Back in the office

The first season of the survey has come to an end and we are now relegated back to the office to compile the results of all of those days out on the moor. Instead of gazing out at the view from the moor, the parade of spreadsheets and datapoints begins. Having spent four weeks surveying, we have accomplished good coverage, recording much of the area south of Low and High Parkamoor. A total of 200 features were found, including many trackways, quarries, walls, and the odd sheepfold.

The Lake District is known for its continuous tradition of animal husbandry and the effect it has had in shaping the landscape. The mostly agricultural sites on Bethecar Moor fit into this narrative. Though cattle roamed the area, there was no evidence of a prolonged use of the moorland for cattle-rearing. Instead, hoggholes, sheepfolds, and bields reigned supreme as historically the Moor has been primarily used for sheep farming.

On the southern edge of Bethecar Moor, nearer the settlements, the agricultural history of the area was more frequently found in the burning of the nearby woodlands and bracken to create potash and charcoal. The presence of a charcoal platform indicats that the woodland may have extended further into what is now Bethecar Moor and would have been cleared more recently. Evidence of bracken burning for agricultural use was provided by a single potash kiln used to create potash for fertilizer. Though now largely reduced to an earthwork, the circular stone-lined pit and burnt stone proved it had formerly been a kiln.

Moving northward into higher ground, our sites became more closely associated either directly or indirectly with sheep farming. Numerous trackways criss-crossed the moorland skirting along walls created by the numerous quarries that dotted the landscape. Rock outcrops were quarried as a source of stone to create the structures integral to flock management such as walls and sheepfolds. We could often identify quarries as outcrops, sometimes with evidence of  extraction, above a working platform or dressing floor. Often these quarries would lie near a trackway for the ease of transport.

High up on the moor, as we navigated between trackways, trying to tell them apart we found ample evidence of agricultural heritage in the form of numerous sheepfolds and hogg holes. Of particular interest was a bield, a small structure used as a shelter for sheep in particularly exposed areas. Most bields are constructed in X shapes or Y shapes but are less often found as squares, making this one a particularly interesting find. It may have been constructed in this unusual shape as the walls were built on top of three natural outcrops of rock, minimising the amount of wall construction and maintenance the walls required. 


Accompanying these sites were spectacular views of the Lake District. On clear days we could see to Blackpool Tower, making the area a natural attraction for hill walkers. The visibility from the summits certainly drew prehistoric people to these hills.  Yet aside from the known Bronze-Age cairn, there was surprisingly little evidence of prehistoric activity. This could be owing to the difficult terrain that covers most of the moorland, steep slopes and large bogs make traversing the land rather tricky. Still, to this day, Bethecar Moor continues to see visitors explore its natural beauty. Several summits were marked with modern cairns, used to mark the trail for recreational users coming to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

Having completed this season, we very much look finishing off the survey for another two weeks in March and we hope you can join us back out in the field. Registration is already up for March and you are welcome to sign up here; just remember to put the date in your diary so you don't forget!