Sandyford Moor cairn cemetery (Tillside)
(NU 10012666) Camp (NU 10012654) Tumulus. (1)
A large cairn, one of two, and five of some one hundred and fifty smaller stone mounds on Camp Hill and Whitehill Head, Chatton Sandyford (Centred NU 100269) were excavated 1965/66 by Newcastle University.
The cairn, previously published as 'Camp', was visible prior to excavation as a ring mound 40ft in diameter, and 3ft high, with a number of 'enclosures' on the West side. It proved to be the basal platform of a cairn surrounded by a strong kerb, the residue of the robbed material forming the 'enclosures', probably lambing pens.
Yields were three beaker inhumations (two Bell and fragments of one conforming to D L Clarke's Southern Group Four); and two cremations, one in an Enlarged Food Vessel, the other without grave goods. It is obvious that the cairn was rebuilt several times, and possible that a final burial was intruded at a high level during the 3rd century, and subsequently robbed.
Excavation of the small mounds yielded a few pieces of flint, and one unidentifiable sherd. The lack of burial evidence in these cases, though not conclusive, tends to support field clearance piles. (2)
The excavated cairn now takes the form of a ring mound of loose stone with remains of the abutting lambing pens undisturbed. The other is 7m in diameter, 1m high and heather-covered. Both cairns are prominent among the small stone mounds, which are almost certainly the results of field clearance (See OS 6 inch for extent). Published survey (25 inch) revised. (3)
Camp Hill (H00567) Cup marked stone (portable) found in excavated cairn. Two minor cup marked outcrops (H00577-8). (4)
Beaker is within a general review of 'the Beaker phenomenon' by 5 where classified, as opposed to Clarke's decorative styles, as a globular urn; illustrated only and with no discussion of the individual site.(5)
Scheduled. (6)
NU 100 265. Sandyford Moor cairn cemetery. Scheduled No ND/197. (7a)
NRHE UID 7328 record:
NB this record now deals solely with the larger excavated cairn at NU 10012666. The cairnfield and the other large unexcavated cairn (at NU 10012654) have now been recorded separately as NU 12 NW 40 and 41 respectively.
The cairn, as described above, had previously been misinterpreted as a "camp", primarily because of the presence of later enclosures abutting it. These however clearly post-date the cairn. When excavated in 1966, the cairn was circa 40 feet in diameter and an average of 3 feet high, and appeared to have been extensively robbed. The base of the cairn comprised a layer of stone blocks which appeared to have been laid from the centre outwards, and all leaned slightly inwards. This base covered an area circa 34 feet in diameter. A stone kerb had been constructed some 2 to 3 feet beyond this, and appeared to surround the whole cairn. The area behind the lerb had been infilled with smaller stony material. The chronological relationship between cairn mound and kerb was not clear. Slightly off centre beneath the cairn was a shallow oval grave containing a Beaker, and 2 jet buttons were among robbed material near the grave. No trace of human remains were found, but an inhumation is believed to have originally occupied the grave. A block of sandstone, columnar in shape, is suggested to have been a marker for the burial. Charcoal from stake holes within the grave yielded an uncalibrated radiocarbon date of 1670+/-50 bc. To the west of the first burial was another pit, this time circular and 5 feet deep. At the bottom was a Beaker, though again no human remains survived. South east of the first burial was another pit in a disturbed area. Preumed upcast from the pit contained Beaker sherds, as did the pit itself. South of the centre was a cremation deposit overlying the basal stones of the cairn, and contained within an inverted Enlarged Food Vessel. Another block of stone nearby, bearing several cupmarks, has been suggested as a possible marker. A second cremation was found west of centre, but had no associated finds. Several sherds from a Roman flagon were recovered from disturbed areas of the cairn. The excavator suggested that these may indicate a burial of Roman, possibly 3rd century AD, date had been inserted into the cairn and then removed by the later disturbance. 12 feet south of the cairn was a burnt area, though there were no associated finds. Nearby was a "shallow trench containing the fibrous remains of a sheep burial and one driven post-hole, probably recent". (7)(7b)
A large cairn, one of two, and five of some one hundred and fifty smaller stone mounds on Camp Hill and Whitehill Head, Chatton Sandyford (Centred NU 100269) were excavated 1965/66 by Newcastle University.
The cairn, previously published as 'Camp', was visible prior to excavation as a ring mound 40ft in diameter, and 3ft high, with a number of 'enclosures' on the West side. It proved to be the basal platform of a cairn surrounded by a strong kerb, the residue of the robbed material forming the 'enclosures', probably lambing pens.
Yields were three beaker inhumations (two Bell and fragments of one conforming to D L Clarke's Southern Group Four); and two cremations, one in an Enlarged Food Vessel, the other without grave goods. It is obvious that the cairn was rebuilt several times, and possible that a final burial was intruded at a high level during the 3rd century, and subsequently robbed.
Excavation of the small mounds yielded a few pieces of flint, and one unidentifiable sherd. The lack of burial evidence in these cases, though not conclusive, tends to support field clearance piles. (2)
The excavated cairn now takes the form of a ring mound of loose stone with remains of the abutting lambing pens undisturbed. The other is 7m in diameter, 1m high and heather-covered. Both cairns are prominent among the small stone mounds, which are almost certainly the results of field clearance (See OS 6 inch for extent). Published survey (25 inch) revised. (3)
Camp Hill (H00567) Cup marked stone (portable) found in excavated cairn. Two minor cup marked outcrops (H00577-8). (4)
Beaker is within a general review of 'the Beaker phenomenon' by 5 where classified, as opposed to Clarke's decorative styles, as a globular urn; illustrated only and with no discussion of the individual site.(5)
Scheduled. (6)
NU 100 265. Sandyford Moor cairn cemetery. Scheduled No ND/197. (7a)
NRHE UID 7328 record:
NB this record now deals solely with the larger excavated cairn at NU 10012666. The cairnfield and the other large unexcavated cairn (at NU 10012654) have now been recorded separately as NU 12 NW 40 and 41 respectively.
The cairn, as described above, had previously been misinterpreted as a "camp", primarily because of the presence of later enclosures abutting it. These however clearly post-date the cairn. When excavated in 1966, the cairn was circa 40 feet in diameter and an average of 3 feet high, and appeared to have been extensively robbed. The base of the cairn comprised a layer of stone blocks which appeared to have been laid from the centre outwards, and all leaned slightly inwards. This base covered an area circa 34 feet in diameter. A stone kerb had been constructed some 2 to 3 feet beyond this, and appeared to surround the whole cairn. The area behind the lerb had been infilled with smaller stony material. The chronological relationship between cairn mound and kerb was not clear. Slightly off centre beneath the cairn was a shallow oval grave containing a Beaker, and 2 jet buttons were among robbed material near the grave. No trace of human remains were found, but an inhumation is believed to have originally occupied the grave. A block of sandstone, columnar in shape, is suggested to have been a marker for the burial. Charcoal from stake holes within the grave yielded an uncalibrated radiocarbon date of 1670+/-50 bc. To the west of the first burial was another pit, this time circular and 5 feet deep. At the bottom was a Beaker, though again no human remains survived. South east of the first burial was another pit in a disturbed area. Preumed upcast from the pit contained Beaker sherds, as did the pit itself. South of the centre was a cremation deposit overlying the basal stones of the cairn, and contained within an inverted Enlarged Food Vessel. Another block of stone nearby, bearing several cupmarks, has been suggested as a possible marker. A second cremation was found west of centre, but had no associated finds. Several sherds from a Roman flagon were recovered from disturbed areas of the cairn. The excavator suggested that these may indicate a burial of Roman, possibly 3rd century AD, date had been inserted into the cairn and then removed by the later disturbance. 12 feet south of the cairn was a burnt area, though there were no associated finds. Nearby was a "shallow trench containing the fibrous remains of a sheep burial and one driven post-hole, probably recent". (7)(7b)
N4898
EXCAVATION, Exacavations of Cairns at Chatton Sandyford, Northumberland 1966
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
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