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) (see TA 08 NE 4)
on site of (NAT) Settlement (NR) (1)
Part of the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age settlement with Hallstatt
influences was revealed during excavations on Castle Hill by F.G.
Simpson between 19210-25, which also uncovered the Roman Signal
Station and Medieval chapels. Under guardianship. (2-3)
An occupation layer with open hearths but no certain traces of huts
was found in association with over forty-two pits, containing pottery
fragments, animal bone and pot boilers. Fragmentary human remains,
mainly children, were found in at least eight pits. (4,5) (8)
Challis and Harding, (6,7) stated that it was impossible to
satifactorily reconstruct the individual contents of the pits, as
twenty-seven of them in Simpson's excavation records (a) gave no
precise detials.
Re-assessment of the pottery (6) identified some Late Bronze Age typesbut the large majority reflected Hallstatt influence, from the Continent in the 7th century BC. A second phase of influence probably in the mid 6th century BC was represented by pottery vessels copied from metal prototypes.
Bronze metalwork of the 'Heathery Burn' tradition included 'Yorkshire'and plain 'northern' socketed axes, tanged chisels and socketed gouges demonstrating survival of the tradition probably into the 6th century BC.
Pottery spindle whorls, traces of bronze smelting, globular beads, an
iron pin or rod and flint flakes and cores were amongst the other
finds. In Scarborough Museum. (4-7)
Excavations by J.G. Rutter in 1953, about 160 ft south of the site
located four additional pits, three cobbled areas to the north and
eight, mainly unrelated, post holes. The contents of the pits were
The primary use of the pits has been interpreted as hearths or water
storage, rather than grain storage. (8) Plan. (4)
Stead considered the Castle Hill site as a promontory fort but the
neck where the Iron Age defences would have crossed, have been
completely transformed by Medieval fortifications (see TA 08 NW 35).
(9)
Resurvey at 1:1250. (See divorced survey with TA 08 NE 4). No
vestige of the Iron Age settlement is visible. (10) (2-10)
TA 0503 8911. Scarborough Castle: Iron Age settlement, Roman signal
station, Anglo-Scandinavian settlement & chapel, C12 enclosure
castle and C18 battery. Scheduled RSM No 13300. The evidence
indicates settlement on the headland from about the sixth century
BC and it is likely that the site was a promontory fort whose
defensive earthworks may hve been incorporated into the medieval
defences. This, however, has yet to be confirmed. (11)
A Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age settlement with Hallstatt influences (7th century BC) and a slightly later second phase (6th century BC) was revealed during excavations on Castle Hill by F.G. Simpson between 1921¿5 (NMR636160), including hearths, 42 pits, and fragmentary human remains. Finds included bronze socketed axes, tanged chisels, gouges, pottery spindle whorls, traces of bronze smelting, beads and an iron pin. Beaker pottery indicates activity before c 2000 BC. Excavations by J.G. Rutter in 1953, to the S of the site (NMR636162) located 4 additional pits and cobbled surfaces. The site is possibly a promontory fort, but the neck where the Iron Age defences would have crossed, have been completely transformed by medieval fortifications. (12)
|