This is a Promontory fort of probable Iron Age date. It uses the natural cliffs of the hill that it Read more
Cow Ford
In the field of Bridge Barn, close to Nathwaite Bridge, there are two fords marked on the OS Series 1 map. This site page holds the details of our investigation into the fording point we think may be called Cow Ford.
The “cow ford” – another crossing 90 m upstream of Nathwaite Bridge
Evidence tier
Observations
Probable reading
Cartographic
OS 1st ed. 6-inch (1856) marks a second “Ford” c. 90 m upstream (≈ SE 0657 8380) with only a faint dashed path on the north bank and no continuation on the south.
Absent from the 1893 25-inch—suggesting it had fallen out of general use by the resurvey.
Map-makers captured a functioning but minor crossing in 1854; loss of path by 1893 hints it was always secondary.
LiDAR / terrain
1 m DTM shows a shallow tongue-shaped embankment on the north bank—likely a spoil dump from the Engine-Shaft reservoir cutting (constructed 1870s).
No hollow-way is visible feeding the embankment, and south bank terracing is negligible.
The embankment is industrial, not road-bank; the ford sits beside it, implying convenient access for reservoir builders rather than a long-standing routeway.
Hydraulic context
The river here braids around an islet of bedded shale; depth rarely > 15 cm in summer.
This riffle sits directly opposite a small spring-fed side-gill—handy for livestock watering.
A logical “cow ford”: stock from north-bank intake pastures could cross to the better grass and water of the south bank without detouring to the bridge.
Documentary hints
Bolton Estate grazing ledger 1877 lists “right of stray across river at Cow Ford for eight milkers.”
No highway or township repair entries mention this crossing.
Pointed estate usage only; never adopted by parish as a public highway.
Usage chronology
Likely in casual use well before the Engine-Shaft era; became handy for spoil-carting during reservoir construction (c. 1872) because its shallow slope let tipping carts recross easily.
Lost practical value once the bridge and later plate-steels carts made river-crossings unnecessary, and once the reservoir spoil dump partly blocked the approach.
Present condition
No stone pitching or cobbling visible; approach slopes smoothed by pasture.
Occasional rounded coal and Shale pieces in river margin (residue from 19th-c. tip wagons).
Readily walkable in summer but not classified as a right of way; known only to stock and anglers today.
Relationship to the main (lower) ford and the bridge
Crossing
Primary users
Function
Status by 1890
Lower ford (Ford Intack)
Pack-horse traffic on medieval Carlton–Park Rash route; later some coal carts.
Long-distance lane crossing until supplanted by the bridge.
Abandoned for wheeled traffic; only sheep/foot.
Nathwaite Bridge (c. 1790–1800)
Estate lime & coal carts, parish traffic, later all road vehicles.
All-weather road crossing.
Principal crossing.
Upper (cow) ford
Local stock, reservoir spoil carts 1870s.
Convenience crossing for neighbouring pasture and building works.
Fell out of use; never public highway.
Why it matters for our landscape model
Local livestock logistics – The cow-ford shows how farmers still used opportunistic, non-engineered crossings even after a stone bridge existed; livestock movement cost should stay low in your GIS modelling.
Industrial overprint – Engine-Shaft reservoir spoil has subtly re-shaped the bank, an example of how 19th-c. mining modified pre-industrial routeways.
Validation point – Lack of hollow-way in LiDAR confirms it was never a major cart track, helping you classify paths by relative usage intensity.
Take-away
The upstream ford appears to be a minor, stock-focused crossing that briefly served 1870s mining works, not an anomaly undermining the primacy of Nathwaite Bridge or the earlier pack-horse ford further downstream.
However, this is simply the result of our first-pass investigations, a suggested hypothesis.
A Medieval to Post Medieval rose and orb copper-alloy Nuremberg jetton of an dating to circa AD 1500-1651. The jetton has been bent out of shape. [...]
A Medieval to Post Medieval rose and orb copper-alloy Nuremberg jetton of an dating to circa AD 1500-1651. The jetton has been bent out of shape. [...]
A Medieval silver Venetian Soldino of Doge Leonardo Loredan, dating to the period AD 1501-1521. LAVS TIBI SOLI reverse type, depicting Christ with Halo and holding cross right. [...]
A Medieal silver voided long cross cut halfpenny of Henry III-Edward I, not further defined, dating to circa AD 1247-1279. Unclear moneyer and mint. [...]
A Medieal silver voided short cross cut halfpenny of Henry II-Henry III, not further defined, dating to circa AD 1180-1247. Unclear moneyer and mint. [...]
A Roman copper-alloy Quinarius of Allectus (AD 293-296) dating to circa AD 293-296 (Reece Period 14). Uncertain reverse type depicting galley rowing left with oarsmen and waves. Mint of London or Colchester. [...]
A Roman silver denarius of Vespasian (AD 69-79) dating to AD 75 (Reece Period 4). PON MAX TR P COS VI reverse type depicting Securitas seated left. Mint of Rome. As RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Vespasian 774. [...]
A fragment of a Post Medieval silver coin of Elizabeth I (AD 1558-1603), not further defined dating to circa AD 1558-1603). Tower of London mint. [...]
A Roman copper-alloy contempory copy of a radiate of Victorinus (AD 268-270) dating to AD 275-285 (Reece Period 14). Copying SALVS AVG reverse type depicting Salus standing left holding sceptre and patera, feeding a snake [...]
Incomplete probably medieval copper-alloy strap fitting or buckle plate with engraved decoration. It is a single, broadly rectangular or trapezoidal sheet: wider at one end, with opposing long edges that are slightly concave. All edges [...]
An extremely worn and heavily clipped silver medieval long cross penny of Henry V, uncertain class dating to 1413-1422. There are annulets on the right and possibly also left side of the crown. Uncertain mint. [...]
A cast copper alloy oval double looped annular buckle. The frame has a plano-convex cross section and an integrally cast strap bar which is recessed. There is no decoration. The pin is missing. [...]
A fragment of a medieval prick spur comprising the tip of the goad, which is biconvex and in the form of an octohedron with a square cross section, facetted sides and a curved pointed tip [...]
A Medieval cast copper alloy composite strap end, 40.6mm in length and 9.2mm in width. The main portion of the plate is narrow and rectangular with parallel sides. The front end terminates with a narrow projection with [...]
Cow Ford
