Possibly, the earliest documented battle on Brigantian soil, is described in Y Gododdin, which is a medieval Welsh poem, revered as one of the earliest surviving examples of Welsh/Brythonic poetry, and is attributed to the bard Aneirin.
Period: Dark Ages
Carl Wark Hill Fort
This is a hill fort of unproven origin, best thought to be Iron or Dark age in date. Bronze Age artifacts are also close by and show a long general occupation of the area. The primary purpose for this visit was to investigate the possibility that it was used by the Brigantes during the period of Cartimandua and, if so, to try to assess its role between 43 and 70 AD.
Castle Dykes Roman Villa
This earthwork was partially excavated in 1870, these revealed the foundations for a Roman villa of obvious opulence. It’s final Roman owners were believed to have suffered a grisly death as the villa burnt around them. It is likely that future excavations will reveal that the villa was built over of an earlier tribal centre. Probably replacing the shrine to the “Light Water” with a more Mediterranean alternative.
Tor Dyke
Tor Dyke appears to have been attributed to Venutius which dates it of the period AD 52 – 70. The presence of a legionary size marching camp a few miles to the southwest at Malham certainly indicates an active role in the Roman advance of AD 70. However, given the lack of published research so far a clear picture has yet to emerge.
Sep 23
Monmouth’s Kings of Britain
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