Hillfort south-east of Middleton Dean (Cheviotside)
(NT 99782194) Camp. (1)
Promontory Fort in good condition. Evidence of secondary occupation. (2)
A double-ringed camp, fortified at the neck. (3)
Plan. (4)
North Heddon Moor (South Middleton Moor). An earthwork with a single rampart and cliff forming part of the defence. Area enclosed approximately 3/4 acre. (5)
Type A1 (Cliff forts). (6)
The defences consist of two ramparts 18 yards apart across the headland. The entrance appears to have been near the north-west end. Foundations are visible within the enclosed area. (7)
NT 99792194. A cliff fort, upon a headland dropping away towards the north-east, with a level plateau to the south-west. The earthworks consist of two parallel features, rampart and ditch, running north-west/south-east, enclosing an area which is bounded to north and north-east by precipitous slopes. A simple entrance is towards the north-west end of the rampart, and the ditch is filled in at this point. Two interior banks form small enclosures within the earthwork, one to the north-west end, and one to the south-east end, both running north-south from the rampart to the cliff. The north-west interior bank has a small simple entrance against the rampart.
There are the foundations of two rectangular, contiguous constructions against the interior of the rampart in the north-west half, composed of loose stones. There are traces of a hut circle in the south-east half of the main enclosure.
The interior height of the rampart is 2.5m; the depth of the ditch from the exterior is 1.5m, and from the top of the rampart 3m.
The size of the rampart in relationship to the area of the enclosure, suggests that the enclosure was of greater extent originally. There are signs of much slumping along the base of the cliff. The nearest water supply is to the north-west.
The situation of the earthwork, and the size of the rampart are typical of the Iron Age period. (8)
Published survey (25 inch) revised.
A well-preserved fort, which in common with others in the area, shows evidence of secondary occupation in the form of a small internal courtyard at the north end of the work; possible sites of two stone-founded huts; and a minor dividing bank. Rectangular foundations abutting the interior of the rampart are either those of later buildings, or sheep shelters. (9)
No change since reports of 10/10/55 and 20/9/69. Surveyed at 1:10,000 on MSD. (10)
he remains of an Iron Age promontory fort, 330 metres south-east of Middleton Dean. There are steep slopes to the north and east sides and artificial defences have been constructed around the south and west. The fort measures 115 metres by 50 metres. The artificial defences comprise an earth and stone rampart and an external ditch. The rampart measures 5 metres wide and up to 2.5 metres high, and the ditch is 8 metres wide and 3 metres deep, from the top of the rampart. There are also remains of an outer bank in places, measuring 2 metres wide and 0.2 metres high. There is a 1.5 metre wide causewayed entrance at the north-western end of the defences. Within the fort are the remains of 2 hut circles and an internal dividing bank forming a smaller enclosure at the north-west end. Sheep pens have been built against and over the ramparts. Scheduled. (11)
Site visited in the course of a Higher Level Stewardship Farm Environment Plan, where noted site covered with some rabbit and sheep erosion. (12)
Field survey in 2003, by English Heritage, recorded the earthwork in detail. The site is reclassified as a hillfort as it does not have defences placed across the neck of a natural spur as a classic promonotory fort would have, although these may have been lost to land-slips. It is clear however that the defences were deliberately placed to take advantage of a naturally defensive location. Three principal periods of activity were identified and in summary are:
Iron Age - rampart, ditch, counterscarp bank and entrance; no features indicative of associated occupation were identified.
Romano-British period - a settlement was established within the interior; evidence of phasing is visible in the settlement.
Medieval/post-medieval - two shielings and three animal enclosures were built in the hillfort interior; plough furrows and a low ridge indicate part of the interior was used as a field and that is probably contemporary with the areas of ridge and furrow ploughing immediately to the west and south. (13)
NT 998 219. Dod Hill (North) camp. Scheduled No ND/201. (14a)
The hillfort was surveyed in 2003 by the English Heritage landscape investigation team. The hillfort is much as described by Authority 11 and there is clear evidence that the earthworks were originally more extensive. The ramparts are largely earthen and are suffering extensive erosion. There is no evidence for occupation that is contemporary with the hillfort. The survey revealed that the hut circles and courtyards noted by previous Authorities are in fact part of a previously unrecognised Romano-British settlement consisting of 6 houses and associated yards. This settlement consists of 5 different phases of growth.
Later occupation and activity in the medieval or post medieval period is evidenced by 2 shielings, 3 enclosures and ridge and furrow ploughing.
The hillfort was surveyed at 1:500 scale (14b)
General association with HER 1725. (14)
Promontory Fort in good condition. Evidence of secondary occupation. (2)
A double-ringed camp, fortified at the neck. (3)
Plan. (4)
North Heddon Moor (South Middleton Moor). An earthwork with a single rampart and cliff forming part of the defence. Area enclosed approximately 3/4 acre. (5)
Type A1 (Cliff forts). (6)
The defences consist of two ramparts 18 yards apart across the headland. The entrance appears to have been near the north-west end. Foundations are visible within the enclosed area. (7)
NT 99792194. A cliff fort, upon a headland dropping away towards the north-east, with a level plateau to the south-west. The earthworks consist of two parallel features, rampart and ditch, running north-west/south-east, enclosing an area which is bounded to north and north-east by precipitous slopes. A simple entrance is towards the north-west end of the rampart, and the ditch is filled in at this point. Two interior banks form small enclosures within the earthwork, one to the north-west end, and one to the south-east end, both running north-south from the rampart to the cliff. The north-west interior bank has a small simple entrance against the rampart.
There are the foundations of two rectangular, contiguous constructions against the interior of the rampart in the north-west half, composed of loose stones. There are traces of a hut circle in the south-east half of the main enclosure.
The interior height of the rampart is 2.5m; the depth of the ditch from the exterior is 1.5m, and from the top of the rampart 3m.
The size of the rampart in relationship to the area of the enclosure, suggests that the enclosure was of greater extent originally. There are signs of much slumping along the base of the cliff. The nearest water supply is to the north-west.
The situation of the earthwork, and the size of the rampart are typical of the Iron Age period. (8)
Published survey (25 inch) revised.
A well-preserved fort, which in common with others in the area, shows evidence of secondary occupation in the form of a small internal courtyard at the north end of the work; possible sites of two stone-founded huts; and a minor dividing bank. Rectangular foundations abutting the interior of the rampart are either those of later buildings, or sheep shelters. (9)
No change since reports of 10/10/55 and 20/9/69. Surveyed at 1:10,000 on MSD. (10)
he remains of an Iron Age promontory fort, 330 metres south-east of Middleton Dean. There are steep slopes to the north and east sides and artificial defences have been constructed around the south and west. The fort measures 115 metres by 50 metres. The artificial defences comprise an earth and stone rampart and an external ditch. The rampart measures 5 metres wide and up to 2.5 metres high, and the ditch is 8 metres wide and 3 metres deep, from the top of the rampart. There are also remains of an outer bank in places, measuring 2 metres wide and 0.2 metres high. There is a 1.5 metre wide causewayed entrance at the north-western end of the defences. Within the fort are the remains of 2 hut circles and an internal dividing bank forming a smaller enclosure at the north-west end. Sheep pens have been built against and over the ramparts. Scheduled. (11)
Site visited in the course of a Higher Level Stewardship Farm Environment Plan, where noted site covered with some rabbit and sheep erosion. (12)
Field survey in 2003, by English Heritage, recorded the earthwork in detail. The site is reclassified as a hillfort as it does not have defences placed across the neck of a natural spur as a classic promonotory fort would have, although these may have been lost to land-slips. It is clear however that the defences were deliberately placed to take advantage of a naturally defensive location. Three principal periods of activity were identified and in summary are:
Iron Age - rampart, ditch, counterscarp bank and entrance; no features indicative of associated occupation were identified.
Romano-British period - a settlement was established within the interior; evidence of phasing is visible in the settlement.
Medieval/post-medieval - two shielings and three animal enclosures were built in the hillfort interior; plough furrows and a low ridge indicate part of the interior was used as a field and that is probably contemporary with the areas of ridge and furrow ploughing immediately to the west and south. (13)
NT 998 219. Dod Hill (North) camp. Scheduled No ND/201. (14a)
The hillfort was surveyed in 2003 by the English Heritage landscape investigation team. The hillfort is much as described by Authority 11 and there is clear evidence that the earthworks were originally more extensive. The ramparts are largely earthen and are suffering extensive erosion. There is no evidence for occupation that is contemporary with the hillfort. The survey revealed that the hut circles and courtyards noted by previous Authorities are in fact part of a previously unrecognised Romano-British settlement consisting of 6 houses and associated yards. This settlement consists of 5 different phases of growth.
Later occupation and activity in the medieval or post medieval period is evidenced by 2 shielings, 3 enclosures and ridge and furrow ploughing.
The hillfort was surveyed at 1:500 scale (14b)
General association with HER 1725. (14)
N1753
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1955; A S Phillips
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
ANALYTICAL EARTHWORK SURVEY, Middleton Dean Iron Age hillfort 2003; English Heritage
FIELD SURVEY, Recording Erosion Damage at Alnham, Castle Hills and Middleton Dene Hillforts, Northumberland 2005; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
ANALYTICAL EARTHWORK SURVEY, Middleton Dean Iron Age hillfort 2003; English Heritage
FIELD SURVEY, Recording Erosion Damage at Alnham, Castle Hills and Middleton Dene Hillforts, Northumberland 2005; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
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