Lordenshaws round cairn cemetery (Brinkburn and Hesleyhurst)
On the north side of the hill, on which the camp is (NZ 09 NE 2) are some grave-mounds. Two of the largest have been excavated. The first was 32ft in diameter and 5ft high. A cist was found in the centre lying east-west and measuring 3ft 8ins by 1ft 10ins by 2ft 3ins deep. There was no trace of a burial. This can yet be seen with its covering slab lying nearby, on the lower ridge of the hill on the way to the camp, after the last stile on the footpath from Rothbury to Lordenshaws.
The second, 20yds away, was 26ft in diameter, 4ft high, and a cist found in the centre completely filled with sand with no trace of bone, measured 2ft 8ins by 1ft 8ins by 1ft 6ins deep. There was little charcoal together with two small pieces of pottery.
A line of small stones may be traced from these burials leading up to the ridge towards the camp. (1)
(NZ 05749958) Cist. (2)
Excavation report: source of information in authority (1). (3)
Two small pieces of pottery in a barrow. (Present location not given. Listed under 'Urns known from literature only').
At Lordenshaws a burial mound approx 300yds north east of the camp has on its margin a carefully packed standing stone 2ft 6ins high by 2ft by 1ft 6ins, deeply weathered. (4)
NZ 056993. Six cairns were definitely located on the north east slopes of the hill. Other vague mounds in the region appear to be heather-covered outcrop.
'A' NZ 05749958. The remains of a cairn with an apparent diameter of 7.5m and maximum height of 0.3m. In the centre is the cist mentioned by authorities (1) and (2). It measures 1.3m x 0.65m x 0.5m deep. The north, south and east sides are constructed of a single stone slab but the west end is of small stones packed together. The cover slab of the cist lies to the immediate south.
'B' NZ 05739959. About 15m north west of 'A' a scatter of stones on a slight natural rise is probably the remains of the second cairn referred to by authority (1). Insufficient remains for dimensions to be given. On the south side of this scatter is a three-sided cavity in the rocks measuring 0.8m x 0.5m x 0.5m deep. This may be the second cist described by authority (1), the dimensions being approximately the same. The present location of the two pieces of pottery mentioned as being found therein was not ascertained.
'C' NZ 05589942. The cairn referred to by authority (4) is 7m in diameter and 0.5m high with a hollow in centre. At least three stones of a retaining circle are still in situ. The standing stone is in the south west quadrant and appears to be merely an extension of a line of stones, 20m to the south, evidently the remains of an old field boundary. This boundary has similarities of construction with an enclosure approx 900m to the NNE which is mentioned in the 13th century.
'D' NZ 05639940. A cairn 8m in diameter and 0.5m high with a hollow in centre. At least five stones of a retaining circle are still in situ.
'E' NZ 05689929. An oval cairn measuring 7m x 5m x 1m high and oriented east-west. It appears to be intact.
'F' NZ 05889935. Cairn 5m diameter and 0.4m high.
None of the cairns have any traces of a ditch and only 'C' and 'D' the remains of a retaining circle. NZ 05739955 to NZ 05609939. The line of stones referred to by authority (1) can be traced for 200m. The stones are small (max height above ground level 0.4m) and irregularly spaced and appear to demarcate the east side of an old trackway which appears in places as a slight hollow way. No evidence for dating. (5)
Cairns 'C' and 'D' by virtue of their proportions (see photographs), and the evidence of peristaliths must be classed with 'A' and 'B' as sepulchral, although all four fall in an area that shows some signs of having been cleared for cultivation (see NZ 09 NE 9). Similarly 'E' is a substantial and isolated cairn in a modern enclosure. 'F' is smaller than the other five, and its position on the fringe of stone clearance is suspect, but again it is a single cairn in an area otherwise devoid of stone heaps. Surveyed at 1/2500. (6)
Located on a low rocky spur, two open cists and slight cairn remnants at NZ 057996. Larger open cist measures c1m x 0.5m and has side slabs still in position. Large stone cist cover still partially covers section of cist, but has obviously been moved to allow investigation of cist contents. Approximately 400mm to south of this cist, and presumably part of the same monument is a much smaller open cist c.300mm-400mm lacking covering slab. Some very slight remains of cairn material surrounding cists. This may well be the excavated cairn noted by Dixon as lying close to the last stile on the footpath from Rothbury to Lordenshaws, however, this report only refers to one open cist rather than two. (7)
Scheduled. (8)
NZ 058 992 etc. Cup and ring marked rocks, stone rows, tumuli, cairns and Garleigh Hill stone circles and Lordenshaws camp, Hesleyhurst. Scheduled No ND/86. (9a)
Authority 5's cairn C lies within the area surveyed by RCHME in December 1990 and is briefly described in the published account, where it is noted that it is in a conspicuous position when seen
from the lower ground to the east. (9b)
The second, 20yds away, was 26ft in diameter, 4ft high, and a cist found in the centre completely filled with sand with no trace of bone, measured 2ft 8ins by 1ft 8ins by 1ft 6ins deep. There was little charcoal together with two small pieces of pottery.
A line of small stones may be traced from these burials leading up to the ridge towards the camp. (1)
(NZ 05749958) Cist. (2)
Excavation report: source of information in authority (1). (3)
Two small pieces of pottery in a barrow. (Present location not given. Listed under 'Urns known from literature only').
At Lordenshaws a burial mound approx 300yds north east of the camp has on its margin a carefully packed standing stone 2ft 6ins high by 2ft by 1ft 6ins, deeply weathered. (4)
NZ 056993. Six cairns were definitely located on the north east slopes of the hill. Other vague mounds in the region appear to be heather-covered outcrop.
'A' NZ 05749958. The remains of a cairn with an apparent diameter of 7.5m and maximum height of 0.3m. In the centre is the cist mentioned by authorities (1) and (2). It measures 1.3m x 0.65m x 0.5m deep. The north, south and east sides are constructed of a single stone slab but the west end is of small stones packed together. The cover slab of the cist lies to the immediate south.
'B' NZ 05739959. About 15m north west of 'A' a scatter of stones on a slight natural rise is probably the remains of the second cairn referred to by authority (1). Insufficient remains for dimensions to be given. On the south side of this scatter is a three-sided cavity in the rocks measuring 0.8m x 0.5m x 0.5m deep. This may be the second cist described by authority (1), the dimensions being approximately the same. The present location of the two pieces of pottery mentioned as being found therein was not ascertained.
'C' NZ 05589942. The cairn referred to by authority (4) is 7m in diameter and 0.5m high with a hollow in centre. At least three stones of a retaining circle are still in situ. The standing stone is in the south west quadrant and appears to be merely an extension of a line of stones, 20m to the south, evidently the remains of an old field boundary. This boundary has similarities of construction with an enclosure approx 900m to the NNE which is mentioned in the 13th century.
'D' NZ 05639940. A cairn 8m in diameter and 0.5m high with a hollow in centre. At least five stones of a retaining circle are still in situ.
'E' NZ 05689929. An oval cairn measuring 7m x 5m x 1m high and oriented east-west. It appears to be intact.
'F' NZ 05889935. Cairn 5m diameter and 0.4m high.
None of the cairns have any traces of a ditch and only 'C' and 'D' the remains of a retaining circle. NZ 05739955 to NZ 05609939. The line of stones referred to by authority (1) can be traced for 200m. The stones are small (max height above ground level 0.4m) and irregularly spaced and appear to demarcate the east side of an old trackway which appears in places as a slight hollow way. No evidence for dating. (5)
Cairns 'C' and 'D' by virtue of their proportions (see photographs), and the evidence of peristaliths must be classed with 'A' and 'B' as sepulchral, although all four fall in an area that shows some signs of having been cleared for cultivation (see NZ 09 NE 9). Similarly 'E' is a substantial and isolated cairn in a modern enclosure. 'F' is smaller than the other five, and its position on the fringe of stone clearance is suspect, but again it is a single cairn in an area otherwise devoid of stone heaps. Surveyed at 1/2500. (6)
Located on a low rocky spur, two open cists and slight cairn remnants at NZ 057996. Larger open cist measures c1m x 0.5m and has side slabs still in position. Large stone cist cover still partially covers section of cist, but has obviously been moved to allow investigation of cist contents. Approximately 400mm to south of this cist, and presumably part of the same monument is a much smaller open cist c.300mm-400mm lacking covering slab. Some very slight remains of cairn material surrounding cists. This may well be the excavated cairn noted by Dixon as lying close to the last stile on the footpath from Rothbury to Lordenshaws, however, this report only refers to one open cist rather than two. (7)
Scheduled. (8)
NZ 058 992 etc. Cup and ring marked rocks, stone rows, tumuli, cairns and Garleigh Hill stone circles and Lordenshaws camp, Hesleyhurst. Scheduled No ND/86. (9a)
Authority 5's cairn C lies within the area surveyed by RCHME in December 1990 and is briefly described in the published account, where it is noted that it is in a conspicuous position when seen
from the lower ground to the east. (9b)
N10740
EXCAVATION, ROTHBURY (GREENWELL 208) and ROTHBURY (GREENWELL 209) 1899; GREENWELL, W
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; E Geary
EXCAVATION, GARLEIGH MOOR, SIMONSIDE, (O.S. CAIRN "B") ; Anon
EXCAVATION, GARLEIGH MOOR, SIMONSIDE, (O.S. CAIRN "A") ; Anon
EXCAVATION, GARLEIGH MOOR, SIMONSIDE, (O.S. CAIRN "C") ; Anon
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1957; E Geary
EXCAVATION, GARLEIGH MOOR, SIMONSIDE, (O.S. CAIRN "B") ; Anon
EXCAVATION, GARLEIGH MOOR, SIMONSIDE, (O.S. CAIRN "A") ; Anon
EXCAVATION, GARLEIGH MOOR, SIMONSIDE, (O.S. CAIRN "C") ; Anon
Disclaimer -
Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.