Managing Archaeological Landscapes in Northumberland

The Till-Tweed river catchment areas in Northumberland contain outstanding archaeological and palaeoenvironmental remains which have been in general only poorly understood. This study has assembled detailed data that will provide a platform for future landscape-based research and site-based investigation. Written from a landscape, or geoarchaeological perspective, this study develops a methodology and management tool that will allow planners, curators and developers working in the region to to easily access information across sectors, and provide a transparent and easily comprehended record of sensitive archaeological and palaeoenvironmental sites.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Acknowledgements
• Summary
• Résumé
• Zuasammenfassung
• Samenvatting
• Sammenfatning
• Chapter 1: Introduction
  • Setting the scene
  • Project background
  • Aims and objectives of the project
    • Aims
    • Specific objectives
  • Application of this study
  • Environmental background
  • Archaeological background
  • Methods
  • Radiocarbon conventions
• Chapter 2: Past and Present Landscapes in the Till-Tweed Region
  • Introduction: geoarchaeological context of the project
    • Structure of the chapter
  • Physiology, geology and quaternary history of the Cheviot-Lower Tweed region
    • Quaternary history
    • Holocene environments
  • Methods
    • Geomorphological analysis of valley floor landform assemblages
    • Geochronology
    • Palaeoecological analyses
    • Landform element classification
  • Landform sediment associations: pre-quaternary and late Devensian landscapes
    • Bedrock with discontinuous shallow drift cover (late Devensian) and undifferentiated late Devensian glacial and glaciofluvial drift
    • Late Devensian ice-contact meltwater deposits
    • Late Devensian glaciofluvial and glaciodeltaic terraces
    • Late Devensian glaciolacustrine deposits and alluvial fans
    • Late Devensian palaeochannel deposits, enclosed basins and kettle holes
  • Landform-sediment associations: Holocene landscapes
    • Holocene river and floodplain landscapes
    • Holocene alluvial fans and colluvial spreads
    • Holocene peat bogs and mires
  • Overview: landscape changes over the past 20,000 years
• Chapter 3: The Stone Age Landscape: Fieldwalking and Test Pits
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Assemblage chronology
  • Fieldwalking results
    • Distribution and density
    • Raw materials
    • Artefact types
  • The fieldwalking study in its regional context
• Chapter 4: Monuments in the Landscape: the Aerial Photographic Resource
  • Introduction
  • Archaeology from the air
  • Scope of the aerial photograph study
  • Sources and methodology
  • Overview of mapping results
  • Background to archaeological aerial photography in Northumberland
  • Reconnaisance history
  • The Neolithic and Bronze Age landscape
    • Neolithic enclosures
    • Stone settings
    • Pit alignments
    • Cairnfields
    • Ring ditches
  • The Iron Age and Roman landscape (c.800 BC to 500 AD)
    • Palisaded settlements
    • Hillforts and related settlements
    • Single-ditched enclosures
    • Land boundaries and field systems
    • Paired, conjoined and superimposed enclosures
    • Roman military remains
  • The early post-Roman landscape (c.500 AD to 1000 AD)
  • Medieval and later remains
• Chapter 5: Uncovering the Past: Evaluation Trenching of Cropmark Sites
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Coupland ‘henge’ and ‘droveway’
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Radiocarbon dates
    • Small finds
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Pollen
    • Discussion
  • Milfield north boundary feature and pit
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Radiocarbon dates
    • Small Finds
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Discussion
  • Turvelaws Farm ring ditch
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Discussion
  • Threecorner wood palisaded enclosure
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Radiocarbon dates
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Pollen
    • Discussion
  • Hetton Hall palisaded enclosure
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Pollen
    • Discussion
  • Flodden Hill rectilinear enclosure
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Radiocarbon dates
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Insect remains
    • Pollen
    • Discussion
  • Redscar Wood pit alignment
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Radiocarbon dates
    • Small finds
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Pollen
    • Discussion
  • Maelmin West
    • Introduction
    • Excavation
    • Radiocarbon dates
    • Archaeobotanical macrofossils
    • Pollen
    • Discussion
• Chapter 6: Managing the Historic Environment
  • Introduction
  • Methodology
    • Landform elements and archaeological associations
    • Category 1a: Bedrock with discontinuous shallow drift cover (Late Devensian)
    • Category 1b: Undifferentiated Late Devensian glacial and glaciofluvial drift
    • Categories 1c and 1d: Late Devensian ice-contact meltwater deposits (1c) and Late Devensian glaciofluvial and glaciodeltaic terraces (1d)
    • Category 1e and 1f: Late Devensian and/or Holocene palaeochannel deposits and enclosed basins (1e) and Late Devensian kettle holes (1f)
    • Category 1g: Late Devensian glaciolacustrine deposits
    • Category 1h and 2a: Late Devensian alluvial fans (1h) and Holocene alluvial fans and colluvial spreads (2a)
    • Category2b: Pre-19th century Holocene alluvial terraces and floodplain surfaces
    • Category 2c: Holocene alluvial palaeochannels and floodbasins with proven (or high potential for) organic-rich deposits
    • Category 2d: 19th century and later alluvial terraces and palaeochannels
    • Category 2e: Holocene peat bogs/mires
    • Category 3: Modern ponds/reservoirs and quarry workings
  • Applying the landform element approach
• Chapter 7: The Landform Element Approach in Practice: Case Studies from the Till and Tweed
  • Introduction
  • Case Study 1: The River Breamish at New Bewick
    • Landform, sediment and archaeological associations of Late Glacial landscapes at New Bewick
    • Landform, sediment and archaeological associations of Holocene landscapes at New Bewick
    • Summary
  • Case Study 2: The River Tweed at Coldstream
    • Landform, sediment and archaeological associations of Late Devensian landscapes at Coldstream
    • Landform, sediment and archaeological associations of Holocene landscapes at Coldstream
    • Summary
  • Case Study 3: Glaciofluvial and Holocene Alluvial Terraces in the Milfield Basin
  • Case Study 4: Geoarchaeological Evaluation at Lanton Quarry
  • Putting Guidance into Practice
• Appendices
  • Appendix A: Supplementary Details of Sedimentary Sequences Recorded on Late Devensian Landform Elements
    • 1. Late Devensian glaciofluvial and glaciodeltaic terraces (Category 1d landform elements)
    • 2. Late Devensian glaciolacustrine deposits (Category 1g landform elements)
    • 3. Late Devensian palaeochannels (Category 1e/Holocene bog and mire deposits (Category 2e)
  • Appendix B: Supplementary Details of Sedimentary Sequences and Palaeoecological Analyses Recorded on Holocene Alluvial Landform Elements in the River Breamish/Till Study Block
    • 1. Ingram-New Berwick (River Breamish) reach: sedimentary sequences
    • 2. Ingram-New Berwick (River Breamish) reach: palaeoecology of alluvial sequences
    • 3. New Berwick – Weetwood (River Breamish/Till) reach: sedimentary sequences
    • 4. New Berwick – Weetwood (River Breamish/Till) reach: palaeoecology of alluvial sequences
  • Appendix C: Supplementary Details of Sedimentary Sequences and Palaeoecological Analyses Recorded on Holocene Alluvial Landform Elements in the Milfield Basin (Rivers Till and Glen)
    • 1. Palaeoecology of alluvial sediment cores from the Weetwood-Ewart-Doddington area (River Till)
    • 2. Palaeoecology of alluvial sedimentary sequences in the River Glen
    • 3. Palaeoecology of alluvial sediment cores from the Ewart-Etal reach (River Till)
  • Appendix D: Supplementary Details of Sedimentary Sequences and Palaeoecological Analyses Recorded on Holocene Alluvial Landform Elements in the Lower Tweed Valley
    • 1. Lower Tweed sedimentary sequences
    • 2. Palaeoecology of lower Tweed sedimentary sequences at Coldstream
  • Appendix E: Evaluation of Colluvial Landforms in the Milfield Basin
    • Introduction
  • Appendix F: Sites Recorded on Air Photographs Listed by Morphological Type
• References
• Index