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| *****SWAAG_ID***** | 525 |
| Date Entered | 20/05/2012 |
| Updated on | 24/05/2012 |
| Recorded by | Tim Laurie |
| Category | Settlement |
| Record Type | Archaeology |
| Site Access | Public Access Land |
| Record Date | 19/05/2012 |
| Location | Little Rowleth Pasture eastward from the unfenced road to White Hall to Great Rowleth Wood. |
| Civil Parish | Melbecks |
| Brit. National Grid | SD 95411 98661 |
| Altitude | 370m |
| Geology | Quarried sandstone outcrop and talus slope (scree) below Middle Limestone. |
| Record Name | Little Rowleth Pasture (Bents) Rectangular House Structure No 1 with asssociated enclosure and clearance cairns. |
| Record Description | Rectangular building with small attached sub-circular enclosure together with field clearance of the steep pasture in the form of many very small stone heaps and one sub circular structure which could mark the location of a burial.
This rectangular structure measures approximately 13m*6m overall (10m*4m internally) and is at right angles to the slope with an entrance in the gable end.
This rectangular building base is the most westerly of a total of five rectangular buildings of very similar dimensions and architecture spaced at intervals from SD95411 98661 to SD95905 98375.
Rectangular buildings with boulder faced wall foundations and entrances in the gable ends have been dated elsewhere to the early medieval, pre-conquest or scandinavian period. It is tempting to conclude that this open settlement of buildings which could be dwellings represent 8th-10thC pionneering Norse Settlement or as has been suggested, 'Gunnarr's Saetr or Pasture'.
A single rectangular building had previously been noted on the archaeological record (see White, R.F. 1997. The Yorkshire Dales. Landscapes through Time.English Heritage, Chapter 4). |
| Dimensions | 13m*6m |
| Additional Notes | This Record is preliminary to a detailed survey of the whole of Little Rowleth Pasture by SWAAG Members as soon as can be arranged, in the coming months.
The siting of these structures is of great interest. The shielings or houses, if this is what they are, are located on a steep high slope (at around the 370m contour) in what was recently woodland and which is, today, very poor rough rock strewn pasture. Immigrant norse farmers looking to settle at the head of Swaledale in a landscape where all the better land was already occupied may have needed to settle at first and until assimilated within the local population on the only land available, ie high, poor, marginal land which was then almost certainly woodland as the presence on this hillside of ancient relict thorn coppice, elder, bluebell, arum, primrose and dogs mercury all indicate.
This open settlement is well situated to afford access to the good grazing available higher upslope on the on the Middle Limestone which outcrops above the sandstone. |
| Image 1 ID | 2951 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 1 Description | Rectangular structure No 1 Photo Ric Carter |  |
| Image 2 ID | 2905 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 2 Description | |  |
| Image 3 ID | 2907 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 3 Description | |  |
| Image 4 ID | 2908 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 4 Description | |  |
| Image 5 ID | 2909 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 5 Description | Stone setting, with other stone clearance heaps on slope above the building. |  |
| Image 6 ID | 2910 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 6 Description | Entrance to the rectangular structure. |  |
| Image 7 ID | 2911 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 7 Description | Trackway leading to the upper pastures and stone clearance. |  |
| Image 8 ID | 2912 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 8 Description | Small clearance heap. Detail. |  |
| Image 9 ID | 2913 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 9 Description | The rough rock strewn pastures, with woodland indicator plants, arum, dogs mercury etc.. |  |
| Image 10 ID | 2914 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 10 Description | Ancient thorn coppice. |  |
| Image 11 ID | 2915 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 11 Description | Thorn coppice, detail. |  |
| Image 12 ID | 2916 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 12 Description | Bluebells and pheasant with chicks on a very cold and wet day in late May. |  |
| Image 13 ID | 2917 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 13 Description | THis rough pasture produces very happy well fed lambs. |  |
| Image 14 ID | 2918 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 14 Description | Think of us and weep when you enjoy your next lamb chop! |  |
| Image 15 ID | 2906 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 15 Description | |  |
