More information : Scorton NZ 234010 to SE 249996 Cropmark of cursus 5500 ft long and 130 ft wide. Sectioned at NZ 240005 by Thubron (b) in 1975, exposing two double ditches 32 m apart, 1 m deep and from 2 to 3 m wide, two of which showed evidence of recutting. No dating evidence was found.
In 1976 part of the north line of the cursus from NZ 234010 to NZ 236008 was stripped by gravel workings and about 70 m of the ditches examined with similar results to the previous excavation, although there was no evidence of recutting. At NZ 235009 there was a change in alignment of the ditches of some 3 degrees which coincided with an apparent backfilling of both ditches soon after construction. The nature of the ditch fill might indicate the presence of outer banks. Evidence from a rescue excavation at NZ 23450097 in 1978 and available air photographs, appear to show that the north west terminal end of the cursus was associated with a large low mound, situated between the ditches and external pits, possibly holding upright timber posts. (Two ring ditches are visible on air photographs at the south eastern end of the cursus with another possible ring ditch at the north western end.)
During the 1975 excavation by Thubron several sherds of Roman pottery (now recorded in UID 148600) were picked up from plough soil near a circular crop mark. (1-5)
NB to date the 501000 northing marks the limit of investigation for the Yorkshire Henges and their Environs Air Photo Mapping Project, the area north of this northing will be surveyed in early 2009. The Scorton Cursus is visible (but with gaps) on air photographs in a south-east to north-west orientation between SE2495 9962 and NZ2351 0091, a distance of 1.93km. As recorded above it is known from excavations to extend further north-west to at least NZ2345 0097 but the air photographic evidence for the north-west terminal and associated features also mentioned above has not yet come to light. A new record UID 1486005 has been created for the ring ditches noted above at the south-east terminal of the cursus and a separate record for the Roman pot, UID 148600 .
In detail the cursus appears as follows:
SE2494 9962 to SE9479 9975 cropmarks of broad cursus ditches and transverse terminal with neat rounded corners in field of arable. Two narrower ditches are offset 7m outside the main cursus ditches, but these do not appear to continue around the terminal. Between the two main ditches there is a band of parching that may indicate a central bank or mound. Such a feature was identified during excavations at the far northern end of the monument (see source 6). The eastern edge of the parchmark is fairly straight but the western edge is distinctly scalloped and suggests a series of mounds built up against a revetment or facade. Also 2 ring ditches located just beyond the terminal (see UID 1486007). This section has been destroyed by quarrying. (from source 7).
SE9479 9975 to SE2461 9993 extant field boundaries and a section of Back Lane run along the length of this section. The eastern ditch is visible as a mark in grass underlying the vestigial remains of medieval or post medieval ridge and furrow (UID1486010), the western ditch is also partially visible in rough grass but is partially obscured by extant field boundaries and structures. This section may survive and if so there is potential for internal features, such as the inner mound, to be sealed beneath Dark Lane around NZ2474 9979. (from source 7)
SE2461 9993 to NZ2439 0011 no aspects of the monument are visible, probably obscured by an extant field boundary in approximately the same alignment. The northern most part was quarried for gravel some time prior to 1971 but otherwise this section may survive.
NZ2439 0011 to NZ2377 0066 visible as a cropmark with only a few small gaps across RAF Scorton airfield (UID 1409216). Some sections were obscured by concrete runways on earlier photographs but were revealed once these were removed. The main ditches appear a little less straight that those in the very south-east section but this may just be the appearance of the cropmarks in this disturbed area rather than the character of the underlying features. Fine outer ditches are visible in most of this section and these also appear to be slightly irregular and are not always equidistant to the main ditches. There are areas of slight parching between the main ditches that again probably indicate the remains of internal banks or mounds. These parchmarks do not have the clearly defined form that is seen towards the south-east terminal but there are traces of a thin internal ditch at NZ2434 0016 that might support the idea of a revetment or facade. Also of interest in this section is the relationship between field boundaries of unknown date (UID 1485984) and the cursus ditches at NZ2421 0024. It appears that the field boundaries respect the outer ditches of the cursus, or perhaps more likely a more long lasting marker above the buried ditches such as a hedge line. It appears that this section has been comprehensively destroyed by quarrying although it is not certain whether a small area around SE2436 0012 may survive. (source 8 for overall extent and 7 and 9 for details).
NZ2377 0066 to NZ2351 0091 short section of the main ditches were visible in crop just north of the railway line was but most of this area was under pasture and vestigial ridge and furrow (UID 1486007), nevertheless the main ditches were revealed by lusher grass. The outer ditches were not visible. One other feature of note in this section is a possible transverse ditch across the interior of the cursus at SE4258 0082. All of this section appears to have been destroyed by quarrying (see UIDs 1486121 and 1486127). (from sources 10-11)
Overall the monument was of relatively even width with the gap between the two main ditches being 30-33m wide. As well as the two ring ditches at the south-eastern terminal possible Neolithic or Bronze Age elements have been identified close to the cursus within Scorton Airfield area (UIDs 1486005, 1485991 and 1485987).(7-12)
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