Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

EN2025 Roseden Edge, Northumberland (The Ringle)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Northumberland 3500 (None)

NMR:  NU 02 SW 24 (5937)

SM:  None

NGR:  NU 0243 2169

X:  402430  Y:  621690  (OSGB36)

Summary

Circular earthwork lying at 183m OD at the NE end of a ridge, 680m to the SE of Ilderton. It was recorded by Hogg (1979) as a multivallate hillfort although only two concentric banks have been recorded, the second possibly a counterscarp, and a medial ditch. It measures 65m in diameter enclosing 0.33ha, The inner rampart survives to a height of 0.1m and is approximately 6-8m wide. The outer rampart can no longer be traced in the NE. The location of the entrances is not recorded and there is no evidence of internal occupation. There is anecdotal evidence for finds of broken spears and armour. Two probable Bronze Age urns were also found somewhere in the vicinity but not necessarily within the enclosure, the smaller of which contained human remains (Hardy 1885-6). The enclosure now survives only in places as slight swellings in the ground. The line of a modern field wall respects the enclosure in the SE. Shown on 1856-65 OS mapping. Minimal investigations, undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -218530  Y:  7457363  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -1.9630916072534295  Latitude:  55.48903824411382  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  England; None

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Northumberland

Historic County:  Northumberland

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Ilderton

Monument Condition

Very little is now visible

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✓

Land Use

None

Current Use:
Woodland   ✗
Commercial Forestry Plantation   ✗
Parkland   ✗
Pasture (Grazing)   ✗
Arable   ✓
Scrub/Bracken   ✗
Bare Outcrop   ✗
Heather/Moorland   ✗
Heath   ✗
Built-up   ✗
Coastal Grassland   ✗
Other   ✗

Landscape

Hillfort Type

Occupying the NE shoulder of Roseden Edge at 185m OD, with the ground sloping away to the E

Type:
Contour Fort   ✗
Partial Contour Fort   ✗
Promontory Fort   ✗
Hillslope Fort   ✓
Level Terrain Fort   ✗
Marsh Fort   ✗
Multiple Enclosure Fort   ✗

Topographic Position

Position:
Hilltop   ✓
Coastal Promontory   ✗
Inland Promontory   ✗
Valley Bottom   ✗
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop   ✗
Ridge   ✗
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp   ✗
Hillslope   ✓
Lowland   ✗
Spur   ✓

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Shoulder of Roseden Edge

Aspect:
North   ✗
Northeast   ✗
East   ✓
Southeast   ✗
South   ✗
Southwest   ✗
West   ✗
Northwest   ✗
Level   ✗

Altitude:  185.0m

Boundary

The parish boundary between Ilderton and Roddam runs around the enclosure in the E and S

Boundary Type:  Parish/Townland


Dating Evidence

Undated, presumed Iron Age

Reliability:  D - None

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC   ✗
1200BC - 800BC   ✗
800BC - 400BC   ✗
400BC - AD50   ✗
AD50 - AD400   ✗
AD400 - AD 800   ✗
Post AD800   ✗
Unknown   ✓

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:
Morphology/Earthwork/Typology:   None

Investigation History

Recorded on 1856-65 OS mapping, referenced in Hardy (1885-6) with regard to the discovery of urns. Field investigations in 1955, 1969

Investigations:
Other (1955):   Field investigation
Other (1969):   Field investigation
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   None
1st Identified Written Reference (None):   None

Interior Features

No internal features recorded

Water Source

None

Source:
None   ✓
Spring   ✗
Stream   ✗
Pool   ✗
Flush   ✗
Well   ✗
Other   ✗

Surface

None

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features   ✓
Round Stone Structures   ✗
Rectangular Stone Structures   ✗
Curvilinear Platforms   ✗
Other Roundhouse Evidence   ✗
Pits   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation   ✓
Pits   ✗
Postholes   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗
Nothing Found   ✗

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics   ✓
Pits   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗
Nothing Found   ✗

Finds

Two probable Bronze Age urns were found somewhere in the vicinity, but not necessarily within the enclosure,

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds   ✓
Pottery   ✗
Metal   ✗
Metalworking   ✗
Human Bones   ✗
Animal Bones   ✗
Lithics   ✗
Environmental   ✗
Other   ✗

Aerial

None

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked   ✗
None   ✓
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Pits   ✗
Postholes   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Other   ✗

Entrances

No entrance is recorded

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
None:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:No related records

Enclosing Works

Circular in plan, comprising two concentric banks, the second possibly a counterscarp, and a medial ditch. It measures 65m in diameter enclosing 0.33ha, The inner rampart survives to a height of 0.1m and is approximately 6-8m wide. The outer rampart can no longer be traced in the NE.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.33ha.
Total:   0.33ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   Now destroyed

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   1
SE Quadrant:   1
SW Quadrant:   1
NW Quadrant:   1
Total:   1

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate   ✗
Univallate   ✓
Partial Bivallate   ✗
Bivallate   ✗
Partial Multivallate   ✗
Multivallate   ✗
Unknown   ✗

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate   ✗
Univallate   ✗
Partial Bivallate   ✗
Bivallate   ✗
Partial Multivallate   ✗
Multivallate   ✗

Surface Evidence

Described in 1734 as having a stone wall but no reference given.

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None   ✗
Earthen Bank   ✓
Stone Wall   ✓
Rubble   ✗
Wall-walk   ✗
Evidence of Timber   ✗
Vitrification   ✗
Other Burning   ✗
Palisade   ✗
Counter Scarp Bank   ✓
Berm   ✗
Unfinished   ✗
Other   ✗

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None   ✗
Earthen Bank   ✗
Stone Wall   ✗
Murus Duplex   ✗
Timber-framed   ✗
Timber-laced   ✗
Vitrification   ✗
Other Burning   ✗
Palisade   ✗
Counter Scarp Bank   ✗
Berm   ✗
Unfinished   ✗
No Known Excavation   ✓
Other   ✗

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✓   None

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   None

References

Hogg, A.H.A.1979. British Hill-Forts. An Index. British Archaeological Reports, British Series 62, 124.

Hardy, J.1885-6. Hist Berwickshire Natur Club 11, 276-8

Jobey, G. 1965. Hillforts and Settlements in Northumberland. Archaeol Aeliana (4th Series) 43



Terms of Use

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


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