Green Shiel excavations, Holy Island. Photo by Northumberland County Council.

Three or four circles of stones about 5ft 6ins in diameter, and formed by flat fire-cracked stones in the sand dunes at Greenshields near Snipe Point [Area NU126439]. Excavation proved them to be hearths, but no pottery or other dateable material was found. (See also NU 04 SE 1). (1)

Foundations of walls are intermittently visible depending on blown sand. (2)

Only two of the hearths, with the possible remains of a third are now identifiable at NU 12164362. They consist of a slightly dished bank of flattish stones 0.2m high. There is no evidence for dating, but they were possibly associated with the Dark Age kelp burners who allegedly settled nearby [See NU 14 SW 1]. Divorced survey at 1/2500. (3)

Neither the survey points nor the hearths could be identified by the field surveyor in 1966, and blown sand appears to have re-covered them. The foundations noted by Aitchison are those of a modern cottage. (4)

Additional bibliography. (5)

The building complex at Green Shiel lies near the North Shore of Holy Island (NU 125438), immediately south of storm beach. Bounded to south and west by bands of high dune. The remains of a 19th century waggonway cross the area on the east and west sides.
The group of buildings is roughly cross-shaped. Minimum of five long rectangular structures and linking walls. Three buildings excavated. Excavations carried out by Leicester University since 1984.
No concrete evidence to class the structures as 'dwelling houses' and may be barns or byres. Probably only two dwelling-houses in the settlement. Date circa mid-9th century occupation; possibly originating in 8th century and probably deserted before end of 11th century. Eleven coins recovered in excavations so far. No close parallels for the structures at Green Shiel in northern England - the original building material more often being timber and surviving only as crop marks. (6)

Green Shiel (NU 123436) a group of early medieval buildings was partially excavated. Three structures at least. Hearth suggested by magnetometer survey. Animal bone, lead-working waste and faunal refuse including a whale bone. Anglo-Saxon spearhead of 10th century date. (7)

Green Shiel was first discovered in the mid-19th century. The ruins of extensive buildings were revealed by strong winds which removed layers of sand, and were discovered by workmen building a railway. The buildings were quarried for stone to build the railway.
The ruins at Green Shiel were equated with those described in the 19th century although the location does not agree entirely with Selby's account.
Substantial remains survive despite stone robbing. The buildings lie on low ridges and the complex is roughly cross-shaped. The walls were built over blown sand deposits indicating the site was unsuitable for cultivation.
Preliminary investigations in 1984 comprised a geophysical survey with a magnetometer in the easternmost building. An area 5m by 4m was opened and an Anglo-Saxon type split-socketed spearhead was recovered.
(Excavation report 1985-1987). A programme of geophysical survey has been carried out over the whole area.
Green Shiel is one of only four rural sites of the late Anglo-Saxon (or Anglo-Scandinavian) period which have been identified and excavated in northern England. The buildings at Green Shiel may be no more than a single large farmstead within a pattern of dispersed settlement. The southernmost building was excavated and was probably an animal shelter. The lack of any ceramic evidence suggests the site was not occupied into the late 11th century. Coin evidence suggests the site was in use in the mid-9th century. (8)

Lies within dunes with active wind erosion, blow out. Excavation left open, bare of vegetation cover. See slides W4-W5. (9)

The buildings were abandoned and covered by dunes and there has been no contamination of the site by material from later periods. The situation in an isolated and marginal location is misleading as the modern dune system had no part in the early medieval landscape. The buildings were situated between the beach and the limit of cultivated land - the clay cliff.
Excavation began in 1985 and is unfinished. Three buildings (A, B and C) have been completely excavated, and D partly so. Buildings A and B at the east end of the site were divided internally into two areas, one end may have been used for animals and storage, and the other as a dwelling. Building C was divided internally into several compartments and is interpreted as a byre.
The western limit of the site may be concealed by the 19th century wagonway. The buildings are constructed from limestone, probably quarried from the nearby beach. There is no trace of mortar or clay bonding, but turves or other vegetation may have been used. The walls measured up to 2m wide.
Finds from Green Shiel include a spearhead, iron key, small bronze strip, amber bead, bone comb fragments, two honestones, and two iron knives. Also animal bone including some complete cattle carcasses. (10)

Scheduled. (11)

Additional reference (12a)

A medieval farmstead is visible as a number of ruined buildings on air photographs, centred at NU 1216 4362. This structure appears to be part of larger complex, exposed by previous excavation. Not all the features could be mapped with great accuracy due to a lack in control points. The features are still extant on the latest 1996 NMR oblique photography. (12b)