Series: Ingleborough Archaeology Group unpublished report series

Earthwork remains of three adjacent rectangular structures, and associated field banks, were noted from aerial photography in an enclosure known as Top Cow Pasture immediately north of the hamlet of Selside in Upper Ribblesdale, on the eastern side of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales. The site was hypothesised for the project either as early medieval, as the earthwork footprints and enclosure banks showed strong similarities with those on sites previously excavated by the Group at Chapel-le-Dale and Crummack Dale, or as a component part of the monastic vaccary of Selseth. Excavations within all three structures were designed to determine the detailed morphology, purpose and dating of the site. Targeted excavation within the three structures showed them to be totally aceramic and artefact-poor, with only two metal objects logged. Four radiocarbon dates from secure archaeological contexts place the site within the late Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Scandinavian eras or the immediate post-Conquest period (cal AD 984 - 1224 at the broadest range of dates); one lies within the period cal AD 409 - 581, the post-Roman/pre-Anglo-Saxon period; while another sits within the Romano-British period, namely cal AD 252 - 406.

The substantial remains of two farmstead complexes were noted from field walking in a stinted enclosure known as Brows Pasture just to the south-west of the hamlet of Chapel-le- Dale on the lower slopes of Scales Moor in the Yorkshire Dales. Initially the sites were hypothesised as medieval as close examination of the supposed deserted medieval settlement across the valley at Southerscales showed strong similarities between the buildings and wall banks on the two sites. Excavations within the two farmsteads formed the last phase of an extended research programme, conceived and undertaken by the author of this report, looking at the development of settlement and farming in the area known as Scales, between the unenclosed Scales Moor and the valley bottom. Three structures within the farmsteads were subjected to targeted excavation and all proved to be totally aceramic and artefact-poor. However, an angle-backed knife blade and five radiocarbon dates from secure archaeological contexts placed both sites within the Anglo-Saxon era: three spanned the period cal AD 763-895, one cal AD 642-709 and one cal AD 653-772. Occupation levels were located in all three structures. A charcoal sample from a lower stratigraphic layer returned a radiocarbon date of cal AD 51-215, indicating possible human activity in the early Romano-British era.

The clear remains of three possible farmstead complexes had been noted by Dr Arthur Raistrick in an enclosure known as Crummack Dale or, more simply, The Dale, to the north of the village of Austwick on the southern side of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales. The sites were hypothesised for the current project as early medieval as their footprints and enclosure banks showed strong similarities with those on previously excavated sites at Chapel-le-Dale, and as earlier work by a local researcher had obtained pre-Conquest radiocarbon dating evidence. Excavations within all three of the sites were aimed at increasing knowledge of non-nucleated early medieval settlement within the Ingleborough area. Six of the ten rectangular structures within the three sites were subjected to targeted excavation and overall proved to be totally aceramic but artefact-rich, with a range of metal objects logged from investigated structures. Six radiocarbon dates from secure archaeological contexts, plus a (seventh) earlier result, place the sites within the Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Scandinavian eras: six fall within the period cal AD 700-990, with the other between cal AD 880-1014. A circular pit on the edge of one of the complexes was proven to be a clamp lime kiln of the sow kiln type: this was radiocarbon dated from two stratigraphically-secure charcoal samples to the period cal AD 1026-1225.

gradiometer survey, measured plans and elevations of all buildings, field survey of extensive ditch and bank system, detailed survey of all drystone walls, detailed survey of all tracks extant and non-extant, botanical survey, extensive archival research, targeted excavation of four house earthworks and a ditch and bank n/a