The Bronze Age discoveries in Mitchell Laithes Farm, Ossett, West Yorkshire, offer an important glimpse into the region’s ancient past. Archaeological appraisals, particularly the one conducted in 2007 at Mitchell Laithes Rye Royds, have unearthed evidence of short episodes of occupation dating back to 3500-2000 BC.
The massive earthworks at Barwick and the continuation of the same profile alongside the River Cock to Aberford and beyond point to it being a place of importance as a large hillfort of some 15 acres. There were several hillforts in northern Britain when it was inhabited by a Celtic tribe called the Brigantes.
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The name Brigantia represents three separate concepts: a goddess, a people, and a tribal federation. By the Roman period, the name represented a tribal federation compromising all of what would become the Roman province of Britannia Secunda, except for the Parisi territory, east of the River Derwent.
“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.
← BrigantiaLinked DocumentsAlmondbury Hill FortView of Castle Hill, Almondbury, as it looks today with the Victorian tower on the top. Also Varley plan of Almondbury. Another plan of Almondbury, showing the outer ditchesCastle Hill, AlmondburyUnderneath these medieval earthworks is a series of earlier defenses which dates back to the early Iron Age. This was the …
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.
