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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***** 319
 Date Entered 08/11/2011
 Updated on 10/11/2011
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Rock Art
 Record Type Archaeology
 SWAAG Site Name 
 Site Type 
 Site Name 
 Site Description 
 Site Access Army Range
 Record Date 01/01/2005
 Location Gayles Moor. Hill 99 and adjacent Allotments.
 Civil Parish Gayles
 Brit. National Grid NZ 1155 0622
 Altitude 305m
 Geology Earthfast slabs of fell sandstone on glacial till with small exposured areas of the Underset Limestone.
 Record Name Teesdale. Gayles Moor. Cluster of Rock Art Sites centred on Hill 99.
 Record Description Hill 99 is a large regular mound and is most probably of glacial origine, a small drumlin mound,however it is very barrowlike in appearance and just might be a Neolithic or Early Bronze Age Round Barrow. Hill 99 is now shrouded within a fir plantation. There is little doubt that Hill 99 served the purpose of a round barrow and was the focal point for the large number of earthfast rocks decorated in the cup and ring tradition on the moorland to the to the south and within the walled pastures to the north. One very fine carved rock is located at the base of Hill 99 and there is a cup marked rock near the summit This prominent mound and commands panoramic views across Teesdale and eastward to the North York Moors. All these 'rock art' sites are well known and have been published elsewhere, but it is thought that one or two photographs (scanned from slides) taken more than thirty years ago would be of interest. In particular one slide photograph shows Hill 99 seen from the main cup and ring marked rock- when the plantation had only just been planted and the mound was clearly visible and not as now shrouded in fir trees. (NZ 1155 0622 Centre) ARMY LIVE FIRING RANGE. ACCESS ONLY WITH EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM ARMY RANGE AUTHORITIES
 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 Rock art sites should be considered in context with the known contemporary prehistoric landscape. The carved rocks on Gayles Moor and on the higher slopes of the southern edge of Teesdale should, perhaps and for lack of a better framework, be considered as the territorial signiture of seasonal, transhumant pastoral family groups returning to the eastern Pennine Fringe each summer with their animals to set up their tented villages near favoured springs to take advantage of the good browse and grazing on the lighter scrub hazel woodland of the limestone soils of the upper dale sides. The year round winter settlements of these groups being located on the fertile and sheltered gravel terraces of the Tees, Swale and Ure Lowlands. This record is work in progress and further text/images will be added.
 Image 1 ID 1172         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Hill 99 seen from cup and ring marked rock on Johnon's Allotment before being shrouded within the present day plantation.
 Image 2 ID 1173         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Cup and ring marked rock south of Hill 99.
 Image 3 ID 1174         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description Cup and ring marked rock immediately below Hill 99. The small fir tree in this photo was felled five years ago to allow some daylight to enable the carvings to be seen.
 Image 4 ID 1176         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description Complex cup marked rock.Detail.
 Image 5 ID 1175         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description Twenty years on. Hill 99 hidden within plantation. Cup marked rock, possible cist cover, in foreground.
 Image 6 ID 1178         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description Simple cup marks are located on the periphery of concentrations of rock art sites. Complex carvings are located at the centre of a group.
 Image 7 ID 1179         Click image to enlarge
 Image 7 Description Complex rock carving photograpphed under optimum low sun conditions. These carvings invisible on a dull day.
 Image 8 ID 1180         Click image to enlarge
 Image 8 Description  Very small earthfast sandstone rock with concentric ring figures.
 Image 9 ID 1181         Click image to enlarge
 Image 9 Description This highly decorated rock with fresh visible pick marks is sloping as though subsidedinto a pit or cist grave. Possibly an overturned cist cover.
 Image 10 ID 1182         Click image to enlarge
 Image 10 Description Detail of the same slab.
 Image 11 ID 1183
 Image 11 Description Ring groove enclosure or palisaded timber circle. This feature, visible as a substantial palisade groove with eastern entrance, is at the centre of the concentration of rock art.
 Image 12 ID 1186
 Image 12 Description Prehistoric Sites in the NE Pennines (Laurie 2003). There are now many more recorded burnt mounds than shown.
 Image 13 ID 1187
 Image 13 Description Small portable cup and ring marked rock in Cottage Garden. Dalton. All faces decorated.
 Image 14 ID 1190
 Image 14 Description Small portable cup and ring marked rock in Cottage Garden. Dalton. All faces decorated.
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