Settlements & Enclosures

Archaeological sites which tend to be overlooked by some people are, surprisingly, the places in which our ancestors lived; and then when we do come across such remains they are looked upon as merely ‘domestic’ sites, i.e., that they serve much the same function as our modern houses do. This assumption is both simplistic and naive, as neolithic to Iron Age cultures had very different notions and ingredients about their living quarters. In many settlement remains, the dead were kept with the living; whilst some living quarters were also the abodes of ‘spirit.’ Although we cannot apply this notion across the board, aspects such as these have to be remembered when we try assessing the nature and function of something we see, somewhat profanely, as mere ‘settlements.’  Also remember that people in neolithic through to Iron Age periods were nomadic. There is a notion prevalent in some archaeological circles that when agriculture first arrived in the UK in neolithic times, that it was adopted across the country by all and sundry straight away – which is rather myopic. Much like the North American tribal cultures, small tribal groups here would move from their Spring and Summer settlements to others in the colder seasons, then back again (following the same traditional routes) when Nature’s signs indicated (migration of birds, etc). It’s very unlikely there was a 365-day period where people stayed in the same area. Such a transition took many centuries to become fixed (modern Romany gypsies are the last nomadic cultures of Europe, showing that the notion of ‘settlement’ for everyone is not necessarily the natural order). So prehistoric settlements are important, not merely as sites where communities stayed for periods of time, but also enacted social rituals that were an endemic part of domestic life.

  1. Addlebrough, Bainbridge, North Yorkshire
  2. Allt Leathan, Fortingall, Perthshire
  3. Annanshaw Brae, Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire
  4. Avon Reservoir, Dean Moor, South Brent, Devon
  5. Backstone Beck, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
  6. Backstone West, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
  7. Bad Chailleach, Little Gruinard, Ross & Cromarty
  8. Baile Mhargaite 1, Bettyhill, Sutherland
  9. Baile Mhargaite 2, Bettyhill, Sutherland
  10. Baile Mhargaite 3, Bettyhill, Sutherland
  11. Baile Mhargaite 4, Bettyhill, Sutherland
  12. Baile Mhargaite 5, Bettyhill, Sutherland
  13. Barrasford Common, Barrasford, Northumberland
  14. Baston Manor, Hayes, Kent
  15. Bastow Wood, Grassington, North Yorkshire
  16. Bengengie North, Alva, Clackmannanshire
  17. Bent Gate, Blubberhouse Moor, North Yorkshire
  18. Bingley Moor, West Yorkshire
  19. Black Beck, Hawksworth Moor, West Yorkshire
  20. Black Hill, Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire
  21. Black Hill Enclosure, Middleton Moor, North Yorkshire
  22. Blubberhouses Moor, North Yorkshire
  23. Blue Scar, Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  24. Bodsbury Hill, Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire
  25. Briscoe Rigg, Rigton, North Yorkshire
  26. Broadbank Earth Circle, Thursden, Burnley, Lancashire
  27. Brown Law, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
  28. Burton Moor, West Burton, North Yorkshire
  29. Campside Wood, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  30. Cannings Cross Farm, All Cannings, Wiltshire
  31. Carle Gill, Leadhills, Lanarkshire
  32. The Carrs, Ovenden, Halifax, West Yorkshire
  33. Castercliff, Nelson, Lancashire
  34. Castle Hill, Kirklees, West Yorkshire
  35. Castle Hill, Upper Cumberworth, West Yorkshire
  36. Castle Stead, Cullingworth, West Yorkshire
  37. Castlestead Ring, Cullingworth, West Yorkshire
  38. Catstones Ring, Harden, West Yorkshire
  39. Chapel House Field, Kilnsey, Consistone, North Yorkshire
  40. Chapel House Wood, Kilnsey, Conistone, North Yorkshire
  41. Clowder (1), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  42. Clowder (2), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  43. Clowder (3), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  44. Clowder (4), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  45. Coldstone Beck, Burley Moor, West Yorkshire
  46. Conichen East, Glen Almond, Perthshire
  47. Corbury Hill, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  48. Corrycharmaig, Glen Lochay, Killin, Perthshire
  49. Counter Hill, Addingham, West Yorkshire
  50. Cow Close, Skirethorns, Threshfield, North Yorkshire
  51. Cow Gill, Bordley, North Yorkshire
  52. Cowling’s Enclosure, Askwith Moor, North Yorkshire
  53. Cratcliff West, Harthill, Derbyshire
  54. Cratcliff Rocks, Birchover, Derbyshire
  55. Crawshaw, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
  56. Crookedstane, Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire
  57. Crosley Wood, Bingley, West Yorkshire
  58. Crow Well, Denton Moor, North Yorkshire
  59. Dewbottoms, Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  60. Dew Bottoms (1), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  61. Dew Bottoms (2), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  62. Dew Bottoms (3), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  63. Dew Bottoms (4), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  64. Dew Bottoms (5), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  65. Dew Bottoms (6), Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  66. Dew Bottoms Top, Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  67. Doddin, Watermeetings, Lanarkshire
  68. Douky Bottom Ring, Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  69. Douky Bottom Settlement, Arncliffe, North Yorkshire
  70. Drake Law, Abington, Lanarkshire
  71. Dumpit Hill Enclosure, Hebden, North Yorkshire
  72. Duncroisk, Glen Lochay, Killin, Perthshire
  73. Dunruchan, Muthill, Perthshire
  74. Dyke Hills, Dorchester, Oxfordshire
  75. Easington Fell Ring, Newton, Lancashire
  76. Ellershie Hill, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  77. Elvanfoot Settlement, Lanarkshire
  78. Elvanfoot West Settlement, Lanarkshire
  79. Fair Oak Circle, Whitewell, Chipping, Lancashire
  80. Foster Clough Delph, Midgley Moor, West Yorkshire
  81. Garchel Burn, Glendevon, Perthshire
  82. Gastonend Wood, Abington, Lanarkshire
  83. Gill Head, Blubberhouses Moor, North Yorkshire
  84. Glen Cochill 1, Little Dunkeld, Perthshire
  85. Glen Cochill 1, Little Dunkeld, Perthshire
  86. Glen Cochill 2, Little Dunkeld, Perthshire
  87. Glenochar, Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire
  88. Grass Woods, Grassington, North Yorkshire
  89. Great Skirtful Ring, Burley Moor, West Yorkshire
  90. Green Crag East, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
  91. Green Crag Slack, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
  92. Green Plain, Blubberhouses Moor, North Yorkshire
  93. Hammond Close, Threshfield, North Yorkshire
  94. Hawksworth Moor Camp, Hawksworth, West Yorkshire
  95. Helwith Bridge, Stainforth, North Yorkshire
  96. Hickford Hill, Belchamp St Paul, Essex
  97. High Close Pasture, Grassington, North Yorkshire
  98. High Hill, Sigsworth Moor, Fountains Earth, North Yorkshire
  99. High Mark, Bordley, North Yorkshire
  100. Hollin Tree Hill, Askwith Moor, North Yorkshire
  101. Horn Bank, Rigton, North Yorkshire
  102. Horncliffe Circle, Hawksworth Moor, West Yorkshire
  103. Horse Close Hill, Skipton, North Yorkshire
  104. Hurl Burn, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  105. Innischoarach, Glen Lochay, Killin, Perthshire
  106. Ivy Chimneys, Witham, Essex
  107. Kealcup Hill, Bordley, North Yorkshire
  108. Kimpergill Hill, Grassington, North Yorkshire
  109. Lael Forest, Braemore, Ross & Cromarty
  110. Langcliffe, Kettlewell, North Yorkshire
  111. Lanshaw, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire
  112. Lea Green, Grassington, North Yorkshire
  113. Lantern Holes, Bordley, North Yorkshire
  114. Lodge Hill, Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire
  115. Marchup, Addingham, West Yorkshire
  116. Mellon Udrigle, Ross & Cromarty
  117. Middle House Pasture, Waterhouses, Malham, North Yorkshire
  118. Moor Lane, Threshfield, North Yorkshire
  119. Mossy Dod, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  120. Newton Bridge, Fowlis Wester, Perthshire
  121. Normangill Rig, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  122. North Ring, Mucking, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex
  123. North Shortcleuch, Elvanfoot, Lanarkshire
  124. Oldfield Hill, Meltham, West Yorkshire
  125. Outgang Hill, Kilnsey, Conistone, North Yorkshire
  126. Overlee, Clarkston, Renfrewshire
  127. Panorama Woods, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
  128. Power Station Road, Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent
  129. Prior Rakes, Malham Moor, North Yorkshire
  130. Proctor High Mark, Bordley, North Yorkshire
  131. Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire
  132. Raven’s Peak, Blubberhouses Moor, North Yorkshire
  133. Reed Gill, Camps Water, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  134. Rivock, Riddlesden, Keighley, West Yorkshire
  135. Rough Haw, Flasby, North Yorkshire
  136. Round Dikes, Addingham, West Yorkshire
  137. Royd Edge, Meltham, West Yorkshire
  138. Rushy Beck, Burley Moor, West Yorkshire
  139. Rybury Hill, All Cannings, Wiltshire
  140. Rams Hill, Kingston Lisle, Oxfordshire
  141. Sand, Applecross, Ross & Cromarty
  142. Rushy Beck West, Burley Moor, West Yorkshire
  143. Scot Gate Pasture, Conistone, North Yorkshire
  144. Shay Gate, Wilsden, West Yorkshire
  145. Shealwalls, Alyth, Perthshire (NEW FIND)
  146. Sheep Scar, Giggleswick, North Yorkshire
  147. Sheriff Hill, Malham, North Yorkshire
  148. Shooting House Hill, Askwith Moor, North Yorkshire
  149. Shorkley Hill, Malham, North Yorkshire
  150. Skelshaw Ring, Easington, Lancashire
  151. Slade, Blubberhouses Moor, North Yorkshire
  152. Snowden Carr Settlement, Askwith, North Yorkshire
  153. Snowden Moor Settlement, Askwith, North Yorkshire
  154. South Kirkby, South Yorkshire
  155. Springfield Lyons, Chelmsford, Essex
  156. Stanbury Hill, Bingley Moor, West Yorkshire
  157. Stanwick Fortifications, Stanwick-St-John, North Yorkshire
  158. Stead Crag, Burley Moor, West Yorkshire
  159. Steyforth Hill, Stainburn, North Yorkshire
  160. Stoop Hill, Askwith Moor, North Yorkshire
  161. Stridebut Edge, Malham, North Yorkshire
  162. Studfold Ring, Amplethorpe, North Yorkshire
  163. Sun Bank, Blubberhouses Moor, North Yorkshire
  164. Swinston Hill, Dinnington, South Yorkshire
  165. Talmine (west), Melness, Tongue, Sutherland
  166. Tattersal Pasture, Bordley, North Yorkshire
  167. Tooter Hill, Bacup, Lancashire
  168. Torlery Edge, Malham Moor, North Yorkshire
  169. Torr Mor, Applecross, Ross & Cromarty
  170. Townhead, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Argyll
  171. Tullich, Glen Lochay, Killin, Perthshire
  172. Werneth Low, Hyde, Lancashire
  173. Wharncliffe Moor, Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire
  174. Wheen, Glen Clova, Angus
  175. Whelphill, Crawford, Lanarkshire
  176. Winsbury Hill, Marksbury, Somerset
  177. Woofa Bank, Burley Moor, West Yorkshire
  178. Yarmer Head, Nidd, North Yorkshire
  179. Yarnbury, Grassington, North Yorkshire