View of the defended settlement on Dunstan Hill with reconstructed round house, Newton-by-the-Sea. Photo by Northumberland County Council.

(NU18302374) Dunston Hill Camp. (1)

Remains of an ancient camp surrounded by terraces formed for agricultural purposes. Original area c.90x x 40x with a form of outwork on the east. (2)

This earthwork is situated on the summit of a glacial mound and has been formed by scarping the natural slopes of the mound and adding a slight inner rampart. The natural mound extends a short distance north of the earthwork and is separated from it by a ditch. This gives the impression of a promontory defence but the earthwork has none of the other characteristics of such a work, the natural slopes being slight. The inner rampart has a maximum internal height of 1m while externally the scarping of the natural slope gives it a maximum height of 6m. The ditch to the north is 13m wide with a maximum depth of 2m. There are possible entrances on the south and east.
There are no traces of habitation in the enclosed area which shows signs of having been rig and furrow ploughed. The nearest water supply is the burn to the east. The outwork to the east referred to by MacLauchlan is merely another glacial mound the profile of which has been accentuated by rig and furrow ploughing.
The defensive advantages of the situation are slight, there being much dead ground in the immediate vicinity. Although the artificial defences are strong in places it is probable that the purpose of the earthwork was pastoral and that it is of native origin.
The terraces referred to and shown on OS 6 inch are the result of rig and furrow ploughing along the steep slopes of the mound. The prolongation of the 'terraces' so formed on the level ground to the north is in the form of normal rig and furrow ploughing which is very prevalent in the area and of no archaeological significance. (3)

The work is unclassified by Jobey but its general form and construction, though not wholly defensive resembles other works assigned by him to the Iron Age. Published survey (25 inch) revised. (4)

Dunstan Hill Iron Age enclosure, subject of undergraduate dissertation in 1990, using non-excavation techniques - plane table survey, resistivity survey and magnetometer survey. The field has been under pasture since at least 1846. Soil profiles measured where sections exposed through human and animal erosion.
The interior of the enclosure measures 90m x 51m at its widest points, enclosing an area of 3225 square metres. Natural slopes used on SW, NW and SE sides, only slight remains of bank. There is a deep ditch on the NE side - 8m wide x 2.05m deep at its central point. Two possible entrances at opposite ends of SE side. No evidence for any dwellings inside enclosure.
Ridge and furrow ploughing visible on the entire hill, field and inside the enclosure, eg strip lynchets on E face of hill. A 10m square shallow scoop on the NE of the hill is the result of turf cutting c1970; the crater on the SE of the hill was caused by a JCB. Reconstruction of a timber roundhouse stands outside the enclosure. Geophysical surveys were inconclusive. The enclosure predates the ridge and furrow. Recommend for scheduling. (5)

Scheduled. (6)

The view of Dunstan Hill from Doxford Hall is of particular note. The hill and camp would have been, prior to the growth of intervening trees, visible from the hall. Two Beech trees at the north end of Low Wood were probably intended to frame the view of the camp. The two small clumps of Scots Pine trees were planted on the hill's two summits probably about 1920. (7)

Additional Reference (8)