An area of small rectilinear fields of ridge and furrow to the south of Beadnell village. (1)(2)

A desk-based assessment was carried out on land at Beadnell by Archaeological Services Durham University in June 2015. The assessment combined documentary and cartographic sources with records of archaeological interventions, the HER and a site walkover survey. (3)

A combined Heritage Statement and programme of trial trenching was carried out in 2016 by Archaeological Services Durham University. Heritage Statement combined LiDAR data analysis, topographic survey, photographic survey and historic map interpretation. The earthwork remains of medieval ridge and furrow were recorded across the site. The topographic survey recorded irregular mounds resulting from quarrying activity, a coal mine and a lime kiln which is a poor state of repair. A World War II prefabricated concrete `Stent' pillbox was also noted on the site which survives in a degraded state.
The programme of trial trenching involved the excavation of five trenches over the ridge and furrow. No earlier features were recorded beneath the ridge and furrow. Trenching of the earthworks along the south-east edge of the site confirmed that they were World War I practice trenches, designed to train local forces in trench warfare before deployment. (4)

The earthworks are difficult to see from ground level due to building works but very easy to identify from the air, as evidenced by images taken from Google Earth in 2016. (5)

Medieval/post medieval and post medieval ridge and furrow and narrow ridge and furrow are visible as cropmarks and earthworks on air photographs in the Parish of Beadnell, centred at NU 223 278. Elements are still extant on the latest 1999 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. (6a-b)

Medieval ridge and furrow is visible as cropmarks and earthworks on air photographs in the Parish of Beadnell, centred at NU 223 280. Elements are still extant on the latest 1999 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. (6c)