An ironstone working belt, with pits along its whole length, follows the limestone escarpment from Pitland Hills [NY 887793] south-west and south to the vicinity of Birtley [NY 875780]. A plainly artificial hollow way leads from near West Farm Camp [NY 871783] to several immense heaps of scoria known as Cinder Hills [approx NY 870784 - see Rome Hall's plan].
A medieval sherd has been found here and medieval working is likely as Barrasford (4 miles to SE) was noted for armour; but the degree of oxidisation of some of the scoria, into red powder, suggests earlier working; possibly Romano-British. See illustration card. (1)

Centred NY 879790 - These workings are clearly visible in a strip, 20-30 metres wide and some 1600 metres long, following the course outlined by Rome Hall (1).
Individual workings are, generally, 5m in diameter and 1m deep, with upcast mounds of similar dimensions, but west of Pitland Hills Farm they are 7-8m in diameter and a minimum of 3m deep; this suggests a dip in the ironstone strata. There are no pits east of the farm.
The workings, now pasture-grown - are probably medieval.
'Cinder Hills' [NY 869779] were pointed out by the farmer. They are large mounds of cinder and scoria sited in a valley alongside a stream. (2)

Area of pits running in a band around the north west of Birtley identified as the source of ironstone for the large bloomery complex NY 87 NE 46. However, the pitting appears to be small scale limestone quarrying. (3)

A post medieval area of pits running in a band around the north west of Birtley are known as the Birtley Pits and have been identified as evidence of ironstone mining. Individual pits are generally 5m in diameter and 1m deep, with upcast spoil heaps. However this area of pitting has also been identified as small scale limestone quarrying. (4a)