Reasons for Designation
Stone hut circles and hut circle settlements were the dwelling places of
prehistoric farmers. Most date from the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). The stone-
based round-houses consist of low walls or banks enclosing a circular floor
area; the remains of the turf, thatch or heather roofs are not preserved. The
huts may occur singly or in small or large groups and may lie in the open or
be enclosed by a bank of earth or stone. Frequently traces of their associated
field systems may be found immediately around them. These may be indicated by
areas of clearance cairns and/or the remains of field walls and other
enclosures. The longevity of use of hut circle settlements and their
relationship with other monument types provides important information on the
diversity of social organisation and farming practices amongst prehistoric
communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a
substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of
protection.
Details
The monument includes the remains of an unenclosed stone hut circle settlement
and cairnfields of Bronze Age date, containing at least sixty cairns, situated
on Whitefield Moor around the headwaters of the Black Burn. The unenclosed
settlement is visible as ten enclosures; one discrete group consists of four
conjoined hut circles with attached annexes measuring 35m across in total.
There are also a pair of hut circles and several single examples; they are all
very well preserved and consists of a circular wall 1m to 2m high and some 5m
in diameter, surviving on average to a height of 0.5m. The interior of one of
the huts was excavated by Lord Armstrong in 1907 and fragments of deer antler,
charcoal and animal bone were found. To the south-east of the area there are
the remains of a rectangular structure with rounded corners; it has internal
measurements of 10m east to west by 3m wide and the surrounding walls survive
to a height of 0.2m high. These remains represent the foundations of a
medieval house. Behind the hut circle settlement there are the remains of
extensive cairnfields; very many stone cairns are visible extending over a
wide area of moorland between the Black Burn and the Rothbury to Alnwick road.
They focus on three main areas, one of which is also associated with slight
traces of low banks. The vast majority are field clearance cairns
representing a period of clearance for relatively large-scale agriculture;
however, several cairns immediately to the north-west of the hut circle
settlement are apparently sepulchral in nature. One of these cairns was
excavated in 1969 and shown to contain charcoal, part of a jet ring and three
flint tools.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
20902
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
