Whilst controversy rages over the future of Stonehenge, here in the north we also have
3 huge henge monuments of our own that perhaps face an even greater threat. The
Thornborough henge complex in North Yorkshire forms one of the largest Neolithic ritual
sites in the country. It is being threatened by aggregate extraction, which over the last
50 years has seen great swaths of the surrounding countryside succumb to the activities of
the quarrying companies. All 3 henges form a significant alignment with the Devils Arrow
megaliths at Boroughbridge 13 miles away, which, together with other features in the area,
such as cursuses and barrows, form a complex of continuous use stretching over 1500 years
(3000-1500 BC). Although the monuments themselves cannot be touched, the latest
applications by the contractors would see gravel extraction extend to within 10 metres of
the sites, leaving them surrounded and isolated by a series of landfill sites and man-made
lakes. Friends of Thornborough have been formed to resist this and any further activity in
the area and they have asked for our support. This could be as simple as filling in their
petition form, or maybe we could make a small donation (I am sure it would contribute
towards a very interesting trip next summer). On Tuesday 4th November at 7.30pm BBC2 will
feature this campaign in their Time Flyers series. Please see me at the meeting if you
want to know more, or visit their comprehensive website at www.friendsofthornborough.org
Amberswood Common
Our excavation activities in Ince Park have been wound down for the season. All three
trenches opened in the summer have been planned and recorded and are soon to be
backfilled. The cobbled surface we discovered has been protected and next year we have
plans to open up and extend this area once again. As you can see, this is a significant
feature, but whether it is part of the Roman Road or not is still a matter of speculation.
The cobbles only appear in trench 1 and lie at the bottom of what seams to be an old
ditch. This marks the southern edge of a wide clay bank. Another ditch, Victorian in date
and back-filled with industrial debris, cuts into this older ditch feature but is
obviously not part of it. Evidence for the older ditch appears more strikingly in trenches
2 and 3 with all three being in a direct alignment. The Victorian ditch also appears in
the other trenches but tends to deviate from a straight line. The older ditch had clearly
been open to the elements for some time before being allowed to fill in naturally. If this
is the ditch associated with the Roman Road, its line can be projected out from the park
and through the greenhouse of a property in Common Nook. The owner is interested in our
project and has agreed to allow us access to his land to carry out some investigations.
This seems an attractive proposition for some wintertime activity.
Clay Bank
This feature also appears in all three trenches but most prominently in trench 1. The
big question is whether it is man-made or natural (as the underlying natural here is sand
and gravel). The clay lies directly under an old turf line, 30cm below the present surface
but, if it is part of the Road, there is no evidence of gravelling, which is the usual
indicator of an ancient metalled road surface. On its southerly edge, in the area around
the ditch, the whitish clay gives way to a rock-hard sandy conglomerate that certainly
feels unnatural. No finds have been found to date the feature, but the dark staining of
what appears to be a plank of wood, may give a vital clue to its antiquity.
Next Meeting
Wednesday 5th November at the BP Centre (Scout HQ) in Greenough Street, at 7.30 pm as
usual. This month’s speaker is Dr David Woolliscroft who will be
talking about his long-term project on the Gask Ridge Roman Frontier
(another story featured by Time Flyers). Hope to see you there. B.A. |
