More information : [SE 205 716] CAST HILLS [T.I.] SETTLEMENT [O.E.] (1) Cast Hills, a doubly enclosed work:- a nearly obliterated central circular rampart of stone surrounded by a large irregular area, enclosed by a trench. (2) Castilles (East Hills), re-examined 1936-7 by B.J.W. Kent, who considers it an I.A. settlement. An ill-defined circular earthwork is cut by a modern wall and farm roads. Some standing stones survive as part of the wall bounding the public road. A small mound in the east appears to have been dug into. South of the circle and across the road are remains of a bank of small stones and earth with 6 low standing stones aligned along it in a double row. Various trenches east and south of the circle appear unconnected and their purpose, if artificial, is not clear (a) (3) The 'wall' is said to have been 6' high and 6 yards thick all round, about 1800, with the main entrance in the east. In the middle a mound of stones about 30' in diameter and 6' high resembled a barrow. A line of pit dwellings ran for 300 yds. eastwards from Rowntree Gill to the easternmost trench. Many small barrows have been levelled and many trenches filled in. Described under "British Period" (4) Cast Hills or Castiles. "The farmyard is bounded by a B.A. stone circle still traceable in part" (5) Survey 1:2500 revised. (6) The main, defensive enclosure, situated at SE 20387160, is badly mutilated and poorly defined. Remains of the stone revetment to its rampart occur at SE 20387155, and incorporate the "standing stones" indicated by Kent, which are erroneously classified by E. Wood as traces of a B.A. circle. Part of a slight bank of boulders and small stones at SE 20367152 cannot be identified with the earthwork. There is no trace of a mound within the enclosure, or of any barrows in the vicinity. The linear outworks, which are fragmentary and diverse in character, do not form a defensive feature. Alleged "pit dwellings" situated at SE 21387108 consists of eight small, surface quarry workings. The size, shape and construction of the central enclosure, together with the association of an outer, linear ditch, and barrows suggest an I.A. affinity, and as such is similar to the earthworks at Addingham [ SE 05 SE 10 ] Published 25" survey revised 7.5.62. - No change. (7) Basically as described in report of 20 2 63 although now even more mutilated and destroyed. The massive orthostatic walling is typical of Iron Age construction and though the remains are scant it is almost certainly an Iron Age settlement on the edge of a scarp (protective but not very defensive), too weak for a fort. 1:2500 Survey revised. (8) Listed by Challis & Harding as an ill-defined circular earthwork with double rampart (Iron Age). (9)
Parts of a sub-circular enclosure and a boundary ditch are visible as earthworks on historical air photos at SE203 715. These may be the remains of an Iron Age enclosed settlement and outworks. The sub-circular enclosure was defined by a ditch with inner and outer bank and had an internal diameter of approximately 100m. It was located close to a low scarp that overlooked lower ground to the north-west but had no particular natural advantage over land to the south and east. The enclosure is dissected by a road and only the portion of the circuit that lies to the west of the road appears to survive as earthworks. The eastern part has been built over but some possible traces of the enclosure were visible on early air photographs taken before the expansion of the farm. A boundary comprising ditch flanked by narrow banks partially encloses ground to the south of the possible settlement and may an outwork for the corralling of stock. A second ditch runs just to the south of and perpendicular to this boundary but it is not clear if feature is associated with the boundary and settlement or part of the network of trackways that run across Dallowgill Moor (see UID 1588689). The Ordnance Survey map of 1854 depicts the enclosure and boundary and several other entrenchments to the east, these latter are recorded in UID 1588693 . (10-15)
|