Long Lane Settlement
Archaeological Survey
A Batty
2014
Front Cover: Showing area of settlement near Long Lane looking North.
Photo: M Simpson
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Acknowledgments
Dr. J. Farrer for allowing access on to his property and supporting this research.
Mr M Simpson for supplying photographs.
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Cl
ap
da
le
Location of Site
Location Map
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Long Lane Settlement
In 2009 we carried out a topographical survey of a possible Anglo Saxon period settlement to the
west of Long Lane Clapham SD 7538 7075. (Fig 1). There are five rectangular structures on this site
plus two
smaller ones. A Gradiometer survey was carried out over Structure 7 which has a
particularly interesting circular feature built into its north eastern end. (Fig 1) (Plate 1). The
geophysical result (Fig 2) is very similar to the one from Site 1 in Clapham Bottoms, (Batty, 2010).
There is also a very similar circular feature on the end of one of the longhouses on Site 2 in Clapham
Bottoms (ibid), but there the geophysics did not show a burnt area that could be related to it. In that
previous report we suggested the round feature and the burnt area on Site 1 might represent the
remains of a corn-drying kiln. It is thought this new information may add strength to the theory.
Another possibility is that these types of round structures may represent corn-drying facilities
combined with grain storage in the rest of the building as there is no evidence on the gradiometer
surveys to suggest they were dwellings.
Research into Anglo Saxon corn-drying kilns has revealed a dearth of information, but many corndrying kilns have been excavated from the later Medieval period and usually stand in isolation from
other structures to prevent fire damage. In more recent times corn-drying kilns were built into the
gable ends of Blackhouse type structures in Scotland and the Outer Isles (Plate2). Excavation of the
round feature and burnt area on one of these sites would possibly prove/disprove the theory.
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Fig 1: Survey of site on Long Lane. Red dot marks position of burnt feature on Geophysical Survey.
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All survey measurements are taken from the centre of visible structural remains using Trimble 5800
GPS equipment.
Structure 1 measures 13.68m x 6.49m and has a dividing wall creating two rooms with doorways in
both gables and the dividing wall.
Structure 2 measures 13.25m x 3.97m. The western half is not clearly defined and it is possible the
dividing wall may be the gable end.
Structure 3 measures 7.88m x 4.89m and is a single roomed structure with a doorway in the southern
gable.
Structure 4 measures 10.64m x 5.45m. There is a doorway in both gable walls but no dividing wall.
Structure 5 measures 2.9m x 2.28 this is an almost square structure with a doorway in the southern
corner.
Structure 6 measures 3.96m across but it is difficult to know if this structure is square or round.
There does appear to be an entrance to the south west.
Structure 7 measures 11.62m x 5.29m, and has a doorway in the northern gable with a circular
structure built into the north eastern corner.
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Conclusions.
No radiocarbon dating has been carried out on this site, but the two sites dated in Clapham Bottoms
represent Anglo Saxon period settlement. The similarity of those structural remains with the ones
discussed here suggests these may also represent the Anglo Saxon period. Excavation of one of the
circular features attached to the gable end could possibly resolve the corn drying theory.
General overview of Anglo Saxon period settlement.
In 2000 we commenced Topographical and Geophysical surveying in the area around Ingleborough
and also including Kingsdale. In this area only the site in Gauber Pasture had been ascribed to the
Anglo Saxon period (King,A,1978) and this was from coins found in the wall, not radiocarbon dating
evidence. This situation has now changed considerably with several sites radiocarbon dated by
ourselves, Ingleborough Archaeology Group, and David Johnson. We have surveyed several more
sites than those published some have been radiocarbon dated to the Anglo Saxon period and will be
published in due course adding to the growing number. However dating a site is only one element of
the knowledge that can possibly be obtained, and probably the easiest, below are some of the questions
still to be answered.
Which structures were domestic dwellings?
Which structures were used for livestock?
Which structures were roofed?
What building materials were used eg Stone, Wood, Rushes, Sods, Bracken, Straw, Gorse ?
What has been the building design eg. Dwarf stone walls with spars running up to a ridge with hipped
gables and roofed with rushes, straw, sods or bracken, there are many other structural combinations of
these materials?
What livestock were being farmed eg. Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Hens, Geese?
What crops were being grown eg. Barley, Oats, Wheat, Hay Pulses?
What was the structural form of the enclosures eg. Stone base with woven wattle fence; stone base
with growing hedge of thorns or gorse etc?
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Bibliography
Batty, A. 2010 Archaeological Remains in Clapham Bottoms.
Batty, A. 2011 Clapham Bottoms Survey.
Batty, A. 2011 Long Lane Settlement.
Batty, A. 2012 Archaeological Research in Crummack Dale.
Batty, A. Crack, N. 2012 Archaeological Research in Brown Hill’s Pasture Kingsdale.
Batty, A, 2014 Long Lane Archaeological Survey.
All the above reports can be accessed at www.ingleborougharchaeology.org.uk.
Johnson, D. 2013 Excavation of two Anglo-Saxon-period farmsteads in Brows Pasture
Chapel-le-Dale, North Yorkshire. Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Report Number 13981.
Kettlewell: Yorkshire Dales Landscape Research Trust (http://ydlrt.co.uk)
Johnson, D, 2012 Excavation of an early medieval structure in Upper Pasture, Horton in Ribblesdale,
North Yorkshire. Ingleborough Archaeology Group.
King, A, 1978 ‘Ribblehead’ Current Archaeology 6 (Issue 61), pp. 38-41.
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Fig 2: A 20m x 20m gradiometer survey showing burnt area on the right, (marked by arrow).
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Plate 1: Structure 7 showing circular feature in the foreground.
Photo: Mark Simpson
Plate 2: Corn drying kiln built into the end of a blackhouse type structure, Mousa, Shetland.
Photo: Arthur Batty
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