More information : A complex multi-phase landscape is visible as cropmarks and sub surface deposits (those plotted from photos of excavated surfaces) on air photographs taken of the area to the south and west of Ferrybridge Henge. The excavation took place in advance of a scheme to upgrade the A1 Ferrybridge to Hook Moor road to motorway standard as part of the A1 Darrington to Dishforth Design Build and Operate (DFBO) project. A new interchange (the Holmfield Interchange) was to be constructed at this site. The investigation was undertaken by Archaeological Services WYAS.
Some features have been recorded previously in other records; the prehistoric to Medieval/post Medieval features have been dealt with in record SE 42 SE 132. The Neolithic and Bronze Age landscape includes 6 circular enclosures, 3 pit circles, pits, and ditch, of Neolithic date, and 4 barrows, and 1 round barrow of Bronze Age date. They are centred at SE 4727 2416.
The form and location of the Neolithic circular enclosures are:
a) SE 4748 2418 (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 61) - formed by a 1m wide ditch, 24m in diameter. Located within the henge at the SSE quadrant of the inner ditch.
b) SE 4724 2427 - formed by a 0.5m wide ditch with an internal diameter of c.41m. It has an east facing entrance that looks directly at the henge.
c) SE 4725 2424 - just to the SSE of previous. Formed by a 0.5m wide ditch with an internal diameter of 10m.
d) SE 4720 2416 - formed by a 0.5m wide ditch with an internal area of 26m. The southern portion is not visible on the air photographs available. It is transected by an Iron Age pit alignment and ditch.
e) SE 4723 2417 - formed by a number of elongated pits. It has an internal diameter of c.12m. It is abutted by a Bronze Age ditch.
f ) SE 4727 2415 - formed by a 1m wide ditch with an internal diameter of 42m. The eastern half is not visible on the air photographs available. This also has an entrance aligned north-east towards the henge.
2 pit circles (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 66) are located at SE 4762 2413 and SE 4760 2410. The former comprises a ring of pits (13 are visible on the air photographs available, though there is space for one more) around a central pit. The internal diameter measures c.15m. The latter is formed by a ring of 12 pits (record SE 42 SE 66 suggests there is also a central pit, but this is not visible on the air photographs available). The internal diameter measures c.15m. At SE 4723 2407 there is a further Neolithic pit circle formed by eleven or more pits measuring c.0.7m in diameter. The pits are spaced about 8m apart and enclose an area 32m in diameter. This feature is cut by a Bronze Age barrow to the south-east ('e'- see below). There are other pits of uncertain date in the vicinity that may be contemporary.
The Bronze Age barrows (previously recorded in SE 42 SE 60) are located at:
a) SE 4718 2429 - formed by an irregular ditch measuring between 1m and 2m wide. It has an internal diameter of c.20m. The area within the ditch shows as a negative mark (parchmark) on 1948 RAF verticals, but this may be caused by the underlying limestone geology rather than surviving bank material.
b) SE 4719 2424 - formed by a 1.8m wide ditch with an internal diameter of c.25m.
c) SE 4723 2400 - formed by a 0.5m wide ditch with an internal diameter of c.13m. It is cut by an Iron Age/Roman boundary (SE 42 SE 132). A short length of ditch abuts it to the west.
d) SE 4724 2405 - formed by a 0.5m wide ditch with an internal diameter of 9m. This feature cuts a Neolithic pit circle.
There is a round barrow (SE 42 SE 8) at SE 4734 2449 that is visible on air photographs as a narrow outer ditch (shown to be two concentric ditches during excavation in 1962 by A.L. Paccitto) with an inner mound and central pit. The internal diameter of the ditch is c.19m however the northern half is not visible on the air photographs available.
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