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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 FSA

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 *****SWAAG_ID***** 354
 Date Entered 25/11/2011
 Updated on 25/11/2011
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Earthworks
 Record Type Archaeology
 SWAAG Site Name 
 Site Type 
 Site Name 
 Site Description 
 Site Access Public Footpath
 Location Whitbecks. How Hill.
 Civil Parish Grinton
 Brit. National Grid SE 030 987
 Altitude 204m
 Geology Morainic drift over Hardraw Scar Limestone.
 Record Name How Hill, Whitbecks. Undated earthworks and the four How Hills of Swaledale.
 Record Description Large sub rectangular ‘tel-like’ mound in pasture slighted by a series of medieval strip fields. Much stone either in situ or brought to the surface by ploughing. The nature of the original structures cannot be determined visually. However there can be no doubt that How Hill, Whitbecks was the location of an early settlement or multiperiod structures including a possible barrow. Other earthwork features in the vicinity of How Hill Whitbecks and visible on the two photographs include: 1. A prominant burnt mound, (Sweat house saunas of Bronze Age Date) one of two at spring rises here. 2. Small stone cairns and irregular field banks of bronze age character. 3. A curvilinear enclosed platform settlement, a small farmstead of Prehistoric Iron Age character (with visible round houses, one below a sheepfold). 4. Lynchetted cutivation terraces, strip fields and stone banked field boundaries. 5. The rectangular house platforms of medieval Hercay. The Four How Hills of Swaledale. The term 'How' can refer to a burial mound (usually of Neolithic or Bronze Age Date, for example How Tallon, the round cairn on Barningham Moor. Alternately How can be applied to natural barrowlike hills or natural mounds with archaeological eathworks. There are four How Hills in Swaledale, all have been modified as settlements by archaeological earthworks. The remaining three How Hills are... ?? Use your localknowledge or look below.
 Dimensions 
 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 The How Hills of Swaledale are: 1. How Hill Downholme. How Hill Downholme is the prominent isolated hill which commands the entrance to Swaledale from Downholme Valley. The remains of a bank and ditched univallate hill fort survive on the northern perimeter of the summit. This defensive feature is overlain by medieval strip lynchets on the remaining three sides. 2. How Hill, Grinton. The (two) How Hills below the bridge at Grinton are the remains of a terminal moraine which marked a pause phase of the retreat of the Swaledale Ice. The ice dammed lake, one of five such lakes recognised by Arther Raistrick in Swaledale, has formed terraces on both sides of the flat river flood plain upstream to: 3. How Hill, Low Whita. How Hill, Low Whita is located above Scabba Wath Bridge and is also the remains of a terminal moraine. The remains of a narrow ditch or possible palisade slot are visible on the upper perimeter of How Hill, Low Whita defining a defended settlement of unknown age.
 Image 1 ID 1424         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description How Hill, Whitbecks. Multi period earthworks, for explanation see text..
 Image 2 ID 1423         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description How Hill, Whitbecks. Multi period earthworks.
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