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HER:  Northumberland 2734 (None)
NMR:  NU 00 NW 3 (4383)
SM:  1011095
NGR:  NU 0493 0879
X:  404930  Y:  608790  (OSGB36)
A univallate hillfort lying to the E of Dancing Hill Farm at 157m OD, above a steep gully from which it takes its name. The hillfort, which lies on a natural terrace is oval, measuring 70m NE-SW by 50m transversely with an enclosed area of 0.24ha. It is enclosed by a single rampart measuring 8m wide and 1.5m high but takes advantage of the naturally steep drop to the W, which has been further cut back, and the gully of Tinkler's Dene to the N. It is overlooked in the E. Evidence for a ditch, 4m wide survives on the northern side, although it is presumed to be filled in elsewhere. An entrance recorded in the NE in the 1970's can no longer been seen and is unverified. Two shallow scoops in the N of the enclosure have been interpreted as the remains of huts. The site is shown on 1856-65 OS mapping and was scheduled in 1963, but is unexcavated and undated. It now survives in a poor condition.
Citizen Science:  ✗
Reliability of Data:  Unconfirmed
Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed
X:  -214151  Y:  7434617  (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude:  -1.9237513248932436  Latitude:  55.373104478926315  (EPSG:4326)
Country:  England
Current County or Unitary Authority:  Northumberland
Historic County:  Northumberland
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Callaly
None
| Extant   | ✓ |
| Cropmark   | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed   | ✗ |
Rough grassland
| Woodland   | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation   | ✗ |
| Parkland   | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing)   | ✗ |
| Arable   | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken   | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop   | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland   | ✗ |
| Heath   | ✗ |
| Built-up   | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✓ |
Univallate hillfort lying on sloping ground at approximately 157m OD on a NW- facing ridge.
| 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:  Natural terrace on a NW-facing ridge
| North   | ✗ |
| Northeast   | ✗ |
| East   | ✗ |
| Southeast   | ✗ |
| South   | ✗ |
| Southwest   | ✗ |
| West   | ✗ |
| Northwest   | ✓ |
| Level   | ✗ |
Altitude:  157.0m
N/A
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:   | None |
| Post Hillfort:   | None |
| Morphology/Earthwork/Typology:   | None |
Recorded on 1856-65 OS mapping, general reference in MacLauchlan (1864). Field investigation in 1976. Scheduled
| 1st Identified Written Reference (1864):   | None |
| Other (1976):   | Field investigation |
| Other (1976):   | Scheduled |
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   | None |
Two shallow scoops lie in the N of the enclosure
None
| None   | ✓ |
| Spring   | ✗ |
| Stream   | ✗ |
| Pool   | ✗ |
| Flush   | ✗ |
| Well   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
Shallow scoops
| 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   | ✗ |
A purported entrance recorded in the NE in the 1970's is unverified
| 1:   | None |
| 2:   | None |
Guard Chambers:  ✗
Chevaux de Frise:  ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (North east):   | unverified |
Enclosed by a single rampart measuring 8m wide and 1.5m high. Evidence for a ditch, 4m wide survives on the northern side, although it is presumed to be filled in elsewhere. It takes advantage of the natural slopes and Tinker's Dene Gully in the W and N respectively
| Area 1:   | 0.24ha. |
| Total:   | 0.24ha. |
Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.
None
| ✗   | None |
| ✓   | None |
| NE Quadrant:   | 1 |
| SE Quadrant:   | 1 |
| SW Quadrant:   | 1 |
| NW Quadrant:   | 1 |
| Total:   | 1 |
| 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 |
| ✓   | In the N but probably in-filled elsewhere |
Number of Ditches:  1
| ✗   | None |
Hogg, A.H.A.1979. British Hill-Forts. An Index. British Archaeological Reports, British Series 62. 123.
MacLauchlan, H. 1864. Memoir written during a survey of the eastern branch of the Watling Street. (London), 53.
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