| Summary : Two curvilinear earthwork enclosures, possibly Iron Age, are visible as earthworks on air photographs. Woofa Bank seems to be associated with a linear earthwork, possibly a boundary bank. The second curvilinear enclosure, Round Dikes, cannot be so confidently enclosed within the linear earthwork. |
More information : [SE 0478 4987] Camp [O.E.]
[SE 0552 5011] Round Dikes [T.I.] (Camp) [O.E.]
[SE 0465 4995-0509 4967 and SE 0570 4985-0594 5021 Ancient Earthwork [T.I.] (twice). (1)
"Addingham Moor. Two 'camps' both inclosed within lines of circumvallation nearly a mile long. The eastern work, which is the smaller, has no rampart, but the inner area of 1 acre is from 4 to 5 ft. above the ditch, and about 3 ft. above the slight outer bank on the counterscarp. The width of the ditch ... is about 25 ft. Two sides contain much stone and a flattened tumulus [SE 05 SE 9] lies within the area. The work lies on ground sloping to the S.E. The other camp has an area of 1, 2/3 acres and the ditch has nearly the same dimensions as ... the first. Neither work has any marked entrance. The circumvallation where it approaches the second enclosure, has a breadth of 18 ft. and is 3 ft. high". (2)
"It seems that such defences must be considered as representative of local Iron Age life" ... (3)
The western'camp', called Woofa Bank was found to contain within the enclosed area "great numbers of rude fireplaces, constructed of stone, and filled with ashes. But nothing else was discovered excepting a very large perforated bead of "Geat" ... (4)
The earthworks have been resurveyed at 1:2500. Both enclosures are reasonably well defined, though the more westerly one at SE 0478 4987 (Woofa Bank) has been partly levelled and infilled by former ploughing. The eastern enclosure, Round Dikes, stands in uncultivated moorland and is well preserved. The two earthworks are essentially non-defensive. Round Dikes is overlooked by higher ground to the west which rises immediately from its ditch, whilst Woofa Bank is situated at the foot of the south side of Counter Hill and is also overlooked. The inner area of this latter earthwork is also above the level of the surrounding ground [c.f. Catstones Ring SE 03 NE 7.]. Round Dikes and Woofa Bank are not intervisible and neither contains internal remains. Both earthworks are of a type generally assigned in the West Riding as being Iron Age. (see Raistricks I.A. Settlements in W. Yorkshire. Y.A.J. Vol. 34, Part 134,p. 126).
The linear earthworks in the vicinity of each enclosure are entirely separate features. That nearest to Round Dikes bears little resemblance to the other at Woofa Bank and appears more likely to be the remains of a covered drain or conduit. Drainage channels run down the field into the ditch on the inside of the bank. No information about it could be obtained from the owner of the field or from Bradford Water Board. The other linear, with a ditch on the outside of its bank and its position not conditioned by the contour of the ground could well be a boundary earthwork contemporary with its enclosure. (5)
Survey of 10.4.62 correct. (6)
Round Dykes and Woofa Bank, two oval earthworks at SE 055 501 and SE 048499, listed by Challis and Harding as curvilinear enclosures (Iron Age). (7)
SE 0478 4987. Counter Hill, near Addingham. Additional references. (7a)(8)
SE 048 498. Camp 500ft (150m) NNE of Moorcock Hall. Scheduled No WY/718.
SE 055 501. Round Dikes camp. Scheduled No WY/1091. (9)
Earthwork remains of a late prehistoric oval enclosure, 99m by 86m, bounded by a ditch with an inner and outer bank. On the east side may be the remains of building platforms. (10)
Earthwork remains of a late prehistoric enclosed settlement with remains of an outlying earthwork. (11)
An Iron Age enclosure with circumvallate boundary bank and external ditch, centred at SE 0482 4988, is visible as earthworks on air photographs. The main feature of this site ("Woofa Bank") comprises an oval ditch (5-9m wide) with external and internal banks (each between 2.5m and 4.5m wide). All elements are quite denuded by more recent pastoral land use. There is no entrance visible on the numerous vertical and oblique air photographs available of this site. An oval depression (34m long by 23m wide) is visible in the north-eastern corner of the enclosure. Surrounding the earthwork is a linear bank and external ditch (5.4m and 1.6m wide respectively) centred at SE0461 4983. This feature is incomplete in places with the best survival being to the south and northwest of Woofa Bank enclosure. Again, no entrance is visible.
(12-14)
The earthwork bank and ditch cnetred at SE0461 4983 circumvallate the eastern and southern sides of the Woofa Bank enclosure. This linear boundary continues onto SE 04 NE where it cross a beck at SE0508 4967 but then peters out. At its closest the boundary lies 60m from the Woofa Bank enclosure.
(15)
The ditch closest to Round Dikes (centred at SE0570 4988)
identified by (5) as a possible drain is also visible on aerial photographs. This ditch orginates near Marchup Beck (at SE0591 4946), heads towards Round Dikes for 430m but then veers to the east away from this monument.
(16)
Round Dikes curvilinear enclosure, centred at SE 0551 5011, is visible as an earthwork on air photographs. This feature comprises a 5.5m wide ditch with interior and exterior banks, each around 1.5m wide. The banks are often interrupted and it is hard to discerne a potential entrance. There are a number of features within the enclosure which may potentially allude to its purpose. From earlier (1954) RAF vertical photography, and more recent oblique photographs, two hut circles are visible as earthworks. These measure roughly 24m in diameter each and, though mostly too denuded to record, consisted of an exterior earthwork bank 2.5m across, and a slight interior depression. A bowl barrow is located within the enclosure to the south (SE 05 SE 6). Also there are several pits and a spring (as marked on the 1978 1:10000 scale Ordnance Survey Map for this area).
There are two linear earthworks nearby (to the east), one of which may be interpreted as continuations of the circumvalation. However, neither of these can be suggested with any confidence. The nearest is a possible drain, whilst that farthest away is too short a length to be easily linked with what is already known.
(17-19) |