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HER:  Northumberland 3399 (None)
NMR:  NU 02 NE 11 (5465)
SM:  None
NGR:  NU 0760 2832
X:  407600  Y:  628320  (OSGB36)
Lying on a slight rise at 76m OD to the S of the Mill Burn, a multivallate enclosure, probably a hillfort, shown as a cropmark with some surface evidence surviving. It lies to the N of a possible hillfort on Whinny Knowe (Atlas No. 2801) in a field known as Curls Walls. It position is protected by a steep river bank and stream to the N and NE and a bog to the S. It has been described as both univallate (Jobey 1965, 63) and multivallate from aerial interpretation, with up to four ramparts, the innermost of which is best preserved measuring 96m by 56m, although all have been spread by the plough. The remaining ramparts terminate downslope towards the stream and have been plough-levelled. The inner bank has a maximum height of 1.5m with an external ditch 0.3m deep. A possible entrance lies in the NW corner where there is a causeway across the ditch and a lowering of the bank. No internal features are known. The site is shown on 1856-65 OS mapping. It is undated and now overlain by post-medieval ridge and furrow.
Citizen Science:  ✗
Reliability of Data:  Unconfirmed
Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed
X:  -209402  Y:  7469067  (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude:  -1.8810938381749454  Latitude:  55.54856046791309  (EPSG:4326)
Country:  England
Current County or Unitary Authority:  Northumberland
Historic County:  Northumberland
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Chatton
Badly damaged
| 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 partial contour fort lying on a slight rise to the S of the Mill Burn at 76m OD. The ground slopes away to the NE
| 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:  Lying on a slight rise to the S of the Mill Burn
| North   | ✗ |
| Northeast   | ✓ |
| East   | ✗ |
| Southeast   | ✗ |
| South   | ✗ |
| Southwest   | ✗ |
| West   | ✗ |
| Northwest   | ✗ |
| Level   | ✗ |
Altitude:  76.0m
N/A
Undated
Reliability:  D - None
| Pre 1200BC   | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC   | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC   | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50   | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400   | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800   | ✗ |
| Post AD800   | ✗ |
| Unknown   | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort:   | None |
| Post Hillfort:   | Ridge and furrow ploughing |
General reference in MacLauchlan (1864). Recorded as a univallate earthwork on 1856-65 and later OS mapping. Field inspections in 1955 and 1969.
| 1st Identified Written Reference (1864):   | None |
| Other (1955):   | Field investigation |
| Other (1969):   | Field investigation |
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   | None |
No internal features are visible
Mill Burn in the N and E is the nearest water supply.
| 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   | ✗ |
A possible entrance lies in the NW corner where there is a causeway across the ditch and a lowering of the bank
| 1:   | None |
| 2:   | None |
Guard Chambers:  ✗
Chevaux de Frise:  ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (North west):   | inner rampart |
Described as both univallate (Jobey 1965, 63) and multivallate from aerial interpretation, with up to four ramparts, the innermost of which is best preserved measuring 96m by 56m, although all have been spread by the plough. The remaining ramparts terminate downslope towards the stream and have been plough-levelled. The inner bank has a maximum height of 1.5m and an external ditch 0.3m deep.
| Area 1:   | 0.35ha. |
| Total:   | 0.35ha. |
Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.
None
| ✗   | 2013 GE imagery appears to show at least two ditches in SE, with the land under plough. Enclosed area estimated from satellite imagery |
| ✗   | Up to four ramparts based on cropmark evidence |
| NE Quadrant:   | None |
| SE Quadrant:   | 4 |
| SW Quadrant:   | 4 |
| NW Quadrant:   | 4 |
| Total:   | 4 |
| Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
| Univallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate   | ✓ |
| Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Unknown   | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
| Univallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Multivallate   | ✗ |
No description of banks given, presumed earthen
| 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 |
| ✓   | The number of ditches is uncertain |
Number of Ditches:  2
| ✗   | None |
Gates, T. and Deegan, A. 2009. Monuments in the Landscape in Passmore, D.G. and Waddington, C. (eds). Managing Archaeological Landscapes in Northumberland. Till-Tweed Studies, Vol 1. Oxbow, 125-71.
Jobey, G. 1965. Hill Forts and Settlements in Northumberland, Archaeol Aeliana (4th Series) 43, 63, no. 103
MacLauchlan, H. 1864. Memoir written during a survey of the eastern branch of the Watling Street (London), 33
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