Whitelee, Redesdale, Northumberland.
Location: NT 714 050
Rectilinear enclosures such as those shown here are usually assumed to be used for control of animals on the farm (sheep or cattle). They are usually made of low banks of turf or earth, have no entrance, and are probably not that old (post-medieval). However, to keep stock in (or out) they must have had a surrounding fence or hedge, and a gate. What is unusual here is that there are nine regular enclosures (and another faint triangular one in the centre), and several of them overlap. Does this give us any clue as to how they were used? If they were required seasonally (e.g. for lambing) why not just reuse one already made rather than create a new one? The small recangular and circular banked enclosures are probably stack stands, dug and also fenced to protect stacks of winter fodder from the animals.
K2P: N36572
"Unusual rectilinear enclosure, east of Whitelee Bridge, with four separate surrounding banks in places, perhaps indicative of different phases of construction. Clearly visible on lidar imagery. Unlike anything else noted in Redesdale. Nothing shown here on historic Ordnance Survey maps. Several other rectilinear enclosures in the vicinity are clearly related, all presumably linked to post-medieval agriculture."
Location: NT 714 050
Rectilinear enclosures such as those shown here are usually assumed to be used for control of animals on the farm (sheep or cattle). They are usually made of low banks of turf or earth, have no entrance, and are probably not that old (post-medieval). However, to keep stock in (or out) they must have had a surrounding fence or hedge, and a gate. What is unusual here is that there are nine regular enclosures (and another faint triangular one in the centre), and several of them overlap. Does this give us any clue as to how they were used? If they were required seasonally (e.g. for lambing) why not just reuse one already made rather than create a new one? The small recangular and circular banked enclosures are probably stack stands, dug and also fenced to protect stacks of winter fodder from the animals.
K2P: N36572
"Unusual rectilinear enclosure, east of Whitelee Bridge, with four separate surrounding banks in places, perhaps indicative of different phases of construction. Clearly visible on lidar imagery. Unlike anything else noted in Redesdale. Nothing shown here on historic Ordnance Survey maps. Several other rectilinear enclosures in the vicinity are clearly related, all presumably linked to post-medieval agriculture."
LIDAR (DSM, 1m) copyright Environment Agency (2022) - enhanced for archaeology.
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