Old Yeavering Henge (Kirknewton)
NT 929304: Old Yeavering Henge was discovered on air photographs 200m east-south-east of the Anglo-Saxon palace site (NT 93 SW 11). It was found to be a double entrance henge, with the entrances aligned northwest-southeast. Subsequent excavation in 1976 revealed a 4m wide flattish bottom ditch encompassing an elliptical area of 16m by 19m.
Outside the western entrance a grave was uncovered. It was contained in an oval pit 1.96 by 1.14m and 0.70m deep. The inhumation burial appeared as a silhouette of buff coloured grey material in orange gravel. It lay on its right side, head to the south and was contracted.
There were no dateable finds with the burial but it was probably contemporary with the henge. A little to the north of the grave was an irregular bowl-shaped pit c0.80m by c0.62m and 0.31m deep. Radiocarbon dating from a layer of burnt material in the fill gave a date of 2940 +/-90bc. This pit appeared to have had a domestic function. Some 6m outside the eastern entrance of the henge was an irregularly shaped depression containing a large number of Neolithic sherds. The depression does not appear to have been deliberately constructed. The henge was sandwiched between a rectangular house and a double enclosure ditch which appear to be synonymous with the Anglo-Saxon palace site. (1)
Classic henge. (2)
A Neolithic henge monument is marked by a broad elliptical ditch with overall measurements of about 25m NW-SE by 21m NE-SW. There are opposed entrances facing to the NW and SE. (3)(4)
Additional information (5a-b) The site has been mapped from the air as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (See archive object MD000295) (5)
General association with HER 30261. (5)
Outside the western entrance a grave was uncovered. It was contained in an oval pit 1.96 by 1.14m and 0.70m deep. The inhumation burial appeared as a silhouette of buff coloured grey material in orange gravel. It lay on its right side, head to the south and was contracted.
There were no dateable finds with the burial but it was probably contemporary with the henge. A little to the north of the grave was an irregular bowl-shaped pit c0.80m by c0.62m and 0.31m deep. Radiocarbon dating from a layer of burnt material in the fill gave a date of 2940 +/-90bc. This pit appeared to have had a domestic function. Some 6m outside the eastern entrance of the henge was an irregularly shaped depression containing a large number of Neolithic sherds. The depression does not appear to have been deliberately constructed. The henge was sandwiched between a rectangular house and a double enclosure ditch which appear to be synonymous with the Anglo-Saxon palace site. (1)
Classic henge. (2)
A Neolithic henge monument is marked by a broad elliptical ditch with overall measurements of about 25m NW-SE by 21m NE-SW. There are opposed entrances facing to the NW and SE. (3)(4)
Additional information (5a-b) The site has been mapped from the air as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (See archive object MD000295) (5)
General association with HER 30261. (5)
N2037
EXCAVATION, Old Yeavering
MAGNETOMETRY SURVEY, Ad Gefrin, Yeavering ; Archaeological Services Durham University
MAGNETOMETRY SURVEY, Ad Gefrin, Yeavering ; Archaeological Services Durham University
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