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<< Our Photo Pages >> Witchy Neuk - Hillfort in England in Northumberland

Submitted by bolddubhglas1 on Wednesday, 25 April 2012  Page Views: 4945

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Witchy Neuk Alternative Name: Whitefield Camp
Country: England County: Northumberland Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Rothbury  Nearest Village: Hepple
Map Ref: NY9817399358
Latitude: 55.288341N  Longitude: 2.030313W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
2 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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Witchy Neuk
Witchy Neuk submitted by bolddubhglas1 : One of the entrances (on the west side) to Witchy Neuk Hill Fort. Note the out turned banks at the enterance. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Hillfort in Northumberland

Witchy Neuk (Hillfort)

This camp is also known as Whitefield-camp. The name Witchy-neuk, is said to be derived from the legend that 'Meg o' Meldon' in one of her midnight flights on a broom shank, or a piece of ragwort, rested on the rocks that form its northern defence.
I approached the camp from a public footpath that begins on the road side west of Hepple Whitefield Farm. The walk is about half a mile and not difficult. The north side of the hill fort is defended by steep crags, which are now over grown with Rowan, Scots Pine, Birch and Larch, some growing out of the crags and very beautiful.
The south side of the fort is more heavily defended with an earthwork standing on the rocky hill above Hepple.
The fort is surrounded by a rampart and a ditch. The rampart varies in height, and in places is over 2m high. In some places the remains of a supporting stone wall can also be seen. The two entrances to the fort have outward-turning earth banks on either side. The remains of at least two hut circles can be seen.
The hill fort was excavated in 1936 by Thomas Wake and was the first timber roundhouse to be identified in Northumberland.
There is also a Cairn just outside the hill fort to the south west. This too appears to have been excavated and the loose stones form a circle with a larger mound in the centre.
The Fort and cairn have splendid views over the River Coquet, and further up stream, also south of the river, are the remains of a smaller settlement, or enclosure, called Soldiers Fold, and the larger hill fort at Harehaugh. Down stream Tosson Burgh can also be seen from Witchy Neuk
I took a video tour which can be found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvVjr3XQUHg
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Witchy Neuk
Witchy Neuk submitted by bolddubhglas1 : The view of the River Coquet from the north side, of Witchy Neuk, above the crags. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Witchy Neuk
Witchy Neuk submitted by bolddubhglas1 : Part of the supporting wall of the rampart on the east side of the fort. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Witchy Neuk
Witchy Neuk submitted by bolddubhglas1 : The cairn, just out side of the rampart, to the west. It looks like me that it has been excavated, possibly in the 1930's (Vote or comment on this photo)

Witchy Neuk
Witchy Neuk submitted by bolddubhglas1 : The huge ramparts on the west side of Witchy Neuk. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Witchy Neuk
Witchy Neuk submitted by bolddubhglas1 : The North face of the crags below Witchy Neuk, with Rowan, Birch and Scots Pine growing from the rocks.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.0km W 275° Soldier's Fold* Hillfort (NY9716299453)
 1.3km WNW 290° Harehaugh Camp* Hillfort (NY96959980)
 2.5km WNW 287° Five Kings* Stone Row / Alignment (NT9574000102)
 3.1km ENE 76° Simonside Moor Rock Art (NU0120000100)
 3.3km E 100° Ravenshaugh Main Stone* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NZ0144598783)
 3.5km E 93° Ravensheugh Cairn* Cairn (NZ0169099150)
 3.9km NW 313° Five Barrows (Northumberland)* Barrow Cemetery (NT953020)
 4.2km NW 319° St Mungo's Well (Northumberland)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT954025)
 4.3km E 99° Simonside Cairn 2* Cairn (NZ02409871)
 4.3km ENE 75° Tosson Burgh* Hillfort (NU02340049)
 4.4km E 83° Great Tosson Cairn* Cairn (NZ026999)
 4.6km NW 321° Lady's Well (Holystone)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NT95270291)
 4.6km E 100° Simonside Cairn 1* Cairn (NZ0271098520)
 4.6km NW 313° Campville Fort* Hillfort (NT94770250)
 4.9km ESE 102° Old Stell Crag* Rock Outcrop (NZ0297498372)
 5.0km E 82° Great Tosson Enclosure* Ancient Village or Settlement (NU03130003)
 5.5km E 98° Dove Crag* Rock Outcrop (NZ0367898540)
 5.6km E 99° Dove Crag Cairn* Cairn (NZ0372898523)
 6.1km ENE 64° West Hills 2 Rock Art (NU0367702093)
 6.2km ENE 64° West Hills Camp* Hillfort (NU0380102085)
 6.2km ENE 64° Westhills Camp (Rock Art) Rock Art (NU038021)
 6.3km ENE 63° West Hills (Bracken Wood) 3 & 4 Rock Art (NU0385002190)
 6.3km ENE 64° West Hill 1e Rock Art (NU0389302113)
 6.4km ENE 65° West Hills 1f Rock Art (NU0394302072)
 6.4km ENE 65° West Hills 1a* Rock Art (NU0394602067)
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