Middledean Camp

Viewed from across the precipitous Middledean Burn, the double earthbanks of the Iron Age fort known as Middledean Camp stands out against the smooth rounded hills of Breamish Valley in the Cheviots¹‘Heritage Gateway – Results’. 2012. Heritagegateway.org.uk <https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=cd0510d7-bb36-4fa9-98bc-ffe71c757142&resourceID=19191> [accessed 28 October 2022].

Double earthworks such as this are termed ‘bivallate’²Wikipedia Contributors. 2022. ‘Hillfort’, Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillfort#:~:text=Solsbury%20Hill.-,Bivallate,-%3A%20a%20double%20circuit> [accessed 28 October 2022]. Promontary hillforts are those which are defended by steep slopes on 2 or 3 sides³Wikipedia Contributors. 2022. ‘Hillfort’, Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillfort#:~:text=Inland-,Promontory,-%3A%20an%20inland%20defensive> [accessed 28 October 2022]. From this angle Middledean appears to have just the one side, but in fact the bluff extends around the south and east sides.

Hillforts and other prehistoric sites abound in these hills. It has long been established that they were built by ancient Britons about 2300 years ago. But what is not clear exactly why they were built. They do not seem to have been purely for defence. Middledean has several internal hut circles⁴‘Heritage Gateway – Results’. 2012. Heritagegateway.org.uk <https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=cd0510d7-bb36-4fa9-98bc-ffe71c757142&resourceID=19191> [accessed 28 October 2022]. It could have been seasonal accommodation for the people who practiced transhumance when cattle was brought into the hills for summer grazing. Another possibility is that it may have had a ceremonial or ritual use.

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  ‘Heritage Gateway – Results’. 2012. Heritagegateway.org.uk <https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=cd0510d7-bb36-4fa9-98bc-ffe71c757142&resourceID=19191> [accessed 28 October 2022]
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  Wikipedia Contributors. 2022. ‘Hillfort’, Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillfort#:~:text=Solsbury%20Hill.-,Bivallate,-%3A%20a%20double%20circuit> [accessed 28 October 2022]
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  Wikipedia Contributors. 2022. ‘Hillfort’, Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillfort#:~:text=Inland-,Promontory,-%3A%20an%20inland%20defensive> [accessed 28 October 2022]
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  ‘Heritage Gateway – Results’. 2012. Heritagegateway.org.uk <https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=cd0510d7-bb36-4fa9-98bc-ffe71c757142&resourceID=19191> [accessed 28 October 2022]