Welcome to the Neolithic Monument Complex of Thornborough, North Yorkshire

2. Discussion of Results

The following section discusses the Neolithic-early Bronze Age archaeology of the study area, as outlined above, and focuses specifically upon:
• The survival, condition, period, rarity and vulnerability of the archaeology
• The value, limitations and potentials of the archaeological resource, suggesting priorities to further characterise, assess and develop the resource

2.1 The henge monuments

Henges are often regarded as a “hallmark of their age” (Harding & Lee 1987, 66). As a monument class they are generally defined as a circular or oval area of variable size enclosed by a bank, an internal ditch, and usually broken by one or more entrances (Harding & Lee 1987). They are subdivided into Class I (one entrance) and Class II (two entrance) sites. A further subdivision is that of Class IIA, characterised by a further external bank — but these monuments are only found between the Rivers Ure and Swale in North Yorkshire. Over 120 definite henge monuments are now known from the British Isles, with specific concentrations in the Moray Firth, Scotland, the Milfield Basin, Northumberland, the Ure-Swale Catchment, North Yorkshire, the Thames Valley, the Mendips, the Salisbury Avon and the Boyne Valley, Ireland. They vary considerably in size, from 6 metres diameter to the massive henges of Avebury and Durrington Walls, in Wiltshire, whose diameters are in excess of 500 metres. Internal and external structures are extremely varied and include stone and timber settings, pits, and burials.

The henge monuments found between within the Ure-Swale Catchment are the largest in the British Isles (with the exception of the four giant Wessex ‘henge-enclosures’ of Avebury, Marden, Durrington Walls, Marden and Mount Pleasant). Of these sites the examples at Thornborough are the best preserved. Although gravel extraction and ploughing — as well as other less obvious practices such as the account of bulldozing at the Southern Henge and the creation of a munitions dump at the Central Henge — have caused considerable damage it is still possible to establish how these monuments may have appeared when first built. The inner bank and ditch of both the Northern and Central Henges continue to survive as impressive earthworks. Of particular note is the ditch at the northernmost of the monument, which has retained much of its original profile. This is undoubtedly the best preserved henge earthwork in the British Isles. The outer ditch fills of each of the three henge are also largely undisturbed. Their long-term preservation has been greatly enhanced by the implementation of the Stewardship Agreement.

The exact dating of the Thornborough monuments is problematic, as excavation has produced no quality dating material (the single radiocarbon date from the inner ditch of the Southern Henge is considered unreliable). Accepted theory and evidence from a number of other henges place them firmly within the third millennium BC, or later Neolithic, but little is known as to whether henge variability reflects chronological change. The dating of the Thornborough sites are of particular interest given they possess a segmented outer ditch, a form of construction reminiscent of early Neolithic causewayed enclosures. The association between the Cursus and Central Henge is crucial in terms of understanding chronological development, but unfortunately, excavations in 1998 were inconclusive. The linear feature discovered by excavation may have been associated with the cursus, but if so its termination just short of the outer henge ditch suggests either broad contemporaneity between both sites, or the unlikely possibility that the cursus post-dated the henge. On the other hand, excavations in the 1950s indicate that the Cursus ditches were fully silted prior to the construction of the much more substantial inner bank and ditch. It must therefore remain a distinct possibility that the henges were the product of at least two major phases of activity, the external ditch and bank preceding the more substantial and morphologically different internal bank and ditch. Furthermore, excavations at the outer ditch of the Southern Henge suggest that the earthwork was the product of two minor phases of construction. These questions of chronology and monument development make Thornborough uniquely important. It is believed that further excavation at the Central Henge and Cursus would add significantly to an understanding of both this complex and monument development during the later Neolithic of the British Isles.

Small-scale excavation and geophysical survey has demonstrated the existence of structural features around the entrances and interiors of these monuments. The investigations at the Southern Henge established the presence of internal features, consisting of low banks and posts, along one edge of its northern entrance, whilst geophysics at the Central Henge established the existence of a large anomaly (possibly a pit) within the southern entrance. The survival of these features provides an excellent opportunity for further understanding how people passed into and out of these monuments. Excavations at the Central Henge have also demonstrated features between the inner and outer earthworks. These consisted of the remains of a platform, a dug feature, large numbers of stake and post holes, and circles of small stones. Their purpose is presently unknown, as is their connection with the Cursus. They do, however, suggest how much is still to be discovered about the original role and purpose of these monuments. It is believed that Thornborough provides a rare opportunity to significantly expand on our understanding of one of Britain’s most impressive and numerous types of prehistoric monument.





		2. Discussion of Results The following section discusses the Neolithic-early Bronze Age archaeology of the study area, as outlined above, and focuses specifically upon: • The survival, condition, period, rarity and vulnerability of the archaeology • The value, limitations and potentials of the archaeological resource, suggesting priorities to further characterise, assess and develop the resource 2.1 The henge monuments Henges are often regarded as a “hallmark of their age” (Harding & Lee 1987, 66). As a monument class they are generally defined as a circular or oval area of variable size enclosed by a bank, an internal ditch, and usually broken by one or more entrances (Harding & Lee 1987). They are subdivided into Class I (one entrance) and Class II (two entrance) sites. A further subdivision is that of Class IIA, characterised by a further external bank — but these monuments are only found between the Rivers Ure and Swale in North Yorkshire. Over 120 definite henge monuments are now known from the British Isles, with specific concentrations in the Moray Firth, Scotland, the Milfield Basin, Northumberland, the Ure-Swale Catchment, North Yorkshire, the Thames Valley, the Mendips, the Salisbury Avon and the Boyne Valley, Ireland. They vary considerably in size, from 6 metres diameter to the massive henges of Avebury and Durrington Walls, in Wiltshire, whose diameters are in excess of 500 metres. Internal and external structures are extremely varied and include stone and timber settings, pits, and burials. The henge monuments found between within the Ure-Swale Catchment are the largest in the British Isles (with the exception of the four giant Wessex ‘henge-enclosures’ of Avebury, Marden, Durrington Walls, Marden and Mount Pleasant). Of these sites the examples at Thornborough are the best preserved. Although gravel extraction and ploughing — as well as other less obvious practices such as the account of bulldozing at the Southern Henge and the creation of a munitions dump at the Central Henge — have caused considerable damage it is still possible to establish how these monuments may have appeared when first built. The inner bank and ditch of both the Northern and Central Henges continue to survive as impressive earthworks. Of particular note is the ditch at the northernmost of the monument, which has retained much of its original profile. This is undoubtedly the best preserved henge earthwork in the British Isles. The outer ditch fills of each of the three henge are also largely undisturbed. Their long-term preservation has been greatly enhanced by the implementation of the Stewardship Agreement. The exact dating of the Thornborough monuments is problematic, as excavation has produced no quality dating material (the single radiocarbon date from the inner ditch of the Southern Henge is considered unreliable). Accepted theory and evidence from a number of other henges place them firmly within the third millennium BC, or later Neolithic, but little is known as to whether henge variability reflects chronological change. The dating of the Thornborough sites are of particular interest given they possess a segmented outer ditch, a form of construction reminiscent of early Neolithic causewayed enclosures. The association between the Cursus and Central Henge is crucial in terms of understanding chronological development, but unfortunately, excavations in 1998 were inconclusive. The linear feature discovered by excavation may have been associated with the cursus, but if so its termination just short of the outer henge ditch suggests either broad contemporaneity between both sites, or the unlikely possibility that the cursus post-dated the henge. On the other hand, excavations in the 1950s indicate that the Cursus ditches were fully silted prior to the construction of the much more substantial inner bank and ditch. It must therefore remain a distinct possibility that the henges were the product of at least two major phases of activity, the external ditch and bank preceding the more substantial and morphologically different internal bank and ditch. Furthermore, excavations at the outer ditch of the Southern Henge suggest that the earthwork was the product of two minor phases of construction. These questions of chronology and monument development make Thornborough uniquely important. It is believed that further excavation at the Central Henge and Cursus would add significantly to an understanding of both this complex and monument development during the later Neolithic of the British Isles. Small-scale excavation and geophysical survey has demonstrated the existence of structural features around the entrances and interiors of these monuments. The investigations at the Southern Henge established the presence of internal features, consisting of low banks and posts, along one edge of its northern entrance, whilst geophysics at the Central Henge established the existence of a large anomaly (possibly a pit) within the southern entrance. The survival of these features provides an excellent opportunity for further understanding how people passed into and out of these monuments. Excavations at the Central Henge have also demonstrated features between the inner and outer earthworks. These consisted of the remains of a platform, a dug feature, large numbers of stake and post holes, and circles of small stones. Their purpose is presently unknown, as is their connection with the Cursus. They do, however, suggest how much is still to be discovered about the original role and purpose of these monuments. It is believed that Thornborough provides a rare opportunity to significantly expand on our understanding of one of Britain’s most impressive and numerous types of prehistoric monument.
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