Summary : A boundary ditch and bank of possible post medieval date, previously described as a turf bank and ditch, possibly a 17th century boundary. The feature is visible as earthworks on air photographs, but by later photography appears to have been levelled, with elements visible as cropmarks. Elements of the boundary appear to mirror and respect a number of later prehistoric features, including Bronze Age round barrows and a ditch of possible Bronze Age or Iron Age date. |
More information : A curious travelling ramp or bank described by Eastmead as " outer embankment or barbican of considerable extent" surrounding Studfold Ring (SE 57 NE/6). This could be the remains of a 17th century turf wall as boundary fences to the NW are of turf, but higher and more recent. The strange feature of it is the way it runs round a tumulus and forms a ditch and a bank for the west side of the mound. It then peters out in the plantation to the south (at SE 5819 7972). Near the entrance to Studford it has some rather indefinite ramifications. It disappears to the west near pond (at SE 5799 8002). (1)
Visible on Crawford air photograph. (2)
The outer embankment has been ploughed out and its relationship to Studfold Ring could not be established. (3)
Hayes (a) added that the bank was 6ft wide and 2ft high which curved round the tumuli to the north-east, following the ditch of one of them at SE 5820 7992 to another mound 32ft. in diameter at SE 5816 8000 and then "turns due west and runs towards a dewpond in the junction of three turf walls" at SE 5799 8002 which is in fact one of the group of round barrows, including the above, excavated by Wainwright in 1966 (b). North Yorkshire SMR refer to two air photographs (c) and give the condition in June 1974 as levelled and therefore the description of it as part of Studford Ring could not be verified. It may be associated with the suggested refurbishing in the historic period. Gill(d) reiterrates Eastmead's account. This record originally formed part of SE 57 NE/6. (4-4d)
The ditch of the (now levelled) boundary recorded by Authorities 1-4 was mapped from poor quality air photographs:-
Possible Post Medieval ditch, seen as a soil mark. Morphological description: a single linear feature, defined by 1 ditch with a maximum length of 400m. Centred at:-SE 5816 7997 (Morph No. HH.29.9.1)
North of SE 5816 8000 however, this feature seems to take a different line to that recorded by Authorities 1 and 4a.
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (5)
Boundary ditches and banks of possible post medieval date are visible as earthworks and cropmarks on air photographs. The features form a partial enclosure surrounding Studfold Ring (UID 56760), with which they may be associated with a later phase. Elements of the boundary appear to mirror and respect a number of later prehistoric features, including Bronze Age round barrows (UID 56763) and a ditch of possible Bronze Age or Iron Age date (UID 1530301) (mentioned above). (6-7) |