Local History
East Mellwaters (County Durham)
The little village of East Mellwaters stands just to the south of the A66, several miles to the southwest of Barnard Castle. To the south moors rise up steeply to Wytham Moor and the valley of the Sleightholme Beck runs northwards towards the river Greta.
The earliest remains are probably of Bronze Age date; a small mound may be a burial mound. The remains of a number of early settlements have also been recorded, such as a small prehistoric enclosure. Another enclosure, thought to be Iron Age lies to the south of Sleightolme Beck. Similar examples are known from elsewhere in the eastern area of the Stainmore Pass.
The area has long been mainly an agricultural one. Cropmarks show the remains of an early field system, possibly of prehistoric or medieval date. Many farm buildings still stand, though at least one barn was destroyed during road widening on the A66 in 1991.
The earliest remains are probably of Bronze Age date; a small mound may be a burial mound. The remains of a number of early settlements have also been recorded, such as a small prehistoric enclosure. Another enclosure, thought to be Iron Age lies to the south of Sleightolme Beck. Similar examples are known from elsewhere in the eastern area of the Stainmore Pass.
The area has long been mainly an agricultural one. Cropmarks show the remains of an early field system, possibly of prehistoric or medieval date. Many farm buildings still stand, though at least one barn was destroyed during road widening on the A66 in 1991.
D6783
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