Monument record SLY 044 - Series of field boundaries and trackways including long curving feature and ring ditches, SLY 022, 026 and 027

Series of field boundaries and trackways including long curving feature on E side and including ring ditches, SLY 022, 026 and 027 (S1).
A system of medieval or post-medieval field boundaries, trackway crossroads, enclosures and building platforms are visible as cropmarks and earthworks on aerial photographs, centred on TM23833458. The cropmarks are forming over the boundary ditches that define the features. The features cover an area of approximately 119ha, covering much of the area between Shotley Gate and Shotley village, apparently overlying the late prehistoric or Roman field system recorded as SLY ARW 020. The area of this monument also includes elements previously recorded in SLY 008, an area of highly visible and complex cropmarks centred on circa TM 23543494. In addition to two probable field boundaries, running north to south and centred on TM 23503494 and TM 23573494, this area contains the northernmost section of a ditched trackway that was recorded as possibly modern in SLY 008 (S2). The trackway extends southwards from circa TM 23543503 for approximately 200m, to circa TM23533482 where it almost meets 3 other tracks to form a possible junction orientated on a roughly north-south east-west axis that closely matches the orientation of the modern field system (S3). The western length of track is visible for roughly 50m and extends from circa TM 23543480 to TM 23483481, towards the line of a current field boundary. The eastern length is visible as a probable trackway for circa 130m, running from roughly TM 23543482 to TM 23713481, where it meets a dog-leg in a modern field boundary on a corresponding alignment. The feature then continues in the neighbouring fields as an intermittent cropmark for roughly a further 380m (S4). The drainage ditches along the southern length of the trackway are visible as positive cropmarks clearly flanking what is probably a banked and metalled surface, showing as an area of parching that runs for approximately 240m from circa TM 23553480 to TM 23523456 (S3). This stretch runs parallel to a modern boundary and trackway. Further lengths of probable trackway are visible in a neighbouring field. The first at circa TM 23743475 runs for roughly 210m, possibly turning a corner at TM 23743475 clipping the edge of ring-ditch SLY 026. The second runs for about 220m from circa TM 23733466 to TM 23943464 (S5, S6). Again, whilst not obviously connecting with a modern field boundary, they do closely match the modern fields systems orientation. These trackways are not visible on either the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1884 (S7) or the second edition map of circa 1904 (S8), which in combination with the alignment of the tracks suggests either a late medieval or a post-medieval date for the features. A number of Post-medieval field boundaries are visible as cropmarks, which are not marked on the first or second edition Ordnance Survey maps. These can be seen at circa TM 23313462 (S9), TM 23653443 (S10), TM 23723422 (S10), TM 23943492 (S11), TM 23903453 (S10) and TM 24053460 (S10). A rectangular enclosure measuring approximately 60 x 40m is visible at circa TM23403458 (S9). It encloses an area of circa 213 square metres, and has an entrance on its eastern side. It is aligned along a series of linear cropmarks that roughly correspond with the path and alignment of modern field boundaries, again suggestive of a late-medieval or post-medieval date. A possible trackway 'T' junction sits roughly 110 metres to the south-west at circa TM 23313445 (S9), and ring ditch SLY 021 is approximately 7m to the east (S12). Two possible building platforms are visible as earthworks at circa TM 24203502. The first, centred on TM 24183502, is visible as a low platform roughly 60 x 22m in size, surrounded by an inverted 'U' shaped ditch or gully. The second platform is less well defined, but a gully about 43m long, parallel to the first, is visible centred on circa TM 24243500 (S13). The platforms appear to abut the course of the modern B1456, but the road may have destroyed the southern extremities of the features, and their true extent is probably not visible. No buildings are apparent in this location on either the first or second edition Ordnance Survey maps of 1884 and 1904 (S7, S8), and a Post-Medieval date for the features is therefore probable. To the north-west of the building platforms, at roughly TM 24133508, two ditches are visible as earthworks (S14). Their date and function are unknown, but they may be related to the building platforms, and therefore of a similar date. To the east of the building platforms, at circa TM 24493496, a possible hollow-way is visible as an earthwork, extending for roughly 165m from TM 24433492 to TM 24553502 (S14). Again the orientation of this feature is such that it is similar to modern land-division boundaries and paths, and therefore is probably Post-Medieval in date. To the very east of the area, centred on circa TM 24483457, a number of irregular features are visible as cropmarks (S15, S16). They may represent archaeological features, but their shapes and alignments with the road and drainage system suggests that they were probably created by modern agricultural practices. They are included here however, as it is not possible to be completely sure that they are not archeaological in nature. The long curving feature on the east side of the area as described above is formed by the remains of a World War II anti-invasion tank trap. This feature crossed Shotley peninsular during the course of the war, and was part of a wider system of defences in place at this time. For more details see SLY 069. This area also takes in the location of a number of ring-ditches. For more information on these features please see SLY 021, SLY 022, SLY 051, SLY 098 and SLY 099.