Unenclosed Scooped Platforms
Comprehensive work has been done on some sites in the Scottish Borders. The early work on Green Knowe being done by R.W.Feachem, Unenclosed Platform Settlements, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1961. The work at Green Knowe was continued in greater depth by G.Jobey in 1978. A compehensive study by John Terry in 1995 at Lintshie Gutter produced similar results. In brief, the hut sites were constructed between the Early until Late Bronze Age. Charcoal was found on all these excavations. This does not preclude this type of site also being of a later date, notably continuing into the Iron Age.
In Cumbria all these sites seem to be designated as Post Medieval Charcoal Burning Platforms. This may well have a large element of truth in it, but we are in danger of ignoring important Prehistoric sites which will not get the appropriate protection. Some Charcoal Burning sites may even be sited on top of Prehistoric platforms. There is at least one platform in Kentmere with a tree newly planted in the middle of it. We urgently need to assess these assets, starting with the most likely Prehistoric prospects. This can be prioritised by sampling the highest largest platforms belonging to a distinct settlement pattern. If the early results suggests they are not Prehistoric, then we can probably afford to relax. If the early results are Prehistoric, then work should continue to assess their extent in other lower less definitive areas. Valley bottom Glencoyne may be a special case which needs to be examined regardless.
Settlement pattern at Green Knowe, altitude 275m. Jobey, G. (1981). Green Knowe unenclosed platform settlement and Harehope cairn, Peeblesshire. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 110, 72–113.
Platform 4 at Green Knowe, excavated by R.W.Feachem. Jobey suggests that the results may represent more that one Prehistoric hut built consecutively on the same platform.
Typical Troutbeck unenclosed scooped platform.
Settlement pattern at Lintshie Gutter, altitude 300m. Terry, J., Banks, I., Dickson, C., Pollard, T., & Smith, H. (1996). Excavation at Lintshie Gutter Unenclosed Platform Settlement, Crawford, Lanarkshire, 1991. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 125, 369–427.
Unenclosed Scooped Platforms of Glencoyne
Lower Glencoyne to the West of Glencoyne Farm, is noted to have 18 unenclosed scooped platforms, but I only located 15. The remaining platforms may have been compromised by the possibly later field system to the South East. The platforms appear to be laid out on a grid plan approx. 65 metres apart. So we are either looking at some remarkably early Bronze Age town planning or that the platforms may be of a later date. The possible presence of a 65m rectangular fort / camp outlined with asterisks might indicate a Roman date, potentially making the scooped platform the abodes of native mine workers. The main track leading up Greenside starts just to the West. I have used Gradient's Slope Magnitude view here, which is particular good at spotting flat Platforms.
Unenclosed Scooped Platforms of Troutbeck Park
In Troutbeck Park, there are 67 scooped platform sites strung out along the sides of the valleys at up to 310m ASL. There are more platforms that don't show. Troutbeck is fortunate to have some Bronze Age monuments - Hird Wood Concentric Stone Circle and Cairns. In a cist in Woundale Raise Cairn there was a Late Bronze Age leaf-shaped spear head. Sites labeled P have a good Lidar footprint when viewed in Gradient, both in Local Relief and Slope Magnitude views. Sites labeled S have a good footprint in Slope Magnitude, but less so in Local Relief. There will undoubtedly be more of these platforms further south in Troutbeck.
Unenclosed Scooped Platforms of Combe Gill, Borrowdale
In Combe Gill, we have a nice evenly spaced string of 9 circular platforms at 260m ASL, which may be contemporaneous.
Unenclosed Scooped Platforms of Langstrath, Borrowdale
Borrowdale seems to have adopted shallower oval platforms as seen here in Langstrath. It would be interesting to see how this variation was used. The platforms go up to about 240m ASL. Again both in Local Relief and Slope Magnitude views were used in Gradient as above.
Unenclosed Scooped Platforms of Windermere
These sites are found on the western shores of Windermere, North of the Ferry. I have limited myself to the 42 most well defined signatures. These sites do not always give a good signature on Lidar and I suspect more sites.
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