Raylees medieval farmstead (Elsdon)
Medieval ridge and furrow near Raylees. Photo by Harry Rowland.
(NY 92559135) Camp. (1)
Earthwork. (2)
Raylees. Rectangular single-ramparted earthwork, of approximately 1 acre, at 55 13' 00" latitude and 2 97' 00" W longitude. (3)
Raylees (Knightside) Type C (Rectangular enclosures, usually associated with Roman occupation). (4)
640 feet above sea level, 40 feet above Raylees Burn, at the foot of the Ottercops, the earthwork measures 222ft north to south and 220ft east to west. The ditch is 30-47ft wide and 2 to 5-1/2ft deep. The north and west ditches are well preserved, the east ditch well defined but not so pronounced, and the south ditch is preserved up to a wall which divides the earthwork. East of this point, a house stands at the edge of the ditch which has been filled in. On the south side is a stream which probably at one time flowed into the ditches to form a moated homestead. In the southern part are foundations probably belonging to demolished farm buildings. (5)
Remains of a lozenge shaped earthwork are situated at approximately 620ft above sea level, upon level pasture land. The site is naturally defended on the north side by precipitous slopes which fall to the Raylees Burn, and on the east side by a gully containing a little stream, which flows through a boggy area on the south east side. To the west, the ground falls away gently, and to the south, it rises to open moorland.
The earthwork overlooks and commands the east-west valley for some distance and overlooks slopes rising to the north beyond the Burn.
It has consisted of double ramparts of earth and stone with a medial ditch, which could be flooded from the boggy area. The inner rampart is now extant, much ploughed down, only on the south side west of the wall, and the outer rampart is ploughed out almost completely on the west side.
The ramparts possibly never existed around the south east corner, the tract of boggy ground providing natural defence.
The original entrance appears to have been in the east side near to the north east corner, where two hollow ways lead down into the gully. There are no traces of interior occupation to be seen, the ground is very hummocky and disturbed, however. There is an abundant supply of fresh water.
There is nothing to confirm the supposed Roman association as made by authority 4, and from its ground situation, form of construction and ditch width, the work is presumed to be a moated site of medieval date. (6)
Raylees: Listed under Romano British rectilinear sites but with the general qualification that some are almost certainly post-Roman or medieval. (7)
The fairly typical medieval profile of the ditch, and the presence of modern farm buildings in the enclosure together with the earlier foundations noted by Ball all suggest that this was never more than a moated farmstead. Published survey (25 inch) revised. (8)
No change since reports of 24.5.57 and 12.2.71. (9)
NY 924913. Raylees deserted medieval village. (10)
Earthwork. (2)
Raylees. Rectangular single-ramparted earthwork, of approximately 1 acre, at 55 13' 00" latitude and 2 97' 00" W longitude. (3)
Raylees (Knightside) Type C (Rectangular enclosures, usually associated with Roman occupation). (4)
640 feet above sea level, 40 feet above Raylees Burn, at the foot of the Ottercops, the earthwork measures 222ft north to south and 220ft east to west. The ditch is 30-47ft wide and 2 to 5-1/2ft deep. The north and west ditches are well preserved, the east ditch well defined but not so pronounced, and the south ditch is preserved up to a wall which divides the earthwork. East of this point, a house stands at the edge of the ditch which has been filled in. On the south side is a stream which probably at one time flowed into the ditches to form a moated homestead. In the southern part are foundations probably belonging to demolished farm buildings. (5)
Remains of a lozenge shaped earthwork are situated at approximately 620ft above sea level, upon level pasture land. The site is naturally defended on the north side by precipitous slopes which fall to the Raylees Burn, and on the east side by a gully containing a little stream, which flows through a boggy area on the south east side. To the west, the ground falls away gently, and to the south, it rises to open moorland.
The earthwork overlooks and commands the east-west valley for some distance and overlooks slopes rising to the north beyond the Burn.
It has consisted of double ramparts of earth and stone with a medial ditch, which could be flooded from the boggy area. The inner rampart is now extant, much ploughed down, only on the south side west of the wall, and the outer rampart is ploughed out almost completely on the west side.
The ramparts possibly never existed around the south east corner, the tract of boggy ground providing natural defence.
The original entrance appears to have been in the east side near to the north east corner, where two hollow ways lead down into the gully. There are no traces of interior occupation to be seen, the ground is very hummocky and disturbed, however. There is an abundant supply of fresh water.
There is nothing to confirm the supposed Roman association as made by authority 4, and from its ground situation, form of construction and ditch width, the work is presumed to be a moated site of medieval date. (6)
Raylees: Listed under Romano British rectilinear sites but with the general qualification that some are almost certainly post-Roman or medieval. (7)
The fairly typical medieval profile of the ditch, and the presence of modern farm buildings in the enclosure together with the earlier foundations noted by Ball all suggest that this was never more than a moated farmstead. Published survey (25 inch) revised. (8)
No change since reports of 24.5.57 and 12.2.71. (9)
NY 924913. Raylees deserted medieval village. (10)
N9738
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; A S Phillips
FIELD SURVEY, Rectilinear earthworks in Northumberland: some Medieval and Later settlements 1960
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1977; S Ainsworth
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Land at Liberty Hill, Raylees, Elsdon 2017; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
FIELD SURVEY, Rectilinear earthworks in Northumberland: some Medieval and Later settlements 1960
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1977; S Ainsworth
DESK BASED ASSESSMENT, Land at Liberty Hill, Raylees, Elsdon 2017; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
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