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Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A,

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 *****SWAAG_ID***** 796
 Date Entered 06/04/2014
 Updated on 07/04/2014
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Burial Mounds and Cairns
 Record Type Archaeology
 SWAAG Site Name 
 Site Type 
 Site Name 
 Site Description 
 Site Access Public Access Land
 Record Date 01/04/2014
 Location Semerwater Lake Edge,Stony Raise Cairn and Multi period Settlements on Greenber Edge
 Civil Parish Bainbridge
 Brit. National Grid SD 955 870
 Altitude 420m
 Geology Lower Carboniferous strata of the Yoredale Series capped by Namurian strata (Millstone Grit) on the highest ground,(Kendall and Wroot 1924)
 Record Name SWAAG Visit to Semerwater and Walk from Carpley Green to Stony Raise and Greenber Edge to
 Record Description This is a photographic record of a visit by SWAAG Members on a fine spring day to Semerwater Lake Edge followed by a walk to see Stony Raise, one of the largest of all prehistoric cairns in the North of England and to visit the complex of shieling type settlements which are located at an elevation of 420m over a distance of approximately 1km on the broad elevated moorland terrace to the east of Stony Raise Cairn. The Group convened at Semerwater lake Edge at 10.00am when the mists were rising and the lake very quiet. Semerwater Lake Edge has been the focus of prehistoric human occupation and activities from early post glacial time. Evidence for these activities include a large volume of humanly worked animal bones which arise from the disposal into the lake (so as not to encourage scavenging of camp sites by predators) of butchered and partially worked bones of different species including Red Deer, Wild Ox, wolf or Dog a microlithic assemblage of Later Mesolithic Character together with a fair number of arrow points of Neolithic and Bronze Age Date. The spectacular find from Semerwater was of a decorated bronze spearhead of Middle Bronze Age ,Irish Type found by a school party when the level of the Lake was lowered for dreging operations during 1937, beneath a flat stone close to the causeway of a probable Crannog Lake Dwelling (see SWAAG Record to follow). All these finds are currently on display at the Dales Countryside Museum. Lithic finds and a series of fossil finds made during this walk are to be recorded as separate records to follow this record. The Greenber Edge Settlement Complex has been surveyed by RCHME Newcastle and, in the absence of any excavation, they concluded that the whole complex comprises at least five prehistoric round house (Phase One) which underlie a Main Phase Two consisting of four distinct farmsteads each comprised of rectangular buildings of characteristic medieval form within curvilinear enclosuresbounded by low stone banks. Finally the Phase Two enclosures are overlain by ruined stone walled post medieval sheepfold Phase Three Structures. This phasing was acknowledged as provisional and it is possible that there exists an element of Romano British Occupation with circular hut structures as the one example which has been excavated, without record see Image No 27 below .
 Dimensions See photos
 Geographical area 
 Species 
 Scientific Name 
 Common / Notable Species 
 Tree and / or Stem Girth 
 Tree: Position / Form / Status 
 Tree Site ID 0
 Associated Site SWAAG ID 0
 Additional Notes This Record is an informal diary of features seen during the walk and should be read in conjunction with SWAAG Record 795 which provides further details of the sites visited, archaeological finds and the locations of sites in the vicinity of Semerwater.
 Image 1 ID 5315         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Semerwater seen from the road to Carpley Green
 Image 2 ID 5306         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Reflections on Semerwater and view towards Raydale.
 Image 3 ID 5305         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description Semerwater Lake Edge with wave-cut platforms on glacial erratic limestone boulders.
 Image 4 ID 5307         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description Semerwater. Decorated bronze spearhead of Irish Type. Middle Bronze Age. Found 1937 by school party when water level lowered, below flat stone near causeway to possible crannog. North Shore. Now in the Hawes Museum.
 Image 5 ID 5308         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description Humanly modified and butchered animal bones including horn cores and bone of wild cattle (Bos primigenius),teeth of Red Deer, dog or wolf all found at Semerwater Lake Edge, now in the Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes.
 Image 6 ID 5309         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description Neolithic arrowpoints from Semerwater Lake Edge, now in the Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes.
 Image 7 ID 5310         Click image to enlarge
 Image 7 Description Mesolithic artefacts from Semerwater Lake Edge, now in the Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes.
 Image 8 ID 5314         Click image to enlarge
 Image 8 Description This was a very fine day for a walk in the Pennines! View westward towards Carpley Green from Greenber Edge.
 Image 9 ID 5312         Click image to enlarge
 Image 9 Description Possible burnt mound seen from the Stake Road. To be confirmed.
 Image 10 ID 5313         Click image to enlarge
 Image 10 Description Seek and ye shall find. Sometimes, when you are lucky.
 Image 11 ID 5316
 Image 11 Description The Group approach Stony Raise Cairn which is heavily reduced by quarrying west of the stone wall which crosses the cairn.
 Image 12 ID 5317
 Image 12 Description The reduced but visible perimeter of the great cairn west of the modern wall.
 Image 13 ID 5318
 Image 13 Description Hillary considers the possible cist grave, possibly that recorded by Fothergill 1805 as containing 'in a hollow' possibly a cist as containing only: 'several human teeth and a large bead'. (Keith Blood and Derek Cator, 1996 'Settlement at Greenber Edge' RCHME Newcastle.)
 Image 14 ID 5319
 Image 14 Description Stony Raise east of the wall.
 Image 15 ID 5320
 Image 15 Description Addlebrough seen from Greenber Edge across Thornton Mire
 Image 16 ID 5321
 Image 16 Description The eastern enclosures. View towards Stony Raise.
 Image 17 ID 5322
 Image 17 Description The enclosures with reduced cairn in foreground.
 Image 18 ID 5323
 Image 18 Description Cist or kennel? Small cairn within the Phase 3 Enclosures.
 Image 19 ID 5338
 Image 19 Description Thornton Mire and the glacial overflow channel below Greenber Edge seen from the track below Addlebrough and return to Carpley Green
 Image 20 ID 5325
 Image 20 Description John stands on the northern perimeter of a Phase 1 Prehistoric Round House. The Group stand on a Phase 2 enclosure bank.
 Image 21 ID 5326
 Image 21 Description Jacqui on Phase 2 enclosure bank
 Image 22 ID 5327
 Image 22 Description Eastern half of the Greenber Edge settlement complex
 Image 23 ID 5328
 Image 23 Description Enclosures with wall passage features.
 Image 24 ID 5329
 Image 24 Description Detail of wall passage
 Image 25 ID 5330
 Image 25 Description Phase 2 Medieval Rectangular building with faced wall.
 Image 26 ID 5332
 Image 26 Description Hillary looks back at the Group approaching the Medieval Phase 2 rectangular building
 Image 27 ID 5333
 Image 27 Description Circular building, one of three conjoined circular structures. The interior of this structure was excavated during the excavations at Bainbridge Fort. No records exist of this work but the finds included Roman Pottery sherds,I was informed.
 Image 28 ID 5334
 Image 28 Description Phase 2 medieval rectangular building with view across Wensleydale
 Image 29 ID 5335
 Image 29 Description Ann with her lithic finds, see separate SWAAG record to follow, for formal photographs and details.
 Image 30 ID 5336
 Image 30 Description This group of five lithic finds from molehills includes a very fine unpatinated flint tanged arrowpoint (Green 1984,Sutton Type E barbs absent) of Late Neolithic to Mid Bronze Age 2500-1200BC date, a flint scraper, a white patinated flint flake and two flakes of black Pennine chert.
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