More information : (TA 0516 8917) Remains of (NAT) Chapel of Our Lady (see TA 08 NE 1)
on remains of (NAT) Roman Signal Station (R) on site of (NAT)
Settlement (see TA 08 NE 5) (1)
The Roman Signal Station on Castle Hill was excavated by F.G Simpson in 1922-23 on a site which also uncovered a Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age settlement and Medieval chapels. Under guardianship. (2-3)
The late 4th century Signal Station, partly destroyed by cliff
erosion, consisted of a central tower surrounded by a curtain wall anda V-shaped ditch, of the same type of Huntcliff (NZ 62 SE 8), Goldsborough (NZ 81 NW 2) and Filey (TA 18 SW 2).
The tower was 50 ft square at the foundations above which were four surviving courses, stepped back. Seven bases for wooden posts supporting floor beams were also discovered. The foundations suggested a tower nearly 100 ft high.
The curtain wall with rounded corner bastions measured about 96 ft square and 4.5 ft thick with a gateway on the west side. During the construction of the wall a foundation trench was laid out with square corners, necessitation external additions of either side of the bastions to bring the weight of the wall to bear on the foundations. Similar internal additions near the bastions have not been satisfactorily explained. Plan. (4)
Full account of the Roman pottery which forms the main basis for the study of Signal-Station types and tabulated list of coins and hoard of fifty seven coins ranging from Constantine to Honorius. (5,6)
Reconstruction model of Signal Station in Scarborough Museum (see illustration card).
Resurvey at 1:1250. The outline of the Roman structure is delineated by modern kerb stones set upon an earthern bank. All but the northern arm of the outer Roman ditch has been excavated and apparently restored to its original form. The northern arm can be traced by a slight ground swelling. (7) (2-7)
Roman signal station. It comprises a ditch, an inner wall with bastions, and a signal tower. The tower was 15m square at the foundations above which were four surviving courses, stepped back. Seven bases for wooden posts supporting floor beams were also discovered. The foundations suggested a tower nearly 30m high It was one of a chain along the East coast between the Tees and Flamborough head set up to give warning of hostile approaches. Medieval chapels used the tower as foundations. (9)
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