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Air photo showing the location of the henge
The henge at Catterick racecourse, located in North Yorkshire, is an intriguing prehistoric site. Initially thought to be a Roman amphitheatre, it is now believed to be a henge, a type of Neolithic earthwork. The henge is approximately 140 meters in diameter and is composed of river cobble and gravel. The Roman road Dere Street cuts through the site, indicating its pre-Roman origins. Unfortunately, the site has suffered damage over the years due to the construction of the racecourse and quarrying activities. Despite this, it remains an important archaeological feature, shedding light on the ancient landscape of the region.
"Until now the Mayburgh henge has been considered exceptional in that it lacked a ditch and its single bank was composed of small river derived stones. The Catterick henge appears, from the excavated evidence, to be of similar plan and construction, and it is only slightly larger than Mayburgh, which has diameters of c. 87.5m (internal) and c 124m (external) with a single entrance through the 36.6m wide bank. Unfortunately, none of the apparent gaps in the bank at Catterick can be positively identified as entrances". P. R. Wilson - Cataractonium.
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