Black Howes, Moorsholm Moor

A skith of snow turn Black Howes on Moorsholm Moor negative. A skith being the name for light covering of snow. The Bronze Age burial mound is one of a pair of round barrows which I last visited in the spring when they really were black but the black of the charred remains of recently burnt heather. The heather had of course been deliberately burnt to promote regrowth of young heather vital as food for the grouse. But the burning of heather should only be carried out subject to certain conditions which includes not damaging schedule monuments of archaeological heritage. It was evident this condition had either been completely ignored or the burning had been carelessly controlled. Both the barrows of Black Howes have been partly excavated by the Victorian amateur archaeologist the Rev. J C Atkinson when several cremation urns were found with pieces of bone pins, jet beads and pottery.