NOTES ON NOVEMBER 2009 MEETING

Whitley Castle

The Alston Moor Historical Society is well aware that there is a wide diversity of local history riches, sites and features found within the boundary of the Moor. However, perhaps the full extent of this bounty is not always fully realised from a local perspective and it sometimes takes an external source to highlight the abundance of these riches. This became very clear at the November meeting when Stewart Ainsworth gave the Society an update on the Miner-Farmer project, which includes the Roman fort of Whitley Castle. Stewart worked for Ordnance Survey in the Alston area earlier in his career and is therefore very familiar with the landscape. He is now Senior Investigator for English Heritage and along the way has become a TV celebrity, bringing his infectious enthusiasm to all matters archaeological.

English Heritage wished to earmark two projects for major research, one in the south and the other in the north. It is perhaps no surprise to learn that the choice for the south is Stonehenge. What is perhaps more surprising is that the other is on Alston Moor and has been entitled the Farmer-Miner Project. Stewart had been attracted to the area in those years with his previous employers and is aware that very little archaeological work of any significance has taken place in the past i.e. it is virtually virgin territory.

For the purposes of this survey the area from Whitley Castle in the north to Nenthead/Garrigill in the south, has been divided into one kilometre square plots and the intention will be to examine each of these in great detail. There is a team of 15 people who will spend 3 years on this project, although only four are ‘hands on’ on the ground. The use of computer and camera technology will make the basic work much quicker and easier. Aerial photography using LiDAR gives detailed imagery of every part of the area being surveyed. This process uses pulses that take shots from above, but by varying the pulses an image at varying levels can be taken at increments of approx. 6 inches. The last pulse will strip away all vegetation, etc., and will show nothing but the bare land, revealing all the humps , bumps and lumps which would otherwise be hidden.

The work has already started, four sectors having been surveyed, and the results are quite spectacular. It was known that there was one monument (archaeological feature) in a particular sector, but after the aerial scanning it is clear that there are actually over 300 – in one square kilometre! It is anticipated that this theme will be repeated in each cell, although the number of ‘scores’ will vary quite widely. The aim is to create, for the first time, an accurate record of the number of monuments on the Moor. The area covered is today regarded as being bleak and inhospitable yet there is plenty of evidence of human settlement going back to pre-history and the Bronze Age. There was almost certainly a thriving agricultural landscape, including the growing of cereal crops. It is difficult to envisage this using our modern perceptions of what can or cannot be done.

The jewel in the crown of this project is Whitley Castle, a Roman fort which has been virtually undisturbed for some 2000 years. Some organic material has been removed from the middens in times past, revealing well preserved Roman leather shoes and other fabrics, and a few artefacts have been removed from the temple site near the main fort, but nothing else has been touched. This is in stark contrast to nearby Hadrians Wall which has been extensively excavated and may have little more to offer. Whitley is regarded as the best preserved fort in the Roman Empire and has many unique features not found elsewhere. It has a diamond shaped footprint to allow for it being built on top of a mound, rather than flat land. This placing allowed it to dominate the landscape and was a strategic part of the Roman defence strategy.

The location appears to be in the middle of nowhere but at the time of building it was placed upon a significant settlement. There is evidence that this extensive vicus surrounding the fort pre-dates the fort and probably dates back to prehistoric times. It was on the main supply route to Hadrians Wall, the Maidens Way, which feeds into the fort by two modern style slip roads, one from the north and the other from the south, thus allowing traffic to by-pass the fort, if necessary.

The findings of the survey may well provide some interesting facts about lead mining and there are indications that this was being carried out in the Bronze Age. There is evidence of dwellings adjacent to lead workings and presumably this is not merely coincidence. There is evidence of mine adits in many places and perhaps a new light will be thrown on the history of mining in the North Pennines.

Whilst this is all very exciting, it should be remembered that this survey is designed to identify and locate monuments at ground level. There will be no excavation or disturbance of the terrain. The eagerly awaited results will be published as a booklet at the close the project. However it is safe to assume that there will be regular news of the work in the interim. The Society is fully supportive of the project and has offered to provide any required help.

NEXT MEETING

Our Christmas Special will have a WW11 theme and the wearing of period dress is encouraged! A prize will be given to the most appropriate effort! There will be community singing of WW11 songs and Christmas carols, music from guest star Les Wallace, a WW11 based quiz, readings and a show of WW11 photographs. Mince pies and mulled wine with be served. Proceeds from admission and a raffle will go to Help for Heroes.

The meeting starts at 7.30 pm in the Masonic Hall on Wednesday 2nd December.