Yeavering Bell Iron Age Hillfort (Copyright © Don Brownlow)


Yeavering Bell. Photo by Harry Rowland.

(NT 92802931) Camp. (1)

The remains on Yeavering Bell consist of a wall of rough stones, 10'-12' wide and 8'-9' high, encircling the summit of the hill and enclosing an area of c.15 acres. There are four entrances with the main gateway on the south; crescent shaped walls have been built at east and west ends as additional defences. A rampart and ditch, enclosing a rock outcrop, has been constructed on the highest part of the hill within the walled enclosure; several circular dwellings are also traceable. Many years ago, excavations revealed charred wood, pottery sherds, oak rings, flints quernstones and a round jasper ball. (2)

The camp measures about 440 yards east and west by about 200 north and south. The length includes two projections from the general line of the work on the east and west, where the ground is least precipitous. The entrances appear to have been on the north and south, the latter being apparently the one most used. At this entrance there are the faint traces of a small circular dwelling, perhaps a guardroom, and remains of circular dwellings are to be seen in several parts of the enclosure. In many instances they are cut into the side of the hill.
The eastern summit is crowned by a mound, part natural and part artificial, which has been surrounded by an irregular oval intrenchment, not concentric with the mound but projecting to the south-west where the ground falls the least: the mean diameter of this shallow and narrow ditch is about 50 yards.
The present (c.1920) appearance of the walls suggest that they had been purposely thrown down.
There is no spring near to supply so large a place with sufficient water. (3)

Excavation in 1862 showed that the walls were originally 10-12 feet thick, with a probable height of 7-8 feet. There are four gateways, one each on the north, east and west sides with principal entrance on the south side.
The enclosure at the east end of the fort is surrounded by a ditch which excavation showed to be 5 feet deep, 5 feet wide at the top and 2 feet wide at the bottom with a causeway on the east side. The spoil was used to form an outer bank about a foot high. Charred wood was found in the bottom of the ditch. Within the enclosure at its highest point was an oval enclosure hollowed out of the rock. It measured 13ft x 10ft x 15ins deep and in it was found charred wood and a copper pin possibly the tongue of a fibula or similar ornament.
The hut circles within the fort vary from 18 to 30 feet in diameter and excavation revealed evidence of occupation. Finds included coarse black pottery, flint flakes, a ball of jasper, fragment of oaken rings or armlets and the upper stone of a quern 24inches in diameter and 1inch thick.
The eastern summit of the fort is a mound partly natural and partly artificial and was probably used as a beacon. (4)(5)

The defences consisted of a stone wall roughly following the contours of the hill top. This wall is now represented by a much spread line of stones with an average width of 8m and a height of 1m. There are entrances on the north, south and east sides but no trace of a fourth or west entrance mentioned. The northern entrance has traces of an external wing wall on its west side, while on each side of the south entrance are faint traces of circular terminals, one of which is possibly the guardroom referred to.
At the east and west ends of the fort are two annexes formed by crescent shaped walls similar to, but weaker, and therefor probably later than, the main rampart.
In the enclosed area of the fort many hut circles are visible as shallow depressions in the ground. At the east end is a natural knoll with rock outcrop surrounded by a ditch with slight outer bank. The ditch varies in depth from 0.1m to 0.6m, and the outer bank has an average height of 0.3m. There is a causeway across the ditch on the east side. The profile of the ditch is quite sharp in places and has the appearance of being comparatively modern. On the summit of the knoll is a shallow depression resembling a hut circle, presumably the pit referred to by Tate. On the north side of this depression is a modern cairn of stones, reddened as though by fire. The situation on the highest point of the hill together with the finds of charred wood indicate this as being the site of a beacon probably of medieval date.
There is no immediate water supply but a small stream rises about 300m to the south east, on the more accessible side.
The situation and type of construction is typical of an Iron Age hillfort of the contour type. (6)

There are clear traces of what appears to be a palisade trench, partially confirmed by excavation, enclosing a roughly circular area some 160ft in diameter at the east end of the interior. (Variously referred to by earlier authys as 'rampart and ditch' intrenchment enclosing a partially artificial mound, and an 'enclosure'.) (7)

The sites of some one hundred and thirty huts are visible. Many of these consist of circular or oval platforms scooped from the hill side, and levelled up at the front edge, some bearing the unmistakable 'ring-grooves' for timber huts (fig 8). In addition, there are a few low 'ring-mounds' that may denote the presence of more substantially built huts, and traces of one sub-rectangular building.

Early excavations (4) hinted at the possibility of some occupation continuing into the 2nd century AD, and more recently, scraps of Samian ware and two late Roman minimi have been discovered (17d), but the position with respect to the encircling wall is not certain and the absence of many traces of stone huts, usually associated with RB settlements, may indicate that such occupation was of no great physical extent. (8)

Listed as pre-Roman Iron Age univallate hillfort with overlying Romano-British settlement of round stone huts. (9)

Published survey (25 inch) revised. (10)

Early excavations(a) hinted at the possibility of some occupation continuing into the 2nd century AD, and more recently, scraps of samian ware and two late Roman minimi have been discovered(b), but the position with respect to the encircling wall is not certain and the absence of many traces of stone huts, usually associated with Romano-British settlements, may indicate that such occupation was of no great physical extent.
(Fort mainly as described by Authority 6. (See revised enlargement at 1:2500).
The only trace of an entrance at the west end of the main enclosure is an ill-defined gap with possible facing stones just to the south of the point where the thinner outer wall joins the main wall in the south-west. The entrance to the west outer annexe appears to have been central (and it may have been this entrance which has been referred to previously). In the outer annexe on the east the entrance could have been at either end but most probably was at the north; there has been no apparent central break. The hut sites inside the south entrance are too ill defined to confirm, though most of the other hut sites and platforms are defined evident. The rectangular foundations appear to be modern.
The enclosure inside the east end of the fort, consisting of a well preserved ditch and outer bank (measuring 52m north-east to south-west by 46m transversely) with a causewayed entrance 3m wide in the east, is as described by 6. Several ill-defined hut stances are visible inside the enclosure.
Also within this enclosure, centres at NT 92882933 is a natural rocky outcrop apparently levelled into a platform about 15m north-south by transversely, surmounted by a stony mound about 11m in diameter, 13m and 0.5m high. (This mound has been mutilated by robbing to build a modern shepherd's cairn on its north-east side, and the hollow remains left have been mistakenly referred to previously as a 'pit' or 'hut circle'). The reddened stone in this mound is natural and not caused by burning and though the possibility of this being a beacon should not be overlooked it is most probably the remains of a cairn. Surveyed at 1:10000. (Selection of huts only, shown). (11)

Additional bibliography. (12)

Largest of the embanked and walled settlements in north-east Northumberland - c.13 acres. The easternmost of four 'oppida' south of the Tweed. (13)

Yeavering Bell camp, scheduled monument Northum 157. On the summit of Yeavering Bell, 1182ft high, an irregular oval enclosure of huge rough stones formed into a rampart about ten feet thick. The enclosure measures 380 yards from east to west and 180 yards north to south and approximately follows the contour of the hill. Near the east end is an inner enclosure 57 feet in diameter surrounded by a ditch cut in the solid rock five feet deep broad at the top and two feet broad at the bottom. On the highest point within the inner enclosure is an oval mound of stones about 13ft by 10ft and much hollwoed in the centre by excavation in search of treasure. Within the outer enclosure several hut circles have been found, some paved with flags and some with cobbles. (14)

The first details archaeological description of the hillfort and surrounding area was published by Tate in 1862. No further excavations are known until 1958, when Hope-Taylor dug on the hilltop. He seems to have excavated mainly around the north side of the east summit, and at the putative north gate, as well as near the south gate, but may also have dug at other locations in the hillfort. Jobey published a plan in 1965 and a description in 1966. This was followed in 1986 by a survey by the RCHME. The most recent survey was made in 1998 by the RCHME and comprises a detailed description and plans of the site.
It is noted that the enclosure around the east summit of Yeavering Bell cuts across some of the hut platforms, showing it post-dates it, rather than being a precursor. It has also been speculated that this enclosure may be associated with the Anglo-Saxon palace site of Ad Gefrin at Yeavering at the foot of the hill. The enclosure measures 50m east-west by 50m north-south with a single entrance in the east side. It is defined by a narrow ditch and slight external bank.
Within the hillfort, the most recent survey has identified 125 hut sites, but it is believed more probably survive below ground and amongst quarry scoops. Most huts are identifable from a platform cut into the hillside. These platforms range between 3m and 10m in diameter, although the majority are between 4m and 8m. Some 77 platforms have structural features, eg. ring groove, perimeter bank, or entrance. The ring grooves lie mainly in the south side of the hill. Little evidence was found of any stratigraphic relationship between hut platforms.
The hillfort is defined by a substantial stone bank, mostly between 8m and 9m wide and about 2m to 2.5m high when viewed from the outside. The bank is just over 900m long and made up of pebbles and stones up to 1m across. There is no evidence of an external ditch but there is an intermittent quarry ditch on the inside. As much of the bank has collapsed there is little evidence of the original wall structure, although there are short stretches of drystone walling that may indicate the outer face. Several gaps occur around the bank, four of which have been claimed as original entrances. Other, later, features are also associated with the bank, including small shelters and stretches of secondary walling. Apart from the hut sites and quarrying the only other features that may be contemporary with the hillfort are a possible trackway and a lynchet.
Outside the west end of the hillfort is a curving enclosure wall 130m long. A similar bank lies outside the east end of the hillfort and measures just over 102m long.
The possible Bronze Age cairn on the east summit, excavated by Tate in the mid 19th century, is the only evidence of activity on the hilltop before the fort was built. A slight bank around the modern cairn that now crowns the summit may also be part of the feature excavated by Tate but the evidence is not conclusive. The most recent survey suggests that the hillfort enclosure was built in two phases, the first shown at the east and west ends by the two outer enclosure banks. The second phase effectively shortened the length of the enclosure. The widespread evidence of quarrying inside the hillfort and lack of any external rock-cut ditch suggests most of the material for the enclosure bank was derived from inside the hillfort. The original entracne to the hillfort is believed to lie on the south side as this opening looks out over apparently cleared and cultivated land and has the easiest access. The other gaps were probably connected with later use of the site for medieval or post-medieval grazing and transhumance. The hillfort is thought to date to the third century BC. (15)

The so-called 'annexes' at the east and west ends of the hill have previously been interpreted as livestock corrals, but recent survey by English Heritage shows they are fossilised remnants of an earlier and larger circuit. (16)

Yeavering Bell hillfort. A large sub-oval fort enclosed by a substantial stone-built rampart with a small elliptical annexe at either end. The main entrance in the south long wall opens into an area containing numerous house stances levelled into the hill slope. A prominent trench encircles the eastern summit within the fort's perimeter; its relationship to some house platforms suggests that this was a later feature than the main period of occupation of the fort. (17a)

NT 9280 2931. Between May and June 1998, the RCHME carried out a detailed field investigation of Yeavering Bell hillfort. The survey acted as a pilot for the project to record Hillforts in the Northumberland National Park (Event record 1300646).

The remains are mainly as described by Authority 11. The RCHME survey confirmed that the south entrance is likely to be the only original gateway into the fort. A total of 125 hut platforms were recorded across the interior of the hillfort together with a zone of quarry hollows and scoops cut into the hillslope around the inside of the fort bank.

It was concluded that the crescent-shaped banks at the east and west ends of the hillfort (referred to as annexes by authority 11) mark an earlier defensive line which was abandoned when the present east and west ends of the fort were constructed. A number of small stone-walled shelters were identified immediately adjacent to or within the fort bank. These, and the several gaps in the bank, are likely to relate to medieval or post-medieval use of the hilltop.

The survey confirmed that the polygonal enclosure around the east summit of the hill cuts through several hut platforms and therefore post-dates the main period of occupation of the hillfort. Consequently this feature has been given a separate catalogue entry (UID 1253059;NT 92 NW 110).

For further information, see the Level 3 report on the field investigation, which includes a full textual description and interpretation of the remains, copies of plans surveyed at various scales, selected photographs and interpretative drawings. The remainder of the archive material is also available through the NMR. (17b)

General association with HER 30211 (enclosure) and HER 30212 (wall). (17)