Romano-British enclosed settlement, 720m north east of Catcleugh

Reasons for Designation

In Cumbria and Northumberland several distinctive types of native settlements dating to the Roman period have been identified. The majority were small, non- defensive, enclosed homesteads or farms. In many areas they were of stone construction, although in the coastal lowlands timber-built variants were also common. In much of Northumberland, especially in the Cheviots, the enclosures were curvilinear in form. Further south a rectangular form was more common. Elsewhere, especially near the Scottish border, another type occurs where the settlement enclosure was `scooped' into the hillslope. Frequently the enclosures reveal a regularity and similarity of internal layout. The standard layout included one or more stone round-houses situated towards the rear of the enclosure, facing the single entranceway. In front of the houses were pathways and small enclosed yards. Homesteads normally had only one or two houses, but larger enclosures could contain as many as six. At some sites the settlement appears to have grown, often with houses spilling out of the main enclosure and clustered around it. At these sites up to 30 houses may be found. In the Cumbrian uplands the settlements were of less regimented form and unenclosed clusters of houses of broadly contemporary date are also known. These homesteads were being constructed and used by non-Roman natives throughout the period of the Roman occupation. Their origins lie in settlement forms developed before the arrival of the Romans. These homesteads are common throughout the uplands where they frequently survive as well-preserved earthworks. In lowland coastal areas they were also originally common, although there they can frequently only be located through aerial photography. All homestead sites which survive substantially intact will normally be identified as nationally important.

The enclosed settlement near Catcleugh is very well preserved and retains significant archaeological deposits. It is one of few surviving examples of this form of Romano-British settlement in this area and will contribute to our knowledge and understanding of settlement and activity at this time.

Details

The monument includes the remains of a settlement of Romano-British date, levelled into a sloping hillside commanding extensive views of the Kielder valley. The settlement, roughly oval in shape, measures a maximum of 59m north east to south west by 42m north west to south east, within a substantial bank of stone and earth measuring a maximum of 5m to 6m wide and 1.5m high. There is a well defined entrance in the north east side of the enclosure. Within the enclosure, situated in the upper western part, there are the remains of three stone-founded circular houses 4.2m, 9.2m and 9.5m in diameter; in addition there are traces of the remains of at least a further two stone houses visible as low stony platforms.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

25109

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
MacLaughlan, H, Additional Notes on Roman Roads in Northumberland, (1867), 59-60
Hogg, A H A, Proc Soc Antiq Ncle 3 ser 10 in A New List of the Native Sites in Northumberland, (1947), 167
Jobey, G, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4 ser 42 in Enclosed Stone Built Settlements in Northumberland, (1964), 63

Other
NY 69 SW 03,

End of official list entry

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