For over five hundred years, the miners and smelters of Reeth produced mountains of precious lead. The lead ores from Reeth had high concentrations of Silver, Lead itself became and important ingredient in bronze. Maiden Castle, deep in the Swaledale lead mining territory a unique piece of Iron Age architecture. It is the only known fort with what seems to be a processional entrance.
A superbly circular “fort”, built on the side of the hill, which seems to be a Brigantian fashion (see below). This is built with two rampart walls and a very narrow ditch between – 1-2m. If these were defences, they seem pretty slight. In it’s way, a miniature version of Wandlebury, but only about 200m circumference.
We call Braithwaite Wood Fort Iron Age, but it’s actually undated, but its typology indicates a potential Iron Age origin.
“The scale and function of the earthworks, which may comprise a rampart, a ditch and a counterscarp bank, is massive and assumed to be defensive though large univallate hillforts may have been built on the sites of earlier non-defensive enclosures such as slight univallate hillforts. In area large univallate hillforts vary between 1 and 10 hectares.
Underneath these medieval earthworks is a series of earlier defenses which dates back to the early Iron Age. This was the building which burned down and it is regarded as one of Yorkshire’s most important early Iron Age hill forts, it is one of Yorkshires true multi-valet hill forts and gives the impression of a tribal capital of a significant region, given the lack of similar hill forts in the region.
Oct 01
The Kingdom of Venutius – Brigantia – AD 69 “Inspired by these differences between the Roman forces and by the many rumours of civil was that reached them, the britons plucked up courage under the leadership of Venutius, who, in addition to his own natural spirit and hatred of the Roman name, was fired by …
Oct 01
The Gallus Frontier – Roman Rig and associated Iron Age Forts The Gallus frontier, outlined in blue, south of the line, the Roman fortifications, to the north, Venutius’ kingdom. The Frontier changes made by Gallus In “Rome against Caratacus” Graham Webster put forward the proposal that Gallus was forced to remodel the existing …
Sep 30
Stanwick Iron Age Hill Fort This note describes a partial perimeter walk of the largest hill fort in England. This walk covers some six miles and takes in the major extend of the fort and covers the two stages in it’s development. Location:: O/S 1:50,000 map 92 ref, 178123 Stanwick is very close to the …
Sep 28
Barwick-in-Elmet, a village steeped in history, traces its origins back to the Iron Age, as evidenced by the ancient fortifications on Hall Tower Hill. This site, which later served as the foundation for a Norman motte-and-bailey castle, is a testament to the village’s long-standing strategic importance. The name ‘Barwick’ itself is derived from Old English, …
