Issue 2 February 2006
Rothbury and Coquetdale History Society
Welcome to
the second
edition of
Coquetdale
Community Archaeology
Firing prehistoric pots at Barrowburn
In this edition you’ll find an update on the
work of the project so far, with information
on fascinating new discoveries, plus details of
events and activities planned for the coming
year. Hopefully there is something on offer
for everyone to get involved in, so if you are
not already receiving regular postal or email
updates please fill in the slip on the back page
to be added to the project contact list.
Fieldwalking finds
Jean at Harehaugh excavation
Coquetdale Community Archaeology
The first six months of the project have been a
whirlwind of activity, with local people becoming
involved in excavations at Harehaugh, near Holystone,
fieldwalking across the valley, and much, much more.
This work is already adding to our understanding of
the archaeology of the area, providing insights into the
lives of countless generations who have lived in Upper
Coquetdale before us.
www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk
Geophysics Training Weekend -
Twelve go mad
in Holystone!
the hang of this surveying lark by now – and soon
finished the area marked out. So back to the laptop to download the data – once technical hitches
were overcome by the undaunted Dave Robinson,
the results were clear to see…but again, no sign of
the Roman Road!
Well, that’s what it must have looked like anyway!
On a weekend in November about a dozen
members of the Holystone History Group turned
up to learn more about the weird and wonderful
world of geophysical surveying from a team from
Durham University Archaeological Services.
We’d set ourselves the challenge of trying to find
the exact route of the Roman Road which,
according to OS maps, used to run right past the
Holy Well. At the time it seemed like quite an easy
task, but, as we were soon to discover, nothing in
archaeology is ever easy…
The Durham University team took us in hand and
showed us the basics of two types of geophysical
surveying – resistivity and magnetometry. First of
all, the area to be surveyed had to be laid out on a
grid system, so it would be possible to pinpoint the
exact location of any “find”. Then the fun really
started…we soon learned that using a
magnetometer machine, which detects deviations in
the sub-soil according to variations in the magnetic
field, was a much quicker enterprise, as you just
drape the machine across your body and walk up
and down the grid whilst it beeps contentedly back
at you. Resistivity survey, on the other hand, takes
forever! This method sends an electric current
through the sub-soil between electrodes,
measuring any resistance to its flow, and involves
sticking probes into the ground every half metre - a
long, slow process.
Once dusk fell, we retired indoors to download all
the survey information from the machines into a
handy lap-top computer. Sadly, neither the
resistivity nor the magnetometry survey showed up
anything looking even remotely like a Roman Road.
Totally undeterred, we returned the following day
to try the field to the north-east of the Holy Well.
This time we worked much faster – we’d really got
So what do we conclude? Well, there are a
number of reasons why we may not have found
the course of the road – perhaps we were looking
in the wrong place, or perhaps the road has been
destroyed by medieval rig and furrow ploughing,
which is clearly visible on the surface of the field.
However, all is not lost! When the team back at
Durham analysed the results of our weekend’s
work, they were intrigued to see the shadowy
outlines of several circular shapes in Cocklaw Bush
field. It is possible that these are ring ditches, the
remains of prehistoric houses or burial sites, and so
even older than any Roman activity in the area. So,
as always, archaeology is always full of surprises,
and even if you don’t find what you are looking for
there seem to be tantalizing clues to the past
everywhere you go!
Jan Frazer, Holystone History Group
Coquetdale Community Archaeology
www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk
Geophysics at Holystone
Fantastic Fieldwalking Finds
One of the key aims of the Coquetdale Community
Archaeology project is to learn where, when, and
how people lived in the landscape hundreds and
even thousands of years ago. A crucial tool in the
quest to answer these questions is a programme of
fieldwalking, the process of systematically walking over
recently ploughed land to recover any artefacts on
the surface, such as flint fragments, stone tools, pieces
of pottery or glass, and brick and metal objects.
The sorting process revealed a number of interesting
artefacts, including Neolithic and Bronze Age flint
scrapers (used for preparing animal hides), flint
blades, and other worked fragments. We also
discovered a well preserved coin from 1861, as well
as many sherds of medieval and later pottery. The
oldest identified object so far is a tiny flint microlith
blade, part of a tool used by early hunters around
6000 or more years ago.
Fieldwalking is a wonderful tool as it allows us to
look at large areas of the landscape without using
the expensive, and ultimately destructive, techniques
of excavation. It is really easy to pick up the skills
involved, and the only limit is the availability of
ploughed land! Everything found is identified and
plotted onto a map of the area; this information,
when analysed, can reveal concentrations of
artefacts which indicate the sites of ancient
settlements, hunting camps, cemeteries, and much,
much more.
This autumn saw a busy initial season of fieldwalking
in Upper Coquetdale, with fantastic results. Hardy
teams of volunteers braved all weathers to carefully
mark out fields into grids, and then to walk slowly
along the grids picking up tiny objects.
On the first day of fieldwalking, at Farnham, near
Sharperton, we were lucky enough to find two flint
arrowheads. Dr Rob Young, Northumberland
National Park Archaeologist and veteran fieldwalker,
found the first, a beautiful white Bronze Age barbed
and tanged arrow, which was, incredibly,
undamaged, despite having laid in the ground for
around 4000 years! Hot on the heels of this
discovery, volunteer Elspeth Horsfield found another
Bronze Age arrowhead, slightly damaged but still a
very fine example of prehistoric workmanship.
Further fieldwalking was carried out on land near
Netherton and at Cote Walls, the result being that
by the end of October three huge boxes of finds
were awaiting sorting, classification and analysis.
This stage of work began in December, with
volunteers joining Elanor and Rob to begin to
separate out the different types of finds.
Fieldwalking and 2 Bronze Age
arrowheads found
Whilst these initial results
are wonderful, it is
important that the fieldwalking
continues this season after the spring ploughing, so
that we can add greater detail to our picture of life in
the valley. Unfortunately, sites and dates cannot be
confirmed at present, as the availability of ploughed
land to walk on depends on many factors.
However, teams of field walkers will be heading out
around March – if you would like to be kept
informed of dates and times so that you can join in,
please get in touch. Hopefully, those of you who
came along last time will be back for more, but don’t
worry if you missed the first season, no previous
experience is necessary!
www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk
Volunteers uncover the oldest m
Centre image - Harehaugh flint
This August, over fifty local people took part in the
hugely successful community dig on Harehaugh hill,
picking up all the skills of archaeological excavation
and at the same time uncovering one of the oldest
monuments in Upper Coquetdale, a prehistoric
burial mound sited along the top of a rocky
ridge to the west of the Iron Age hillfort.
On first visiting the site all that could be
seen was a ridge with a few outcrops of
rock but National Park Archaeologists,
Paul Frodsham and Rob Young, were
convinced that there was more here than
meets the eye. They believed that the rocky ridge
was in fact man-made, and that thousands of years
ago early farmers had constructed a stone burial
tomb, known as a long cairn.
The only way to know for sure was to undertake a
full site survey and an excavation; local people
jumped at the chance to carry out this work, so,
with the invaluable assistance of dig director Peter
Carne (Archaeological Services, University of
Durham), work began in mid August.
Everyone involved had a fantastic time, with plenty
of opportunities to learn about excavation and
recording The weather was beautiful and the
heather was in its full glory, making a wonderful
backdrop to the work we were doing.
So, what exactly did we find at Harehaugh?
Well, it turned out that Paul and Rob were
right, the rocky ridge was indeed a manmade cairn structure, probably dating to
the Neolithic, about 5000 years ago. Our
trench revealed that the cairn had been
built by quarrying away parts of the natural
rock outcrop, removing some areas and
building up others to make a low, stepped
mound.
On the top of the mound, we uncovered a large,
stone-lined pit, and in the centre of this pit was a
cist, or stone box. The box was small, and would
probably have originally contained cremated
remains. Unfortunately however the cist was
empty and all that remained in the bottom of the
stone box was a black, peaty soil. A sample of this
soil is currently awaiting analysis; hopefully it will
contain pollen which can tell us more about the
plants growing in Upper Coquetdale at the time the
cairn was built, and samples for radio-carbon dating.
Practicing Prehistoric Skills at Barrowburn
On a cold, clear day in December, visitors to
Barrowburn, high in the Coquet valley, could be
forgiven for thinking they had stepped back in time,
as Barrowburn camping barn hosted a prehistoric
skills day. At first light small bonfires were lit
outside, whilst inside flintknapper John Lord and his
wife Val donned outfits of furs and animal hide.
As visitors began to arrive, potter Graham Taylor, of
Crown Studio, Elsdon, began firing pots made by
students on the Prehistoric Pottery course earlier in
the year. The Bronze Age style vessels were
placed in the embers at the edge of the fire before
being pushed slowly to the centre, eventually
glowing white hot. By the end of the day, the pots
were fired and removed; most had survived the
process well, with only a few cracks.
John Lord spent the day demonstrating the ancient
art of flintknapping to visitors, showing how flint can
be worked to create axes, spearheads, and
arrowheads. Val showed off other prehistoric skills,
including the use of a bow drill, which was tried out
by visitors to various degrees of success!
John and Val Lord
Coquetdale Community Archaeology
Look out for future Prehistoric Skills days in the
Autumn.
www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk
monument in Upper Coquetdale
Our first season of work was very successful. We
found possibly the oldest known monument in
Coquetdale, and obtained material for radio-carbon
dates and environmental reconstruction. A full
report is currently being produced by Archaeological
Services, University of Durham, and should be
available to download from the project website in
late spring.
Harehaugh Cist
The only artefact we found during our excavation
was a small fragment of a flint blade, snapped, and
with evidence of burning. Even this small fragment
is useful to an archaeologist; close examination of
how it was made suggests it dates to around 5000
years ago, during the Neolithic.
Harehaugh excavation
Dave, Scott and Sue
Do you need equipment for
your archaeological project?
Coquetdale Community Archaeology
manages and maintains a full set of
archaeological equipment, to assist with
fieldwork such as fieldwalking surveys,
topographic recording of earthwork sites, and
rapid recording of newly discovered sites.
Equipment includes:
Local groups and people can borrow this
equipment for free, for use on their own projects in
the Upper Coquetdale area. Training in the use of
the equipment can be arranged if required.
• Plane tables for field survey work
• 30m and 5m tapes, ranging poles and
survey arrows
• Bamboo canes and finds bags
• Drawing boards and drawing equipment
• Handheld GPS units
If you have an idea for a fieldwork project and
would like to borrow some equipment, please
contact Tracy Hall on 01669 620414.
www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk
Inspired by Archaeology
Over 50 people were able to take part in the
community excavation at Harehaugh this summer,
and many thoroughly enjoyed taking part in a dig
for the first time. Some would even say they were
inspired by the experience…
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Events and Acti
If you would like further information, or to book
your place on any of the activities, please ring the
National Park Visitor Centre in Rothbury on
01669 620887.
Advance booking is essential for all activities marked
with a *, as places are limited.
Various Dates in March
Spring Fieldwalking Programme
Join a fieldwalking team at one of several locations
in the valley, as we continue our search for flint
tools, pottery, and other artefacts scattered across
ploughed land. Dates and sites cannot be
confirmed until nearer the time, but if you would
like to come along please call 01669 622068 or
email [email protected] and we will be in touch
with more information.
Thursday 27th April, 1pm
Jubilee Hall, Rothbury
Aerial Photography Workshop *
Find out more about how archaeologists use aerial
photographs and old maps to identify archaeological
sites. This workshop, led by County Archaeologist
Chris Burgess, will include both an indoor session
and a site visit.
Tuesday 18th April, 1pm start
Meet at Harbottle Castle National Park Car Park
Guided Walk A Castle, A Quarry and Some Canny Views
Community Excavation 2006
This summer, Peter and his team will be returning
to Upper Coquetdale to undertake another
excavation with local people, during the first two
weeks in August. Do you have any ideas for sites
to excavate? Are there any local monuments
which intrigue you? Please let us have your ideas.
Hopefully many of you who were involved last
year will be able to join us again and practice the
skills you learnt, and full training is on offer to all –
look out for more information in the early summer!
Coquetdale Community Archaeology
Join Archaeologist Rob Young in experiencing some
fabulous views of Upper Coquetdale, visiting a
medieval castle and a nineteenth-century millstone
quarry.
Saturday 22nd April
An Archaeological Tour of the Otterburn
Training Area *
Join Defence Estates Archaeologist Phil Abramson
for a coach tour of the Otterburn Training Area,
stopping off at key points of interest ranging from
prehistoric monuments to medieval villages and
some fantastic bastle houses – a great opportunity
to find out more about the past of this remote part
of Northumberland.
www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk
vities for Spring-Summer 2006
Saturday 13th May, 10am start
Meet at Alwinton National Park Car Park
Sunday 20th August, 1pm start
Meet at Lordenshaws Car Park, near Rothbury
Guided Walk – In the Footsteps of Drovers
Guided Walk –
Lordenshaws: An Ancient Landscape
This walk, led by Archaeologist Rob Young and
Ranger Tracy Hall, will introduce points of
archaeological interest and tell the story of cattle
moving down the ancient Drove Road of Clennell
Street.
Thursday 8th June, 7pm
Thropton Memorial Hall, Thropton
From Barrow to Bunker: the Archaeology of
the Defence Estate
Archaeologist Phil Abramson presents an illustrated
evening talk on the archaeology of the Ministry of
Defence training areas, which are home to a wealth
of well-preserved archaeological remains.
Archaeologist Paul Frodsham invites you to join him
for a stroll around the ancient places of
Lordenshaws, reading the landscape for clues about
life hundreds and even thousands of years ago.
Saturday 9th September, 11am start
Meet at Trewhitt, Near Thropton
Guided Walk –
The Archaeology of the Wrieghburn Valley
Join National Trust Archaeologist Harry Beamish for
a stroll around the Wreighburn valley, taking in the
both the archaeological remains of past lives and
the beautiful views.
Wednesday 12th July, 6pm
Jubilee Hall, Rothbury
Recording Ancient Art –
The Northumberland and Durham
Rock Art Recording Project *
Tertia Barnett takes us through the work of the
Northumberland and Durham Rock Art Recording
Project, with a site visit to the mysterious
prehistoric carvings at Glantlees, followed by
refreshments and a short talk on the methods, both
traditional and cutting-edge, which are used to
record and study rock art.
want to know more?
If you would like to get involved or receive more information about the project,
please fill in the slip below and return it to the address overleaf.
Name:
Address:
Email:
I would like to find out more about:
Excavation
Site Surveys
Fieldwalking
Conservation
Workshops or Courses
Other (please describe)
www.northumberland-national-park.org.uk
Want to read more…
Although little has been published on the
archaeology of Upper Coquetdale since David
Dippie Dixon’s volume in 1903, a number of new
books available this winter should redress the
balance.
Just before Christmas, ‘Coquet Camera’ was
published, to great acclaim amongst local people.
This short book contains beautiful copies of
photographs taken by W. P. Collier during the early
part of the twentieth century, as well as many
snippets of local knowledge. The book is a
wonderful record of times past, and offers a great
opportunity to see how Coquetdale has changed
over the past hundred years.
If you want to know more about prehistoric times
in Upper Coquetdale, then ‘In the Valley of the
Sacred Mountain’ is the book for you. Written by
Northumberland National Park Archaeologist Paul
Frodsham, who has a great love for Upper
Coquetdale and the Simonside Hills, this book
covers the archaeological evidence found in the
area from the earliest people to
live here until the arrival of the
Romans. The book is full of
fascinating insights and brings us
up to date on archaeological
discoveries in the area over the
past hundred years; a very
readable, must-have edition
with beautiful full-colour
illustrations for all who want
to know more about the
archaeology of the area.
‘Coquet Camera’ is available at outlets in Rothbury
and Harbottle. A publication date has yet to be
announced for ‘In the Valley of the Sacred
Mountain’, but it will be available from the National
Park Visitor Centre in Church House, Rothbury,
from late spring.
What would you like to see happening?
If you would like to get involved, or find out more
about the project, please get in touch.
Telephone: 01669 622068
Mobile: 07766 428313
E-mail: [email protected]
Coquetdale Community Archaeology is funded by grants from:-
Fieldwork supported by:
If you would like to take part in any events or activities
listed in this newsletter, please call the Rothbury
Tourist Information Centre on 01669 620887.
please
affix
stamp
Coquetdale Community Archaeology
Church House
Church Street
Rothbury
Northumberland
NE65 7UP
This project is directed jointly by Paul
Frodsham of Northumberland National Park
Authority, Chris Burgess of Northumberland
County Council, and Alan Fendley of the
Rothbury and Coquetdale History Society.
Paul, Chris and Alan are support by an
Advisory Group, which includes
representatives of:
The National Trust
Otterburn Training Area
Forest Enterprise
Rothbury Middle School
Thropton WI
Netherton WI
Holystone History Group
Rothbury Coquetdale Vision
A special thank you must go to all the
farmers, land owners and land managers in
Upper Coquetdale who have kindly
allowed access to their land for fieldwork.
Without such support the project could not
go ahead.
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