Series: Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group unpublished report series

The Western Grinton Dyke forms part of a series of earthworks known as the Grinton-Fremington Dykes which are mainly characterised as massive bank and ditch earthworks which follow discontinuous courses across Swaledale close to its conjunction with Arkengarthdale. Various theories have been put forward as to the purpose and dating of the construction of the Dykes ranging from Late Bronze Age to Early Medieval periods. The widening and natural erosion of a longstanding vehicular access breach forming a cross section in the Western Dyke resulted in a proposal to try and retrieve dateable material at the natural base of the bank and add to the understanding of its construction. With the support of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Scheduled Monument Consent (reference S00116152) was granted by Historic England on 28 September 2015 and amended on 7 January 2016. Profiling of the earthwork showed the ditch to be 4 metres below the top of the bank and the excavation revealed that consequently a revetment structure had been incorporated into the eastern face of the bank to prevent slippage into the ditch. Charcoal samples were found in the excavation trenches and 10 of these samples were submitted for radio carbon dating with resultant dates from 1820BC to 51BC. However these samples did not come from secure contexts and can only therefore suggest a Terminus post quem for the construction

Marne Barracks is located on the World War II airfield of RAF Catterick and close to the Roman Fort of Cataractonium. It is adjacent to the A1 which locally follows the approximate path of Roman Dere Street. The current widening of the A1 has revealed a wealth of archaeology. Castle Hills is a scheduled motte and bailey castle (built c.1120-c.1125) lying on the eastern edge of the airfield. It has not previously been subjected to a geophysical survey. In preparation for Exercise Marne Explore 15, which is part of Project Nightingale (a project to develop and enhance the capabilities of injured military personnel) Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group was requested by the Ministry of Defence to undertake GPS, magnetometry and resistivity surveys of the Castle Hills site and also to undertake a further magnetometry survey of part of the airfield previously surveyed by Archaeological Services Durham University in 2002. The results at Castle Hills revealed the bailey to be heavily contaminated with query World War II dipolar magnetic debris and, whilst the resistivity data did show some strong positive results, they too may be due to World War II airfield defence and communications installations. The magnetic results from a selected area of the old airfield were essentially identical with those obtained in 2002.

This project relates to a complex multi-period landscape in the pastures around the modern house of Daggerstones and the ruins of Bank House above the village of Healaugh in Swaledale. The landscape visually ranges from Bronze Age mounds through house platforms and lynchetted coaxial field boundaries of Prehistoric/Romano-British character, rectangular building platforms and extant 17th century ruins to the sloped array of solar panels behind the modern house at Daggerstones. The survey evidence supports the concept of Prehistoric and Romano-British activity on the site with unenclosed settlement within an organised framework of coaxial field systems. It indicates that the site lies on and respects a major but undated route-way along the northern daleside. The evidence on the site also suggests both agricultural and mining activity in the Medieval, Early Modern and Modern periods.

Juniper Rigg is located on Ellerton Moor to the west of Juniper Gill near to Reeth in Swaledale. The Bronze Age Cairnfield Settlement Complex at Juniper Rigg was first identified in the 1990's comprising 20 stone cairns including the large Ellerton Cairn, a ring cairn, several stone banked enclosures including a large curvilinear enclosure, a standing stone and 2 small ring cairns. The remains were however masked below thick heather. However an opportunity arose in December 2014 when a large number of additional features were revealed when in gusting winds routine heather control fires burnt down to the clay subsoil. Over 50 features are listed in the resultant interim report. The remains found to be present include areas with stone cairns, stone field banks together with isolated round house enclosures and funerary monuments all of the which are characteristic of pioneering pastoralist settlements dated across Northern Upland Britain from the final Neolithic through the Bronze Age.

This project comprises the geomagnetic survey of two areas totalling 2.6 hectares at Cogden Hall, which is a Grade II Listed Building, and a single area of 1 hectare at Grinton Mound East. The works were commissioned by the Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group (SWAAG) and undertaken by Archaeological Services Durham University (ASDU). At Grinton Mound East a series of defensive ditches and stone banks have been identified with a number of possible structures within. External features such as possible trackways and ditches have also been identified. It is considered likely that the surviving earthworks and geophysical anomalies detected at Grinton Mound East reflect the remains of a significant fortified settlement. Sub-surface archaeology outside the earthworks may have been impacted upon by later landscaping activity connected to the previous use of the area as a part of a golf course. At Cogden Hall several features have been detected. A number of anomalies complimented previously recorded earthworks. Series of enclosures and concentrations of fired or ferrous debris, possibly reflecting occupation or small scale industrial activity, have been identified together with a modern service.

The report aims to provide the first comprehensive account of the visible archaeological remains and surface finds from the high unenclosed pastures and open moorland in Swaledale from Gunnerside Winterings Pasture, over Lodge Green and Heights, to Feethams Pasture. The report refers to evidence of features including cairns and burnt mounds, settlements and roundhouse platforms, coaxial field systems, lead mines and associated workings and deserted farmsteads. It also details evidence of a Viking settlement, possibly known as Gunnars Saetre which is located above Bents and Lodge Green. Lithics finds include flint, chert and quartzite implements including scrapers, burins, pointers and bladelets together with arrowhead and an axehead fragment. The features and finds range in date from the neolithic to the post medieval periods.

This project comprised a geomagnetic survey followed by the excavation of a single trench targeting a specific earthwork. It is part of a programme of archaeological investigations conducted by Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group (SWAAG) with the support of Archaeological Services Durham University (ASDU). A series of earthworks have been recorded at the site which have been interpreted as a possible late prehistoric/Roman period settlement containing several house platforms and also the possible remains of a medieval farmstead. The geophysical survey has confirmed the presence of various earthworks and evidence of structures. Within the excavated trench natural subsoil was identified close to the current land surface. There were no indications of truncation or redeposition of the subsoil, as is sometimes associated with platforms terraced into slopes. A stone bank was present across part of the trench with cobbled surfaces to either side. Across the trench were large quantities of rubble within which were a selection of post-medieval finds

This report relates to a prominent shaped glacial mound which abuts and overlooks Site 103. Previous excavations had demonstrated that Site 103 comprises a later Romano-British settlement which was not abandoned until the late 4th century and the purpose of this project was to investigate if there is any active association between Feature 407 and the main site. The result was that finds were scarce and no evidence was found supporting the use of Feature 407 prior to the 19th century. The site could well have been quarried for sandstone at the time of the Field Enclosure Act thereby destroying any archaeology.

Chwrt is a fine grained microcrystalline, high silica content sedimentary rock which has historically been used for making sharp edged stone tools. It was quarried near Reeth in Swaledale from around 1900 until 1950 for the pottery industry. In 1922 chert quarrying started in Arkengarthdale on Mouldside not far from Langthwaite. This project involved a study of the Hungry Chert Quarries in Arkengarthdale with the objective of clarifying how the chert tramway operated and establishing exactly where the chert opencasting operation was located. The resultant report is a discussion document and pictorial record.