Tag: Wooler

Highburn House, Wooler, Northumberland

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Cup-and-Ring Stone (lost):  OS Grid Reference – NT 98491 28424

Archaeology & History

Highburn House C&R, 2015

This carving was rediscovered by rock art explorer Jan Broewer in September, 2007, a few hundred yards out of Wooler on the way to Akeld and Kirknewton, in the field on the right-hand side of the road, on the embankment just a few inches above the waters of the High Burn.  On a recent visit here by Tom Cleland and I, despite us rummaging amidst the gorse and other herbage all along the edge of the waters, we were unable to locate the carving and presume that it has either been destroyed or re-housed in someone’s garden, living a more comfortable life.  We certainly hope it’s the latter!

Sketch of the design
Home of the lost carving

It’s design is nothing special: merely a singular, albeit scruffy cup-and-ring, with two other distinct pecked cup-marks and, possibly, a third shallow one just to the side of the cup-and-ring (but this is, in my opinion, highly suspect).  The stone was obviously not in its original position when Jan first found it, and would seem to have come originally from the slope above the stream where a number of earthfast stones can be found.  The numerous scratches across its surface shows that it’s been hit a few times by some (probably) metallic objects, or perhaps horses hooves, thus dislodging it from the slope above and rolling into the spot where Jan found it.  Anyhow, we presently don’t know where it is or what’s become of it.  Does anyone in Wooler know where it’s living?

Acknowledgements:  Huge thanks to Pete Chattaway for use of his photo; and to Tom Cleland for helping the search party!

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian 

Humbleton Hill, Wooler, Northumberland

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Hillfort:  OS Grid Reference – NT 96706 28252

Also Known as:

  1. Cup and Saucer Camp

Archaeology & History

Humbleton Hill

On our first visit to Wooler, in seeking out (and not finding!) a cup-and-ring stone alongside the old burn just on the northern side of town, we looked up at the ridged hillside of Humbleton Hill ahead of us and proclaimed, something along the lines of: “That look’s like something man-made up there!”  And so it turned out.  But the heat of the summer kept us from ascending the hill, so just an old account must be penned, from the quill of the great rock art pioneer George Tate (Home & Tate 1857) who, following a visit here in May 1852 with various members of the Berwickshire Natural History Society, penned the following:

“On the north side of Humbleton burn is a conical hill truncated at the top, and rising abruptly about 100 feet above the level of the burn; the slope, though considerable, is less steep on the other sides. This was one of the strongholds of the ancient Hritons. A rampier (now obliterated) ran around that part of the hill not protected by the ravine of the burn. The summit of the hill is 180 yards in circumference, having a hollow in the centre of the area; it is surrounded by a rampier of stone and earth, which is yet in some parts 3 feet high. This entrenchment is commonly called ‘The Cup and Saucer Camp’.”

The Hillfort itself is in very good condition overall, is very extensive and has a very clear series of walled ramparts all round the summit of the hill.  It has yet to be excavated.

Folklore

The local folk-name given to this old hillfort—the Cup and Saucer Camp—related to the shape and lay-out of the enclosure, and with it, the tradition that the chiefs of the tribe inhabited the topmost enclosed section of the hillfort: the so-called ‘Cup’; whilst the tribal familes inhabited the realms immmediately outside and below the chief’s domain: the so-called surrounding ‘Saucer’.  On the northern edges of the outer ‘saucer’ walls are several ‘hut circles’ (for want of a better term), that would house people, or their animals—or both.

References:

  1. Home, Robert & Tate, G., “Address to the Members at the Anniversary Meeting, held at Embleton, Sept 8, 1852,” in Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club, volume 3, 1857.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian 

West Horton (1a), Chatton, Northumberland

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Cup-and-Ring Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NU 02328 31349

Getting Here

West Horton (1a) carving

We took the B6348 road up east, from Wooler, turning left 2 miles up and crossing the small river bridge, going past Weetwood Hall where the road bends to the right and goes uphill for about a mile where, just before West Horton farm, there’s a a dirt-track on your left.  200 hards up, walk past the farm up and along the dead straight track for another 400 yards until you hit the field.  Diagonally ahead of you (NW) less than 100 yards away, a small hillock rises in the field where a large metal animal feed-trough sits.  Once there, the slope to your right (east) is where the stone lives.  If you potter about you’ll find it.

Archaeology & History

On a visit to the impressive West Horton carvings on one of the searing hot days recently, Tom Cleland and I thought to check on an otherwise unimpressive petroglyph on a rocky rise of land before heading to the beauties 250 yards northwest of here.  The covering  soil around a scatter of earthfast rocks on this rise in the land had been eroded by cattle and on one of them we noted what seemed to be a distinct cup-marking.  And, as happens when you look closer, a more expansive design came into being.

Main design from above
Faint ring round the cup

On the east-sloping-face of this rock are between six and seven cup-marks, most of them quite distinct.  The topmost of the cups has a faint incomplete ring round it which you can just make out in a couple of the photos.  It seemed that there was another even fainter ring around one of the other cups, but on the day we visited this the heat was taking its toll of me and I could only stand a short time before we had to move, so we left without getting any good images of the other ring.

More recent cup-marks

It’s more then likely that other unrecorded carvings are hiding beneath the soil which, no doubt, the cattle will slowly help uncover as the years go by. 🙂  A little further up the slope from here, approaching the West Horton (1b) carving, a small oval-shaped rock has what looks like a single cup-mark on it and another, more recent marking at its side.  This impression is likely due to an incision made by the metal legs of one of the animal feeders and is unlikely to be prehistoric.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian 

Cairnfauld Field, Lilburn, Wooler, Northumberland

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Cup-and-Ring Stone (lost):  OS Grid Reference – NU 013 264

Also Known as:

  1. Cairnfold Field

Archaeology & History

In James Hardy’s (1889) essay describing new archaeological finds from the Lilburn area, he told of seeing a triple-ringed petroglyph that seems to have been cast up from one of the cairns in the adjacent field.  I can find no other reference to this.  He wrote:

“On a wall top, near a gate not far from the Cairn-fauld’s field, lies a detached stone, supposed to have come from a cairn, with three circles and a hollow central cup incised on it, which no one  seems to care for.”

Does anyone know what has become of it?  Mr Hardy also described a series of other carvings a few fields away to the east, some with quite ornate cup-and-ring designs.  These have never subsequently been seen and remain hidden.

References:

  1. Hardy, James, “Further Discoveries of Pre-Historic Graves, Urns and other Antiquities, on Lilburn Hill Farm,” in Archaeoogia Aeliana, volume 13, 1889.

Acknowledgements:  Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland. 

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian

Whitelaw, Kirknewton, Northumberland

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Cup-and-Ring Stone (lost):  OS Grid Reference – NT 942 295

Also Known as:

  1. Whitelaw Stone

Archaeology & History

Sometime at the end of the 1860s, a local man—Mr William Wightman of Wooler—was in possession of this impressive-looking petroglyph which, we presume, he uncovered.  The carved stone was, as we can see, broken off from a larger piece and so it’s very evident that this was originally a larger design than the one illustrated here in Mr Middlemass’ (1872) drawing.  The only information we have about it are from his short notes,

The Whitelaw Stone

“was found on the north side of a hill called Whitelaw, the next eminence south-east from Yeavering Bell.  The stone is a very hard gritty sandstone, and bears distinctly the tool marks by which the circles have been cut. The tool must have been of iron or bronze, as the material is too hard to be operated upon by stone implements; moreover, the tool marks shew that the instrument used had a sharp round point, and must have been held in a similar way to the modern chisel.  The marks shew the size of the point.  The object of the artist evidently has been to fill the stone with ornament as between the two great circles; and at the corners he has placed smaller circles to suit the space. The similar nature of the circles on all the stones hitherto figured would seem to show that such stones, if monumental, were not legendary, but, most probably of a religious character; serving, like the Christian cross, to invite the traveller to pay his devotions on a spot rendered sacred by the emblems of worship.”

Searches for this have been made by Stan Beckensall (1983) and his acolytes, but it remains lost. (the grid-ref is an approximation)

References:

  1. Beckensall, Stan, Northumberland’s Prehistoric Rock Carvings – A Mystery Explained, Pendulum: Rothbury 1983.
  2. Middlemass. Robert, “On an Inscribed Stone in the Possession of Mr William Wightman, Bank, Wooler,” in History Berwickshire Naturalists Club, volume 6, 1869-72.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian

Tom Tallon’s Grave, Kirknewton, Northumberland

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Tumulus (destroyed):  OS Grid Reference – NT 9323 2800

Also Known as:

  1. Auld Wife’s Apronful o’ Stanes
  2. Tom Tallon’s Tumulus

Archaeology & History

Site on the 1866 OS-map

Highlighted on the earliest OS-maps about half a mile to the south of the great prehistoric camp of Yeavering Bell and 100 yards southwest of Tom Tallon’s Crag, there once stood an apparently “massive” Bronze Age tumulus, or cairn, called Tom Tallon.  I’d hedge a bet that it was much older, from the neolithic period.  It was described by P.A. Graham (1921) as “the largest cairn in the district,” but when it was visited by the antiquarian Henry MacLauchlan in July 1858, he reported that “it was being removed to make a fence”!!!  Unbe-fuckin’-lievable… Who were the dickheads that did that?!

Folklore

The Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1860 for Tom Tallon’s Crag told that,

“There is a vague tradition about Tom Tallon having been a Warrior and Slain here – hence the name, but nothing authentic respecting Tom, can now be ascertained.”

The word tom derives from “a rounded hill”, sometimes associated with a tumulus and in Scotland (just over the border) associated “with a dwelling place of the fairies” with tallon suggested by Graham (1921) to derive from “tal, a forehead or promontory, and Llan, an enclosure.”

What is quite obviously an older name, or certainly one that was more recognised by local people, is its title of the Auld Wife’s Apronful of Stones: a title we find associated with a number of the giant cairns in northern England and Scotland.  It relates to the creation myth of the site, whereby the countless stones that made up the cairn were dropped or thrown across the landscape by a giantess who inhabited this area.

References:

  1. Hall, James, A Guide to Glendale, M. Brand: Wooler 1887.
  2. Graham, P. Anderson, Highways and Byways in Northumbria, MacMillan: London 1921.
  3. MacLauchlan, Henry, “Notes on Camps in the Parishes of Branxton, Carham, Ford, Kirknewton and Wooller, in Northumberland,” in History Berwickshire Naturalists Club, volume 24, 1922.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian

Broomridge (1), Ford, Northumberland

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Cup-and-Ring Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NT 97298 37110

Archaeology & History

In 1863, a bunch of reputable Victorian authors and antiquarians met with the Duke of Northumberland in Alnwick Castle to discuss the matter of making decent images of the petroglyphs which, at the time, had only just been rediscovered in the area.  At one of their meetings, the floor in one of the Castle rooms was covered with rubbings of carvings that they’d made—this one included.  I’d loved to have been there!  Subsequently, from that meeting, sketches of this carving were done and included in the works by George Tate (1864; 1865) and then a few years later in J. Collingwood Bruce’s (1869) rare tome that had been published with the help of dosh from the Duke.

Found along a raised geological ridge running roughly east-west, a number of other carvings are close by and well worth looking at when you visit here.  The basic (and first) description of the site by Tate told that here,

Tate’s 1864 sketch
J.C. Bruce’s 1869 image

“on a high ridge on Hunter’s Moor, a large surface of rock, some forty yards by twenty, having a gentle slope to the northward, is partially uncovered.  In one part, which has been entirely cleared of turf, fourteen figures are scattered over an area of 15 feet by about from 5 to 7 feet.  Some of the figures are of the common type, one of which is 28 inches in diameter; but others present new features; and several are curiously united by straight and curved grooves.  Across the entire diameter of a group of four concentric circles, runs a groove connecting them with other combined figures.  An irregularly shaped, rounded, angular figure, encloses two hollows or cups; and united to this is a broad oval figure.  One figure around four cups approaches to the reniform.”

When the modern rock art expert Stan Beckensall wrote about this site, he mentioned how his own picture of the carving consisted of a number of elements that weren’t included by the 19th century pioneers—which isn’t unusual.

References:

  1. Beckensall, Stan, Northumberland’s Prehistoric Rock Carvings – A Mystery Explained, Pendulum: Rothbury 1983.
  2. Beckensall, Stan, Prehistoric Rock Motifs of Northumberland – volume 1, Abbey Press: Hexham 1991.
  3. Bruce, John Collingwood, Incised Markings on Stone; found in the County of Northumberland, Argylshire, and other Places, privately printed: London 1869.
  4. Tate, George, “The Ancient British Sculptured Rocks of Northumberland and the Eastern Borders,” in Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists Club, volume 5, 1864.
  5. Tate, George, The Ancient British Sculptured Rocks of Northumberland and the Eastern Borders, Henry Hunter Blair 1865.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian

Yeavering, Kirknewton, Northumberland

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Cup-and-Ring Stone (lost):  OS Grid Reference – NT 931 302

Archaeology & History

Little is now known of this carving which was described briefly by Stan Beckensall (1983):

“A cup and ring marked stone was found in the field north of Yeavering Bell in the neighbourhood of the monolith.  The last heard of it, according to the Northumberland County History (14:67) was that it was in the grounds of Ewart Park.”

The monolith he speaks of would be the one called the Battle Stone (NT 9299 3038) and Ewart Park is 2 miles ENE of here.  The carving remains lost. (the grid reference where the stone was originally located is an approximation, but a pretty good one)

References:

  1. Beckensall, Stan, Northumberland’s Prehistoric Rock Carvings – A Mystery Explained, Pendulum: Rothbury 1983.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian

Crowbar Stone, Weetwood Moor, Wooler, Northumbria

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Cup-and-Ring Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NU 021 278

Also known as:

  1. North Plantation 3
  2. Fowberry Moor Stone 3

Archaeology & History

Davison’s sketch

This is an excellent-looking carving which, it would seem, remains buried in the Earth nice n’ sleepy!  Located “in the inner rampart on the south side of an unrecorded camp in North Plantation, Fowberry Moor, Chatton,” the carving was unexpectedly found during some basic excavation work on the camp itself.  Described and illustrated by W.B. Davison (1934), this was one of two cup-and-ring stones hereby.  He reckoned it wasn’t in its original position and seems – from the illustration here – to have been etched onto a fallen monolith.  Davison’s detailed description told:

“The…stone was completely excavated and was found to be built into the inner rampart across its track.  This stone measures 7’6″ north to south, is 1’2″ wide at its north end, 1’11” at its widest part, and 1’3″ at its foot.  The average depth is 2’6″.  The base is rough-surfaced and is prow-shaped at the northern end.

“Incised markings occur on the top only, and are as follows, reading from north to south.  1 cup surrounded by a ring and a half-ring lying east to west by south.  1 small cup.  1 cup.  1 cup surrounded by four rings, the largest of which has a diameter of 13½”.  On the top of the outer ring occurs an abutting semicircle enclosing a cup.  On the accompanying (image) will be observed what appears to be another cup on the innermost ring.  1 cup.  1 cup surrounded by a ring and a half-ring lying north to south by west.  This marking rests on a two-inch deep slot possibly made for quarrying purposes.  No other markings occur between this slot and the foot of the stone.  Tool marks are very distinct on some of the above markings.”

Rock art researchers Jan Brouwer (2007) and Stan Beckensall have searched unsuccessfully for the stone in recent years.

References:

  1. Beckensall, Stan, Northumberland’s Prehistoric Rock Carvings, Pendulum: Rothbury 1983.
  2. Beckensall, Stan, Prehistoric Rock Art in Northumberland, Tempus: Stroud 2001.
  3. Brouwer, Jan, ‘In Search of the Crowbar Stone,’ BRAC 2007.
  4. Davison, W.B., ‘Cup-and-Ring Marked Rocks at Fowberry Park,’ in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (4th Series), 4:7, October 1934.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian

Fowberry Moor Farm, Wooler, Northumberland

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Cup-and-Ring Stone:  OS Grid Reference – NU 029 261

Also known as:

  1. Deershed Plantation Stone

Archaeology & History

This is a small but impressive stone, presently housed in the Musuem of Antiquities in Newcastle.  It was first mentioned by Mr H.L. Honeyman (1934) as being donated to Newcastle’s Society of Antiquaries by a Mr J.M. Strother of Fowberry Moor Farm in 1934.  He described the carving as,

“a sculptured ring-marked stone, 1ft 2in by 1ft 2in, bearing a cup with three rings and duct. Found in Island Plantation (camp), Fowberry Moor, Chatton, 22.7.34, by Mr Wake.”

Stan Beckensall (1983:127) described it in passing his early work on Northumberland rock art, then again in his updated edition.

References:

  1. Beckensall, Stan, Northumberland’s Prehistoric Rock Carvings, Pendulum: Rothbury 1983.
  2. Beckensall, Stan, Prehistoric Rock Art in Northumberland, Tempus: Stroud 2001.
  3. Honeyman, Herbert L., ‘The Society’s Meetings: July,’ in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (4th Series), 4:7, October 1934.

© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian