More information : [NY 63746122] Camp [O.E.] (1)
NY 637613 The Curricks. A double banked enclosure with medial ditch.
The interior has at least two yards or pens, and faint traces of
rectangular buildings. On the east, the ditch has been mutilated by a
later boundary ditch and upcast dyke which runs towards the site on
the N.E. and picks up again at the S.E. corner. Large kerbstones are
visible at the outurn by the entrance. The site probably represents
the remains of a medieval or later farm. (2) Scheduled under Camps & Settlements(3). (2-3)
Generally as described, but in poor condition. Revised at 6" scale.
Enlargement on illustration card. (4)
NY 63746121 "The Curricks" is situated about 240.0m OD on
gently sloping south-facing rough pastureland. (See 1:1250 Plan).
It has been "scooped" out of a slight north-south slope and consists
of a near rectangular double banked enclosure with medial ditch
measuring about 73.0m north-south by 60.0m east-west between the
ditch centres. Where best preserved (in the north) the turf-covered
stony banks are about 4.0m wide and 1.0m high with the ditch 2.0m
wide and 0.5m deep. It seems very doubtful if the ditch continued on
the east side; it could have been completely filled in but it seems
more likely that this side was formed by a wall or rampart (probably
about 4.0m wide) now severely robbed and mutilated and visible as a
turf-covered slope on the insde and several large intermittent
earthfast stones of the outer face. Central to this east side the
remains of the only apparent entrance are still clearly visible,
defined on its south side by several earthfast stones.
Inside the enclosure the remains of two definite platforms
'A' and 'B' are visible in the east and west corners respectively,
both set up against the inner bank at the highest part of the
interior. A turf-covered rubble wall (about 2.5m wide, 0.3m high)
bisects the interior between these platforms continuing southwards
to join a roughly rectangular similarly walled enclosure 'C' to the
immediate south of the entrance.
To the west of this enclosure are the remains of a rather ill-defined
platform 'D'. In the southwest corner is a shallow near circular damp
hollow ('E') about 8.0m in diameter 0.4m maximum depth.
Outside the enclosure (on the east side north of the entrance) a
sub-divided rectangular building 'F' probably a shieling now visible
as turf-covered stony foundations measuring 10.5m north-south by
5.0m transversely, is set into the bank. At this point the enclosure
is joined by a double ditch and bank running off in a northerly
direction for about 50.0m and which then turns to the west
and continues as a single bank and outer ditch for about 110.0m
fading out on the steep slopes of a natural gulley.
From the southwest corner of the enclosure another bank and outer
ditch continues southwards for about 133.0m; then this too turns
towards the west for about 88.0m mainly visible as a shallow ditch
before it peters out in the same natural gulley. It has been
destroyed here by deep ploughing for a plantation but it too
probably continued northwards to join up with the ditch and bank in
the north forming an outer enclosure to the main one.
There is no trace of any associated cultivation in the area but see
NY 66 SW 13.
Although adapted and utilised as a probable Medieval farmstead the
main enclosure is unquestionably an Iron Age/Romano British settlement.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 with enlargement at 1:1250. (5)
The earthwork remains of the Curricks IA/Roman enclosed farmstead were seen centred at NY 6374 6122 and mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hadrian's Wall NMP project. Aerial photographs taken in 1946 show a number of large ditch defined enclosures extending to the West, south and north of the main settlement enclosure. These extend into the area now covered by forestry. These enclosures appear to form a group of at least 3 conjoined fields. The combined settlement and its larger enclosures covers and area of c. 375m x 585m.
This site is remarkably similar in form and size to a possible IA/Roman farmstead identified through aerial photographs some 2800m to the NW (NY66SW 71) on the northern side of Denton Fell.
To the south of the main enclosures described above is a scooped hollow at NY 6346 6082 which has been described as an enclosure of uncertain date (SMR 10053, NMR NY66SW 12). (6)
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