Monument record MDR6668 - Sheepwash Bank and Dennis Knoll prehistoric settlement and field system, Sheepwash Bank, Outseats
Type and Period (3)
- CAIRNFIELD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
- FIELD SYSTEM (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
- SETTLEMENT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
Two earth-circles (at SK 2283 8403 and SK 2315 8408), with 32 barrows grouped round them - 24 around and to the north of the former, and eight around the latter. (1)
The north-west part of this complex has been formerly afforested, and only vague stone scatters survive there. Elsewhere there are cleared field patches, low stony field banks and stone clearance heaps, among them a few kerbed stone heaps which may be genuine burial cairns. The 'earth-circles' described by Authority 1 cannot be identified. A typical Bronze Age agricultural site with interspersed burials. The most prominent features have been surveyed at 6". (2)
Centred at SK 231 841 on a southeast projecting hill spur called Sheepwash Bank is a settlement with associated field systems and the remains of two possible cairns. The settlement consists of a hut-circle 'A' and the remains of possibly two others 'B' and 'C'. 'A' at SK 2300 8417 measures 12.0m north to south by 11.0m east to west between the centres of a turf-covered stone wall 1.5m wide and 0.3m maximum height, partly destroyed in the southwest quadrant which may have contained the entrance. 'B' at SK 2312 8415, on slightly sloping ground on the northeast side of the spur, is visible as a circular turf-covered earth and stone bank of similar appearance and dimensions to 'A' although there is no trace of the northeast, downhill side. 'C' at SK 2315 8408 is a circular area of uneven stony ground about 12.5m in diameter. At first glance it could be mistaken for a robbed cairn but it is more probably a hut-circle with stones dumped in it (this is one of Authority 1's 'earth-circles'). Prominently situated on the top of the ridge within this system at SK 2308 8412 is a circular turf-covered area of stones - 'D', measuring 7.5m in diameter and 0.3m maximum height. The north quadrant has been robbed (a stony mound 7.0m by 5.0m and 0.3m high. 10.0m to the northeast is almost certainly a spoil heap from it and a large earthfast boulder is situated just south of the centre. There is no definite kerb but it is probable that this is a robbed cairn more than a mutilated clearance heap. The field system is clearly defined by circular and linear clearance heaps, Authority 1's 'eight barrows', low turf-covered rubble walls and stony lynchets. The walls tend to run across the spur from northeast to southwest about 55.0m apart, but no definite field sizes are evident. On Dennis Knoll the adjacent hill spur to the west and centred at SK 228 841 is a probably contemporary extension to this field system. Authority 1's alleged '24 barrows'. To the south of the area, once afforested but now cleared, are about a dozen irregular shaped stone clearance heaps. The north part of the area is still afforested and only one or two small piles of stone are evident and it is now difficult to ascertain if these are definitely clearance heaps or not. There are no definite fields, walls or lynchets on this spur. One low pile of stones 'E' at SK 2276 8406 (measuring about 8.5m by 7.5m with several large stones around its periphery) may be the remains of a severely mutilated robbed cairn but it is possibly no more than a large stone clearance heap (this is probably Authority 1's other 'earth-circle' as there is nothing at his given reference). Field system delineated on 1:10 560 Record Sheet. Huts 'A', 'B' and 'C' surveyed at 1:10 000. Cairns 'D' and 'E' surveyed at 1:10 000. (3)
An extensive cairnfield/field sytem with many fragmentary walls. The most intact fields are to the south east on the Sheepwash bank and are generally irregular in form. There are between 49-58 cairns in number and these range in size from 2m diameter up to 13 by 12m diameter. Several of the cairns have been robbed and superficially appear as ring cairns (see 11305). The Dennis Knowle area is planned from L H Butcher's survey as it is now destroyed by forestry. (4, 7)
Scheduled. (8)
Photographic record and sketch plan. (9, 10)
Sources/Archives (11)
- <1> SDR15486 Index: Transcript Hunter Index, Vol. 2, D/162. (F.K. Preston)..
- <2> SDR6303 Personal Observation: F1 FRH 09-NOV-66.
- <3> SDR6606 Personal Observation: F2 ISS 17-MAY-78.
- <4> SDR19460 Unpublished document: Barnatt, J (PDNPA). 1991. The North Lees Estate, Outseats, Derbyshire, archaeological survey, 1991.
- <5> SDR16583 Index: HAS. 1972. Peak Park Treasures B64. B64.
- <6> SDR16584 Index: Hunter Archaeological Society. 1972. North Lees Interpretative Plan. 100P/18/cc.
- <7> SDR16424 Article in serial: Barnatt, J. 1986. 'Bronze Age remains on the East Moors of the Peak District', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 106, pp 18-100. pp 26-28, Fig 6.
- <8> SDR17057 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1998. Scheduling Notification: Sheepwash Bank and Dennis Knoll prehistoric settlement and field system. 29794. Cat. No.: 388.
- <9> SDR18971 Photograph: Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). Slide Collection. 11337.1-4.
- <10> SDR19161 Unpublished document: Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). Parish file. Sketch plan: Butcher.
- <11> SDR15202 Article in serial: Beswick, P and Merrills, D. 1983. 'L H Butcher's survey of early settlements and fields in the Southern Pennines', Transactions of the Hunter Archaeology Society. Volume 12, pp 16-50. p 28, fig. 11.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 22962 84129 (552m by 394m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | OUTSEATS, DERBYSHIRE DALES, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
- EDR3733
- EDR944
- EDR1189
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 29 2018 3:01PM