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HER:  Northumberland 3743 (None)
NMR:  NU 03 NE 13 (6071)
SM:  1006479
NGR:  NU 05168 38893
X:  405168  Y:  638893  (OSGB36)
On steep crags at 152m OD overlooking Kyloe Woods, with views across to Lindisfarne, a cliff edge fort of 0.5ha. The site is enclosed by two concentric earth and stone ramparts in the N which curve to abut the edge of the steep rocky escarpment in the S and enclosing an area 109m E-W by 63m N-S. The ramparts are spaced approximately 25-30m apart with the inner rampart measuring 0.9-2m high and the outer rampart 0.6m. No evidence of ditches. Entrances lie in the NW and SE. One hut, visible as a scoop bounded by closely set orthostats has been identified within the interior. Tree planting has removed the evidence for further hut circles. A Neolithic axe head discovered in 1929 during quarrying was said to have fallen from the fort. On OS map (1856-65). Undated. Scheduled as Kyloe Hills promontory fort
Citizen Science:  ✗
Reliability of Data:  Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed
X:  -213672  Y:  7487790  (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude:  -1.9194454239536431  Latitude:  55.643594957937545  (EPSG:4326)
Country:  England; None
Current County or Unitary Authority:  Northumberland
Historic County:  Northumberland
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Kyloe; Lowick
Some damage caused by afforestation but otherwise in good condition
Extant   | ✓ |
Cropmark   | ✗ |
Likely Destroyed   | ✗ |
None
Woodland   | ✓ |
Commercial Forestry Plantation   | ✗ |
Parkland   | ✗ |
Pasture (Grazing)   | ✗ |
Arable   | ✗ |
Scrub/Bracken   | ✓ |
Bare Outcrop   | ✗ |
Heather/Moorland   | ✗ |
Heath   | ✗ |
Built-up   | ✗ |
Coastal Grassland   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
A cliff-edge fort lying on level ground at 152m OD with the terminals of the banks abutting a sheer scarp edge.
Contour Fort   | ✓ |
Partial Contour Fort   | ✗ |
Promontory Fort   | ✗ |
Hillslope Fort   | ✗ |
Level Terrain Fort   | ✓ |
Marsh Fort   | ✗ |
Multiple Enclosure Fort   | ✗ |
Hilltop   | ✗ |
Coastal Promontory   | ✗ |
Inland Promontory   | ✗ |
Valley Bottom   | ✗ |
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop   | ✗ |
Ridge   | ✗ |
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp   | ✓ |
Hillslope   | ✗ |
Lowland   | ✗ |
Spur   | ✗ |
Dominant Topographic Feature:  Scarp edge
North   | ✗ |
Northeast   | ✓ |
East   | ✗ |
Southeast   | ✗ |
South   | ✗ |
Southwest   | ✗ |
West   | ✗ |
Northwest   | ✗ |
Level   | ✗ |
Altitude:  152.0m
Parish boundary between Kyloe and Lowick runs to the S
Boundary Type:  Parish/Townland
Undated, presumed Iron Age
Reliability:  D - None
Pre 1200BC   | ✗ |
1200BC - 800BC   | ✗ |
800BC - 400BC   | ✗ |
400BC - AD50   | ✗ |
AD50 - AD400   | ✗ |
AD400 - AD 800   | ✗ |
Post AD800   | ✗ |
Unknown   | ✓ |
Pre Hillfort:   | A Neolithic axe head discovered in 1929 was said to have fallen from the fort and might indicate some earlier activity on the site |
Post Hillfort:   | None |
Morphology/Earthwork/Typology:   | None |
Shown on 1856-65 OS mapping. Surveyed by Jobey (1965). Field investigation in 1968; scheduled.
Earthwork Survey (1965):   | Jobey |
Other (1968):   | Field investigation |
Other (1968):   | Scheduled |
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   | None |
A probable hut has been identified from a scoop bounded by closely set orthostats. Tree planting has removed the evidence for further hut circles
A spring lies 500m to the N
None   | ✓ |
Spring   | ✗ |
Stream   | ✗ |
Pool   | ✗ |
Flush   | ✗ |
Well   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
None
No Known Features   | ✗ |
Round Stone Structures   | ✓ |
Rectangular Stone Structures   | ✗ |
Curvilinear Platforms   | ✗ |
Other Roundhouse Evidence   | ✗ |
Pits   | ✗ |
Quarry Hollows   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
None
No Known Excavation   | ✓ |
Pits   | ✗ |
Postholes   | ✗ |
Roundhouses   | ✗ |
Rectangular Structures   | ✗ |
Roads/Tracks   | ✗ |
Quarry Hollows   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
Nothing Found   | ✗ |
None
No Known Geophysics   | ✓ |
Pits   | ✗ |
Roundhouses   | ✗ |
Rectangular Structures   | ✗ |
Roads/Tracks   | ✗ |
Quarry Hollows   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
Nothing Found   | ✗ |
None
No Known Finds   | ✓ |
Pottery   | ✗ |
Metal   | ✗ |
Metalworking   | ✗ |
Human Bones   | ✗ |
Animal Bones   | ✗ |
Lithics   | ✗ |
Environmental   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
None
APs Not Checked   | ✓ |
None   | ✗ |
Roundhouses   | ✗ |
Rectangular Structures   | ✗ |
Pits   | ✗ |
Postholes   | ✗ |
Roads/Tracks   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
Entrances lie in the NW and SE, simple gaps
4:   | None |
2:   | None |
Guard Chambers:  ✗
Chevaux de Frise:  ✗
1. Simple Gap (North west):   | Inner rampart |
1. Simple Gap (North west):   | Outer rampart |
2. Simple Gap (South east):   | Inner rampart |
2. Simple Gap (South east):   | Outer rampart |
Two concentric earth and stone ramparts in the N which curve to abut the edge of the steep rocky escarpment in the S enclosing an area 109m E-W by 63m N-S. The ramparts are spaced approximately 25-30m apart with the inner rampart measuring 0.9-2m high and the outer rampart 0.6m. No evidence of ditches.
Area 1:   | 0.5ha. |
Total:   | 0.5ha. |
Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.
None
✗   | None |
✗   | None |
NE Quadrant:   | 2 |
SE Quadrant:   | None |
SW Quadrant:   | None |
NW Quadrant:   | 2 |
Total:   | 2 |
Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
Univallate   | ✗ |
Partial Bivallate   | ✓ |
Bivallate   | ✗ |
Partial Multivallate   | ✗ |
Multivallate   | ✗ |
Unknown   | ✗ |
Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
Univallate   | ✗ |
Partial Bivallate   | ✗ |
Bivallate   | ✗ |
Partial Multivallate   | ✗ |
Multivallate   | ✗ |
None
None   | ✗ |
Earthen Bank   | ✓ |
Stone Wall   | ✗ |
Rubble   | ✓ |
Wall-walk   | ✗ |
Evidence of Timber   | ✗ |
Vitrification   | ✗ |
Other Burning   | ✗ |
Palisade   | ✗ |
Counter Scarp Bank   | ✗ |
Berm   | ✗ |
Unfinished   | ✗ |
Other   | ✗ |
None
None   | ✗ |
Earthen Bank   | ✗ |
Stone Wall   | ✗ |
Murus Duplex   | ✗ |
Timber-framed   | ✗ |
Timber-laced   | ✗ |
Vitrification   | ✗ |
Other Burning   | ✗ |
Palisade   | ✗ |
Counter Scarp Bank   | ✗ |
Berm   | ✗ |
Unfinished   | ✗ |
No Known Excavation   | ✓ |
Other   | ✗ |
✗   | None |
✗   | None |
Number of Ditches:  None
✗   | None |
Hogg, A.H.A. 1979. British Hill-Forts. An Index. British Archaeological Reports, British Series 62. 125
Jobey, G.1965. Hillforts and Settlements in Northumberland. Archaeol Aeliana (4th Series) 43
Atlas of Hillforts:
Wikidata:
This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and should be cited as:
Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk
Document Version 1.1