The Sandymire Project
Kingsdale,in the Parish of Thornton in Lonsdale North Yorkshire.
Grid Ref: SD 696 763
A report on timber remains found in Kingsdale Beck
Note: A copy of the complete report which was produced with funding from Yorkshire Dales National Parks
Authority and Mr Noel Crack may be obtained from Ingleborough Archaeology Group c/o
Ingleton Community Centre, Ingleton, CARNFORTH, LA6 3HG
Written by Arthur Batty, edited by Anita Batty
Copyright © Ingleborough Archaelogy Group, 2008
Acknowledgements
On behalf of the committee of the Ingleborough Archaeology Group I would like to thank various
individuals and organisations for their co-operation and help during the three year period of this
project.
First of all none of the work would be possible without the permission and co-operation of the Landowner -
Mr . R Bell. Not only has he given his permission but has also shown great interest in the research.
Next I would like to thank Mr. Glenn Jenkinson, an IAG member and also a member of Ingleton Angling
Association, who first brought the timbers to my attention.
Mr. Robert White, Senior Conservation Archaeologist of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
(YDNPA), for his support and advice during the progress of the project.
Mr. Noel Crack for his enthusiasm, assistance and funding.
Mr. John Cordingley whose diving expertise enabled us to recover samples and record the levels on site.
Mr. Ian Panter of the Yorkshire Archaeological Trust for his examination of timbers and Mr. Steven Allen
(Archaeological Wood Technologist) for the timber drawings.
Miss Rebecca Goulding, a student from Bradford University, for her assistance in the
excavation and for not minding getting extremely muddy!!
Ms Caragh Clayton-Chance and other staff of Natural England for permission to carry out the excavation.
Mr. David Johnson (IAG) and Mrs. Jill Sykes for proof reading this report.
And last, but not least, my wife Anita Batty for editing, desk top publishing and support.
Arthur Batty
REPORT
The Ingleborough Archaeology Group (IAG) is currently carrying out historical and
archaeological research in the Valley of Kingsdale, having completed three archaeological
excavations between 2005 and 2007 near Kingsdale Head at the NE end of the valley. A full
report of these was published in 2007 (Batty & Batty 2007). At the SW end of the Valley is an
area known as Sandymire Grid Ref: SD 696 763 which, as its name suggests, is an
area of marsh land with remnant abraided river channels and large areas of rushes (juncus)
growing.
(Plate1)
There is no record of any previous archaeological research having been carried out in this
area. In the last 30 years drainage has taken place, resulting in the land becoming much
drier and more accessible.
In the summer of 2005 timbers were seen protruding from the bank in Kingsdale Beck.
(Plate 2)
Several large timbers and some smaller branches, context (100), were removed by
members of IAG. These were examined by Ian Panter of York Archaeological Trust and
ourselves for any evidence of them being the result of human activity. One piece of timber,
Small Finds No SFN 7, appeared to be an axe-cut chip, but overall evidence for human
activity was inconclusive. Monitoring of riverbank erosion around the site continued and in
June 2006 a small 'Y' shaped branch piece, SFN 1, was removed from (100). Two of the
ends of this piece of hazel (corylus avellana) had clearly been worked with some type of
metal axe This suggested that it could have been cut anytime between the Bronze Age (BA)
and the present day. A small section was sent for radio carbon dating to Scottish
Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC1) and was dated to the mid BA 1640BC
to 1450BC.
The interpretation of SFN 1 was problematic, as one small piece could have been washed in
from another site upstream and lodged in (100), we had already identified a BA structure in
Trench 2 on the riverbank during the 2005 excavation at Kingsdale Head (ibid). Another
possible BA feature, also upstream from Sandymire, is the Apron Full of Stones, excavated
by Alan King in 1972 (King, 1978). The remains excavated and the typology of this feature
lead to the conclusion that this was an early BA cairn dating to around 2000BC - 1900BC.
However, no radio carbon dating evidence exists from this excavation and therefore this
date cannot be substantiated. There are a considerable number of cairn remains and
possible round-house type structures in the valley that may also be Bronze Age.
As monitoring of the site continued, a period of dry weather, and therefore low water levels,
in April 2007 gave us an opportunity to see the riverbed more clearly. Approximately 3m
downstream from the already discovered timbers (100), was a small area of twigs and
leaves (101) measuring approximately 600mm in diameter. After consulting with Mr. Robert
White (Senior Conservation Archaeologist of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority), it
was agreed to contact a local cave diver Mr. John Cordingley to examine and survey the riverbed.
(Plates 3)
The site was photographed
(Plate 5)
and levelled.
The area of twigs and leaves (101) was embedded in the riverbed clay (Plate 6) and
appeared to be in situ. Some of the material was removed for analysis, Environmental
Sample (ES 1601), and two significant pieces of timber were removed for sampling - one of
which showed signs of working at one end SFN4, the other SFN 5 showing significant signs
of working at both ends and transverse ridges on its sides. Later examination of ES 1601
revealed another piece of timber, SFN 16, with tranverse ridges on the exterior surface and
broken at both ends.
(Plate 7)
Four other pieces of worked wood were removed from (100)
SFN 2; SFN 3; SFN 7 and SFN 8.
These finds from (100) and the discovery of axe cut facets on two of the larger timbers
means that SFN 1 is also most likely to be part of (100). All small finds were examined by Mr.
Steven Allen, Archaeological Wood Technologist at the Yorkshire Archaeological Trust.
Approximately 2m upstream of (100) part of what appeared to be a vertical post, SFN 6, that
was embedded in clay, was also removed. The small finds from (101) and SFN 2 from (100)
and SFN 6 from (102) were initially identified as having been chewed by beaver, although the
latter two were more difficult to interpret, and the decision was taken to send a small piece
of SFN 4, that was more obviously beaver chewed, for radio carbon dating. This gave a
date of 5730BC-5670BC (Beta Analytic RC Lab2).
In June 2007 a 2m x 0.5m trench was excavated parallel to the riverbank, down through the
area of collapsed bank on top of (100). Excavation went below the level of (100) and cores
were taken in the base of the trench extending down another 1m. No evidence for large
timbers was found, with only a few branch remains in the trench at the level of (100). This
showed no evidence for larger timber remains extending into the riverbank.
CONCLUSIONS
From the archaeological research already carried out in Kingsdale by the IAG it is becoming
obvious that there was considerable human presence in the Bronze Age period, and this
report adds to that evidence. Several years ago a BA axe head was found by a metal
detectorist within 400m on the limestone terrace overlooking the site. It is an intriguing
speculation that this could have been the axe that cut the timber samples in (100).
However, even though that axe could probably be located, the samples are too degraded to
be able to match it to the cut marks.
The beaver chewed wood and its date prove the presence of beaver, and also suggest the
habitat was suitable for its survival, although it cannot be ascertained what time span this
covered. The chewed samples of wood were willow and, as willow bark is one of the
beaver's staple foods, there must have been a reasonable supply nearby. The diameter of
the deposit (101) at (0.60m) is very similar to the size of the tunnels dug by beaver (Coles,
2007) We do not know how deep it is, or in what direction this feature goes, as it is under
water. Examination of a small quantity of ES 1601 showed the presence of leaves and twigs
of hazel (corylus avellana L) and willow (salix spp). Hazel does not grow on marshy ground
but was obviously within the beaver's range on drier slopes. The presence of leaves
indicates that the deposition was before winter set in and may represent food stored
underwater for winter-feeding when the marsh or lake was frozen over. There is no
evidence of a beaver lodge, but further erosion may reveal evidence to confirm or reject this
proposition.
The considerable difference in the age of (100) and (101) at approximately 4,200 years leads
to a reassessment of the two ambiguous finds SFN 2 and SFN 6. As all other small finds
from (100) were axe-cut, it was decided that SFN 2 from (100) was also axe-cut and unlikely
to be beaver-chewed. This left SFN 6 that appeared to be the base of a broken post driven
down into the clay which by definition has to be axe-cut.
There is always an interpretational problem when wood worked by man and animals is in
close proximity, as pieces cut by man may subsequently be used by animals and vice
versa. However, in this case there is a clear difference in time between the two events, and
also a considerable difference in the depth of deposition - approximately 0.57m. We do not
know when the beaver became extinct in Kingsdale. This could have been soon after the
date we have or much later as there is extensive evidence for human activity in the Bronze
Age, and consequently there would have been changes to the flora and fauna of the valley,
brought about by timber felling, hunting and increasing agricultural activity that would have
destroyed the beaver and its habitat. The area suitable for habitation by beaver is small and
it is unlikely that, once extinct at whatever period this was, they would ever return to
Kingsdale. This scenario would rule out a dual use interpretation for any timbers in (100).
The small finds from (101) were all identified as beaver-chewed and any probability of a
dual- use interpretation is unlikely. Even so we have evidence for Mesolithic occupation at
Kingsdale Head (dating to 6850 BC - 6640 BC) raising the possibility that Mesolithic people
may have been around at the same time as the beaver, and could have been cutting timbers
with stone tools, increasing the potential of finding dual-use timber remains.
Context (100) consists of considerable amounts of branch material and large timbers up to
0.20m in diameter and 3m long. How much of this feature had been washed away by the
river before it was found is unknown, and any interpretation has to be based on the features
recorded. The largest timbers (two of which have axe-cut facets) were packed together
lying at a slight angle to the flow of water. At right angles, on top of these timbers
(Plate 8)
were several smaller pieces indicative of a constructed platform or trackway. There is a
clay bank underlying the timbers and extending across the river. Up and down stream of the
bank the riverbed is lower, creating a deeper pool on either side. It is difficult to determine
whether this bank is natural, or a deliberate construction for supporting a trackway or even
a remnant of a beaver dam relating to (101). There do not appear to be any timbers
embedded in it at present. If (100) is a trackway it may have been displaced downstream by
water flow - this could be the reason for not finding evidence of a continuation of the
timbers into the riverbank at this point. Any continuation of a trackway may be upstream
and this leads us to SFN 6 (thought to be a post) that may have been securing the timbers in
a position 2m further upstream and some small branch pieces are protruding from the
riverbank at this point. Continuing erosion may reveal whether there are more substantial
timbers that could relate to (100). There is no conclusive answer as to whether (100) is a
trackway, platform or structure of unknown use. From the evidence above a trackway is
probably the best interpretation at this stage of the investigation. Nearly all of the timber has
now been washed away by the river. We were fortunate to have been able to record the
above as knowledge of this type of archaeological remains is scarce.
Bibliography
Batty, A and Batty A.., (2007) The Kingsdale Head Project. Ingleborough Archaeology
Group
Coles, B., (2007) Beavers in Britain. Oxbow Books - The Wetlands Archaeological
Research Project.
King, A., (1978) Apron Full of Stones, a Prehistoric Cairn, Thornton in Lonsdale,
North Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, Vol. 50 (1978) pp 25 -30
Timber Drawings
Allen, S.J; (2008) Drawings of wood finds from Sandymire, Kingsdale
Radio Carbon Dating References
Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC1 ) Ref: 11495 (GU-14448).
Beta Analytic Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory 2, Miami, Florida . Lab Ref: Beta-233907.
York Archaeological Trust Report on Conservation of Timbers
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