Bonchester Hill

NT51SE 8 5960 1205.

(NT 5960 1205) Fort (NR)

OS 6" map (1924)

'... Several Roman urns have been found here ...'

Name Book 1857

Earthworks, Bonchester Hill. This puzzling complex of earthwork, for which no date or purpose can be suggested without excavtion, lies on a broad spur running N from Bonchester Hill, 150 yds. N of and overlooked by the fort (RCAHMS 1956 No. 277) on the summit. It consists of an oval earthwork, lying on the crest of the spur at a height of 930 ft OD, and in conjunction with this a large subrectangular earthwork lying on the W slope of the spur. Both have been mutilated by quarrying, cultivation, and the construction of field boundaries.

The oval earthwork measures 172 ft. from N to S by 158 ft transversely. Entrance to it is gained through a gap in the NE arc of the defences, which are constructed as follows. For one-third of their length, from the E side of the entrance to the S extremity of the structure, they consist of a wasted rubble bank (A), with an internal ditch; at section X-X these measure respectively 20 ft. in width and 4 ft. in height, and 12 ft. in width and 2 ft. 6 in. in depth. There is no trace of an external ditch. A few yards short of the S extremity, where the internal ditch dies out, an outer bank (B) starts at a distance of 27 ft. from A. These two banks, with a medial ditch, form the remaining two-thirds of the defences. At section Y-Y, A stands to a height of 2 ft. above the interior and 3 ft. 3in. above the bottom of the ditch, and B stands to a height of 6 ft. above the bottom of the ditch and 2 ft. 6 in. externally. At the NW, side of the entrance A and B join round the end of the medial ditch. The defences on either side of the entrance are so alined theat the termination of A on the SE side is in line with B on the NW side, where A is 30 ft. inside it. This setting-back of one side of the entrance is unusual.

A low stony bank (C), 7 ft. in width and probably secondary to the main structure, divides the interior of the earthwork into two parts, crossing it without a break from the termination of A on the SE side of the entrance to a point on the SW arc. The area NW of C can by entered through the original entrance, while the other division is reached by way of a gap, which is clearly secondary, broken through the S arcs of A and B. In the NW division signs of secondary disturbance are seen in a broad shallow ditch about 85 ft. in length which lies close to the N arc of A, and a narrow earthen bank probably formed by upcast from it. The defences of the subrectangular earthwork appear to represent two main phases of construction.

One system encloses an area of which the approximate maximum measurement is 400 ft. both from N to S and transversely. A rubble bank (D) with an internal ditch springs at right angles from the SW arc of bank B of the oval earthwork, the ditch merging into the medial ditch between B and A. The bank (D) runs down the slope for 400 ft., beyond which a length of 45 ft. of it has been destroyed. From this point it turns NE and runs 470 ft. to a modern stone wall, the ditch along this stretch being intermittent. The bank curves slightly E before it is overlain and obliterated by the foundation of the wall, and the ditch likewise turn E, running up the slope beside the wall for 185 ft. before becoming lost among secondary works; it may thus be inferred that D originally followed the line now taken by the wall. At section Z-Z, D stands to a height of 6 ft. from the bottom of the ditch and up to 1 ft. 3 in. externally.

The remains of the other system of defences enclose an area within that enclosed by D, measuring about 340 ft. from E to W by 250 ft. transversely. A stony bank (E), which appears to be a ruined wall and which has no ditch, springs from the SW arc of B, 38ft. NNW of the starting point of D. It runs beside the internal ditch that is associated with D as far as the SW corner of the earthwork, but there it laaves the ditch and, after turning the corner, runs off NE. on a slightly diverging course. On reaching a distance of 80 ft. from D it turns again, on a rocky knoll, and runs E for 110 ft. and is then lost among secondary works. At section Z-Z, E stands to a height of 8 ft. 8 in. above the ground inside the earthwork and of 4 ft. above the outside. The entrance through both D and E must have been on the NE, where both are now obliterated. It should be emphasised that there is no direct way through A and B from the oval structure to the subrectangular earthwork.

An earthen bank (F) with a quarry ditch on its N side, evidently a land boundary, crosses the spur on which the earthworks are situated from W to E. It runs up from the W to the SW corner of the subrectangular earthwork where the excavtion of its ditch has caused the break of 45 ft. in D referred to above. It then runs along close to D as far as B, through which the ditch breaks into the medial ditch between B and A, thus effecting the complete isolation of the end of D. The bank (F) then runs E along the top of B for 100 ft., to where a modern track has made a gap 20 ft. in width. Beyond the gap bank and ditch reappear, and run off down the slope to the E. At section Z-Z, F stands to a height of 4 ft. above the bottom of the ditch and of 6 in. above the ground outside. Numerous banks and terraces lie within the sub-rectangular earthwork.

In the S a rectangular enclosure with an entrance in the NE corner can be distinguished, and immediately W of it there is a scooped court, bordered on the NW by a low bank and with a circular depression 20 ft. in diameter, possibly a hut-circle, in it SE portion. Between these two structures and the stone wall which now borders the NE edge of the site there are other banks, terraces, and hollows of indeterminate shape. They appear to have obliterated both D and E, and must therefore be of more recent date.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1949

The earthwork on Bonchester Hill is unlikely to be later than the 11th century.

RCAHMS 1956

These earthswork are as described and generally as planned by RCAHMS.

Re-surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (JTT) 13 October 1965