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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