AIR PHOTOGRAPH MAPPING PROJECT

Three Late Neolithic Class II henges on a north-west to south-east alignment form one of the most unusual and intriguing prehistoric ritual complexes in Britain (Scheduled Ancient Monuments NY36, NY29508). Their importance in the north of England is more enhanced by their context within a group of seven henges lying between the rivers Ure and Swale – the largest group outside Wessex.

The henges form part of a much longer-lived ritual landscape. Parts of two cursus monuments are known. Typically these are of earlier Neolithic date and one does appear to pre-date the central henge. The other, near the northern henge appears to be respected by one of two double pit alignments known; other lying to the north-west of the southern henge and the subject of a recent excavation. Additionally, there are fifteen barrows known from the immediate environs of the henge, which are thought to be of Early Bronze Age date.

The presence of the three henges and their associated prehistoric monuments, along with the Roman Bath House at Well and Dere Street Roman Road attracted significant antiquarian attention to this area, notably the Rev. W.C. Lukis (Lukis 1869; Manby 2004). Lukis’ sketches of the monuments were supplemented by further stylised plans in the Victoria County History (Page 1907). However, the henges and their satellite monuments were not the subject of excavation until the latter half of the twentieth century. In 1952 minor works were carried out on the Central and Northern henges and the cursus ditch (Thomas 1955), whilst in 1958 rescue work was conducted in advance of the destruction of the cursus south of the central henge by gravel extraction (Vatcher 1960).

In the past decade or so several desk based assessments, watching briefs, evaluations and geophysical survey’s have been instigated in response to the threat of modern development and notably extraction and quarrying (e.g. Roe 2003, Hurn 1997, Fraser and Speed 1993, Webb 1997).

However, much of the most recent work, conducted by Dr Jan Harding since 1994, has been research-led, rather than in response to a development threat. This work has been relatively small-scale and has been directed at establishing the relationship between the central henge and the cursus, the western entrance of the southern henge and the whole length of a double pit alignment and a rectangular mortuary enclosure (Harding 2000, 2003). Little invasive work has been carried out in the landscape around the henges, although a considerable amount of fieldwalking has taken place which suggests greater concentrations of prehistoric activity up to 1km away from the henges. A small amount of localised geophysical survey has been carried out (mainly targeted on barrows). The air photograph collection held in the North Yorkshire Sites and Monuments Record has been consulted for at least two desk-based assessments of the area, although no rectified plots appear to have been made. As well as the long-term research project directed by Jan Harding, most recently under the auspices of the ALSF, other recent work has been carried out by archaeologists acting for the Minerals Operators in the Nosterfield area.

In 1987 Harding with Lee published a map of the Thornborough monuments from cropmarks in the their catalogue of British Henge monuments. Since then detailed air photo interpretation and mapping has been absent from most archaeological investigations. Only the Nosterfield Desk-Based Assessment conducted by Field Archaeology Specialists has paid significant attention to the potential of this resource in recent years (Roe 2003). This work rectified photographs from various sources for an area of c. 9 square kilometers, centred on the Nosterfield Quarry.

Text by Ian Roberts (Principal Archaeologist) Archaeological Services WYAS
extracted from Roberts, I. and Deegan, A. (2004)

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