Tag: medieval
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The “Viking Canal” at Rubh’ An Dunain
After yesterday’s lapsus calami when I misidentified a whole mountain ridge (see Mark’s comment), I thought I had better be extra attentive. The Rubh’ An Dunain is a remote headland located approximately 6km south of Glen Brittle. It is renowned for its notable feature, the “Viking Canal,” which connects Loch na h-Aide with the Soay […]
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Two villages: “Cherchbi” and “Broctune Magna”
It’s been a windy day on Cringle Moor, but the sky has been clear. The moving clouds created a beautiful display of shadows over the vale of Cleveland. I could see below me the villages of Kirkby-in-Cleveland and Great Broughton, both of which were mentioned in the Domesday Book. Kirkby-in-Cleveland was referred to as “Cherchbi” […]
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Old Byland, a pretty little village in the Tabular Hills
When you enter the village of Old Byland, you’ll be greeted by charming pale yellow-grey cottages made of ooidal limestone surrounding a spacious village green. Getting there is a bit of a journey ā we climbed up the long, dry valley of High Gill. But the effort was worth it, as it felt like a […]
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April Fools’ Day
And so we fly into April. Tempus fugit. I was planning on an April Fool, but didn’t have enough foresight. And by the time I post this, itāll be past the 12 oāclock deadline. So, instead, Iāll just post about the history of the tradition. But first, my morningās exercise. With the weather looking pretty […]
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Miley Pike
Miley Pike is a type of prehistoric round burial mound that was built during the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age. These mounds are located in important positions throughout the North York Moors and are an important part of the area’s historical landscape. Round barrows are ancient monuments that were used for burials. […]
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The old road to Westerdale
The moors are filled with standing stones that span across different periods in history. You can find prehistoric monoliths, medieval structures, and even contemporary edifices scattered throughout the vast terrain. According to the 1853 6″ O.S. map, there is a boundary stone labelled Stockesley Cross located near the ruins of a supposed smugglers’ hideout called […]
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Site of Medieval Farmstead and Ring Enclosure
Running around the foothills of the Sidlaw Hills above Fingask, and, as usual, I was easily distracted trying to locate the humps and bumps indicative of archaeological features. All the features turned out to be quite subtle, except for this farmstead, which was particularly noticeable, thanks to the low winter sun. The discovery of the […]
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Ruthergate
My plan was to take a photo of an old route from Guisborough climbing Kemplah Bank on to Hill Plain. The pasture fields of Hill Plain can be seen in the top left corner, while Ruthergate is recognisable by the diagonal line of dark green gorse that stands out against the brown of the withered […]
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Arrow Stones
Not a day for photography on the moors. So a quick visit to the local church. All Saints Church, Great Ayton. The present building dates from the 12th-century but an an Anglo Saxon church in the Domesday Book. One curiosity is a series of groves incised on a quoin (cornerstone) of the gable to the […]
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In Baysdale Beck
Two stoops or gateposts mark a long-lost crossing of Baysdale Beck about 275 metres upstream of the modern-day ford at Hob Hole. The width between the post suggests a passage on foot and for pack horses only. “Ploughman“, writing in 1908, observed that “the supports of an ancient bridge is still preserved, by the interweaving […]