Droveway near Milfield (Ewart; Milfield)
Cropmarks of a 'Droveway' or an 'Avenue' are visible on air photographs at Ewart and Milfield. This take the form of a parallel pair of ditches following a somewhat sinuous route from NT 9423 3218 to NT 9387 3386.
During 1977-8, as part of a program of fieldwork in and around Milfield, two sections was cut across this feature:
1. A section across both ditches at West Plain. The western ditch was 1m. wide and 0.31m. deep. The eastern ditch was between 1.30m. and 0.80m. wide and 0.30m. and 0.20m. deep. There were several small pits in the vicinity of the ditches. There were no associated finds.
2. A section was cut across the eastern ditch in 1977 or 1978 at a point c.50m south west of Milfield South henge. The ditch measured 0.76m wide by 0.31m deep. A shallow stone lined pit, c.1.5m in diameter, was found to be cut by the ditch at this point. No finds were reported. (1)
Aerial photographs show crop marks of two parallel ditches running approximately north-south, a cursus. Also a third linear ditch apparently unconnected with the cursus. (2)
Section of cursus excavated in 1978. Two ditches 24m apart and very slight. Two pits lay by west ditch, no finds. (3)
The avenue is visible on RAF aerial photographs extending further south than noted in (1), to NT 944316. (4)
The southern end of the avenue avoids the Marley Knowe henge (NT 93 SW 27) and terminates c.60m south of it, before the east-west tree belt. This interpretation was made after inspection of photographs taken in several different years. Some photographs hint at slightly bulbous ends to the ditches of the avenue. On some prints natural cracks are evident between the end of the avenue and the tree belt suggesting that if the avenue ditches did continue they would also be expected to be visible. Reappraisal of the 1951 RAF photograph shows a harvested field, its surface showing tracks made by the harvesting process. Some of these tracks, running parallel to the east side of the field, are those features suggested as the continuation of the avenue in authority (4). (5)
A droveway or `avenue' extends for a distance of 1.7km from a point to the E of Milfield village (NT 9387 3386) southwards as far as the East Marleyknowe henge (NT 9423 3218). The droveway is defined by side ditches, spaced 10-35m apart, which follow a more or less parallel course. The S half of the droveway, from the Coupland hange (NT 9407 3300) southwards, is well documented on air photographs but the N half is not so well recorded and gaps up to 10m in length remain. So far as can be judged, the ditches are uniformly narrow. The droveway has been traced northwards to a point just S of the Meldon Burn (NT 9397 3386) but no corresponding cropmarks have been observed on the N side of the burn. The S terminal lies 60m S of the East Marleyknowe henge at NT 9423 3218.
The dating of the droveway remains problematic and present knowledge of its context depends largely on its observed relationship with a series of monuments which lie along its course, namely (1) an enclosure (palisade?) at NT 9392 3377 (SMR NT 93 SW/H); (2) the Milfield South henge (SMR 2034);(3) the Coupland henge (SMR 2025); (4) the East Marleyknowe henge; and a ring ditch SW of the East Marleyknowe henge (SMR 2113). In each case, the air photographic evidence, though sometimes ambiguous, suggests that the droveway is the later feature though this would not rule out a (later?) prehistoric context. (6)
Excavations undertaken at West Plain in 1978 showed the W ditch to be 1.0m in width at the surface of the sub-soil, and the E ditch 1.3m (Harding, 1981). (1)
A connection between the `droveway' and 18th century horse racing has also been suggested (9). Races were held at Milfield at least as early as 1723, and horses and riders are depicted near Milfield on `The Plain' on John Warburton's 1716 `Map of Northumberland'. Horse races were being advertised in the local press as late as 1774 but the exact location of the racecourse has not been established. (7)(8)(9)
During 1995 another section was cut across the avenue, this time at the point where it passed through the northern entrance of the Coupland henge. Radiocarbon dates were obtained from charcoal 'which came from 'a lower fill of the western droveway ditch' and was 'sealed completely by an upper fill'. The uncalibrated dates were 3000+/-70bc and 3090+/-70bc, which gave a calibrated date of 'approximately 3800 B.C'. (10b-c)
In his discussion of the Milfield Basin sites, Bradley treats the `avenue' as a feature of early medieval date, linking extant prehistoric monuments and leading towards the Anglo-Saxon royal centre at Milfield (Melmin - NT 93 SW 4). (10d-e)
Clive Waddington has argued that the avenue is an Early Neolithic droveway which was later incorporated into a processional route linking several ritual sites. (10f)
A droveway or avenue leads from just south of the Meldon Burn at Milfield (NT 9387 3386) southwards to a point jus beyond the East Marleyknowe henge (NT 9423 3218) - a distance of 1.7km. The avenue is defined by two approximately parallel side ditches, the separtaion of which varies from c.10m to c.35m. The southern half of the avenue, from the Coupland henge (NT 9407 3300) southwards, is well documented on aerial photographs but the northern half is not so well recorded and gaps of up to 100m in length remain to be filled. as far as can be judged, the ditches are uniformly narrow.
The dating of the avenue is a matter for continuing debate. For the time being all that can be said is that our knowledge of its chronological context depends on its observed relationship with a series of monuments which lie adjacent to its course (namely the Milfield South henge, the Coupland henge, the East Marleyknowe henge, a ring ditch south-west of the East Marleyknow henge and a (palisaded?) enclosure at NT 939 337). In each case the aerial photographic evidence suggests, although not always unambiguously, that the avenue is the later feature, though this of course does not rule out a prehistoric date. (10g)
Aerial photograph references. (10h-al)
The site has been mapped from the air as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (See archive object MD000295) (10)
General association with HER 2001 and HER 2113, Is referred to by HER 2024, HER 2025 and HER 2034. (10)
During 1977-8, as part of a program of fieldwork in and around Milfield, two sections was cut across this feature:
1. A section across both ditches at West Plain. The western ditch was 1m. wide and 0.31m. deep. The eastern ditch was between 1.30m. and 0.80m. wide and 0.30m. and 0.20m. deep. There were several small pits in the vicinity of the ditches. There were no associated finds.
2. A section was cut across the eastern ditch in 1977 or 1978 at a point c.50m south west of Milfield South henge. The ditch measured 0.76m wide by 0.31m deep. A shallow stone lined pit, c.1.5m in diameter, was found to be cut by the ditch at this point. No finds were reported. (1)
Aerial photographs show crop marks of two parallel ditches running approximately north-south, a cursus. Also a third linear ditch apparently unconnected with the cursus. (2)
Section of cursus excavated in 1978. Two ditches 24m apart and very slight. Two pits lay by west ditch, no finds. (3)
The avenue is visible on RAF aerial photographs extending further south than noted in (1), to NT 944316. (4)
The southern end of the avenue avoids the Marley Knowe henge (NT 93 SW 27) and terminates c.60m south of it, before the east-west tree belt. This interpretation was made after inspection of photographs taken in several different years. Some photographs hint at slightly bulbous ends to the ditches of the avenue. On some prints natural cracks are evident between the end of the avenue and the tree belt suggesting that if the avenue ditches did continue they would also be expected to be visible. Reappraisal of the 1951 RAF photograph shows a harvested field, its surface showing tracks made by the harvesting process. Some of these tracks, running parallel to the east side of the field, are those features suggested as the continuation of the avenue in authority (4). (5)
A droveway or `avenue' extends for a distance of 1.7km from a point to the E of Milfield village (NT 9387 3386) southwards as far as the East Marleyknowe henge (NT 9423 3218). The droveway is defined by side ditches, spaced 10-35m apart, which follow a more or less parallel course. The S half of the droveway, from the Coupland hange (NT 9407 3300) southwards, is well documented on air photographs but the N half is not so well recorded and gaps up to 10m in length remain. So far as can be judged, the ditches are uniformly narrow. The droveway has been traced northwards to a point just S of the Meldon Burn (NT 9397 3386) but no corresponding cropmarks have been observed on the N side of the burn. The S terminal lies 60m S of the East Marleyknowe henge at NT 9423 3218.
The dating of the droveway remains problematic and present knowledge of its context depends largely on its observed relationship with a series of monuments which lie along its course, namely (1) an enclosure (palisade?) at NT 9392 3377 (SMR NT 93 SW/H); (2) the Milfield South henge (SMR 2034);(3) the Coupland henge (SMR 2025); (4) the East Marleyknowe henge; and a ring ditch SW of the East Marleyknowe henge (SMR 2113). In each case, the air photographic evidence, though sometimes ambiguous, suggests that the droveway is the later feature though this would not rule out a (later?) prehistoric context. (6)
Excavations undertaken at West Plain in 1978 showed the W ditch to be 1.0m in width at the surface of the sub-soil, and the E ditch 1.3m (Harding, 1981). (1)
A connection between the `droveway' and 18th century horse racing has also been suggested (9). Races were held at Milfield at least as early as 1723, and horses and riders are depicted near Milfield on `The Plain' on John Warburton's 1716 `Map of Northumberland'. Horse races were being advertised in the local press as late as 1774 but the exact location of the racecourse has not been established. (7)(8)(9)
During 1995 another section was cut across the avenue, this time at the point where it passed through the northern entrance of the Coupland henge. Radiocarbon dates were obtained from charcoal 'which came from 'a lower fill of the western droveway ditch' and was 'sealed completely by an upper fill'. The uncalibrated dates were 3000+/-70bc and 3090+/-70bc, which gave a calibrated date of 'approximately 3800 B.C'. (10b-c)
In his discussion of the Milfield Basin sites, Bradley treats the `avenue' as a feature of early medieval date, linking extant prehistoric monuments and leading towards the Anglo-Saxon royal centre at Milfield (Melmin - NT 93 SW 4). (10d-e)
Clive Waddington has argued that the avenue is an Early Neolithic droveway which was later incorporated into a processional route linking several ritual sites. (10f)
A droveway or avenue leads from just south of the Meldon Burn at Milfield (NT 9387 3386) southwards to a point jus beyond the East Marleyknowe henge (NT 9423 3218) - a distance of 1.7km. The avenue is defined by two approximately parallel side ditches, the separtaion of which varies from c.10m to c.35m. The southern half of the avenue, from the Coupland henge (NT 9407 3300) southwards, is well documented on aerial photographs but the northern half is not so well recorded and gaps of up to 100m in length remain to be filled. as far as can be judged, the ditches are uniformly narrow.
The dating of the avenue is a matter for continuing debate. For the time being all that can be said is that our knowledge of its chronological context depends on its observed relationship with a series of monuments which lie adjacent to its course (namely the Milfield South henge, the Coupland henge, the East Marleyknowe henge, a ring ditch south-west of the East Marleyknow henge and a (palisaded?) enclosure at NT 939 337). In each case the aerial photographic evidence suggests, although not always unambiguously, that the avenue is the later feature, though this of course does not rule out a prehistoric date. (10g)
Aerial photograph references. (10h-al)
The site has been mapped from the air as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (See archive object MD000295) (10)
General association with HER 2001 and HER 2113, Is referred to by HER 2024, HER 2025 and HER 2034. (10)
N2039
EXCAVATION, West Plain 1978; HARDING, A F
EXCAVATION, Coupland Enclosure and associated droveway 1997; WADDINGTON, C
EXCAVATION, Coupland Enclosure and associated droveway 1997; WADDINGTON, C
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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.