles within the main enclosure. That which is attached to the north east side of the inner annexe has no trace of an entrance, but the other has an entrance on the north side. On the north west side of the outer annexe is a rectangular enclosure, the banks of which contain several undressed stones.
The 'traces of a fence' mentioned in T2 appears to be an old field bank and there is no indication that it formed part of the outer defences.
The spring mentioned in T2 was not seen, but at the time of investigation the area was covered with frozen snow with drifts in places up to two feet deep. The whole area is under pasture.
Although situated on the summit of a slight hill the natural and artificial defences are very weak. No conclusions could be made regarding the age or purpose of this earthwork, but the find mentioned in T2 which may have been a currency bar, suggests that the earthwork possibly has an Iron Age association. (3)
'This feature is in an undulating grass field and its individual characteristics are fairly easy to ascertain'. (4)
A much mutilated, sub-circular enclosure, the inner rampart of which has now been reduced to an outward-facing scarp only, except on the north and north west sides. The ditch appears to have been a continuous feature around the south west arc, at which point a strong outer bank provides additional protection. The internal remains noted by F1 are no longer intelligible, while those on the exterior have also been mutilated, so that their original form and purpose are obscure.
As stated by F1, the work is not strong defensively, but in form and construction generally, it would appear to be of pre-Roman/Iron Age date. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (5)
SAM management agreement, 10-May-1989 to 09-May-1994. (6)
Scheduled. (7)
NU 161 044. Camp 500yds (460m) NW of Chesterhill. Scheduled No ND/367. (8a)
On Felton Common neat the homestead called Chesterhill there is a large entrenchment.
Camp much dilapidated, single vallum and ditch of oval shape, being 100 paces east-west and 80 north-south with entrance on east. Stones visible in rampart. In 1800 while ploughing within the camp ditch a piece of iron a yard long (similar to a poker) was found. Several foundations are inside the entrenchment. (a)(1)
Within the interior, and on the west of the exterior, rampart are traces of dwellings, but so indistinct that little can be deduced from them. About 20 yards from the outer rampart on the south side are faint traces of a fence which may have been part of the defences of the camp. There is a spring 180 yards to the north which could have been the water supply. (2)
This earthwork is situated on the summit of a gentle rise with an extensive view in all directions.
It has been mutilated in places by modern quarrying and a hedge but in its original form it probably consisted of a rampart with an outer ditch and outer bank.
The entrance on the west side has traces of internal defences, although the outer bank to the north suggests a form of passage entrance. On the east side is a break in the rampart apparently caused by modern quarrying.
In the south west corner of the earthwork are two enclosures forming annexes on both sides of the main rampart. Superficially these annexes appear as a single enclosure overlaid by the larger earthwork, but the junctions of the banks do not coincide and no conclusions can be made without excavation.
There are two probable hut circles within the main enclosure. That which is attached to the north east side of the inner annexe has no trace of an entrance, but the other has an entrance on the north side. On the north west side of the outer annexe is a rectangular enclosure, the banks of which contain several undressed stones.
The 'traces of a fence' mentioned in T2 appears to be an old field bank and there is no indication that it formed part of the outer defences.
The spring mentioned in T2 was not seen, but at the time of investigation the area was covered with frozen snow with drifts in places up to two feet deep. The whole area is under pasture.
Although situated on the summit of a slight hill the natural and artificial defences are very weak. No conclusions could be made regarding the age or purpose of this earthwork, but the find mentioned in T2 which may have been a currency bar, suggests that the earthwork possibly has an Iron Age association. (3)
'This feature is in an undulating grass field and its individual characteristics are fairly easy to ascertain'. (4)
A much mutilated, sub-circular enclosure, the inner rampart of which has now been reduced to an outward-facing scarp only, except on the north and north west sides. The ditch appears to have been a continuous feature around the south west arc, at which point a strong outer bank provides additional protection. The internal remains noted by F1 are no longer intelligible, while those on the exterior have also been mutilated, so that their original form and purpose are obscure.
As stated by F1, the work is not strong defensively, but in form and construction generally, it would appear to be of pre-Roman/Iron Age date. Resurveyed at 1:2500. (5)
SAM management agreement, 10-May-1989 to 09-May-1994. (6)
Scheduled. (7)
NU 161 044. Camp 500yds (460m) NW of Chesterhill. Scheduled No ND/367. (8a)
N4327
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1954; E Geary
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1954; J H Ostridge
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; D Smith
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1954; J H Ostridge
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1971; D Smith
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