Alston Hall Hill

In the civil parish of Alston Moor. In the historic county of Cumberland (Modern Authority of Cumbria, 1974 county of Cumbria).

A moraine mound, the level top of which has been utilised in the construction of an earthwork now partly destroyed by the eroding action of the River South Tyne. A ditch, 4.6m deep externally and 3.5m internally, with a counterscarp bank, 1.1m high, cuts across the moraine forming one side of the earthwork, whilst a slighter ditch, 0.6m deep, with a counterscarp bank, 0.8m high, runs along the base of the mound to complete the enclosure. Within this area, where erosion has taken place, fragments of decaying brick are visible suggesting the former existence of a building. The significance of the name "Hallhill Plantation", and the evidence of the finds made in 1839 suggest that a defended house may have stood here. The circular depression which Collingwood suggests may have been a hut circle, appears to be no more than surface quarrying into the counterscarp bank.
50.0m NW of the work a slight ditch, 4.0m wide and 0.5m deep, with a fagmentary counterscarp bank, cuts across the moraine at it's narrowest point, and contains a causewayed entrance, 5.0m wide. This ditch, probably of contemporary date, creates a small annexe. Across level ground between the foot of the moraine on its W side and rising ground 40.0m further W a bank, 5.0m wide and 0.5m high creates a broad marshy area to the SE. At the S side of the W end of the annexe ditch in the narrow strip between the foot of the moraine and the marshy area, are the turf-covered foundations of a rectangular building, 8.5m x 5.5m. (PastScape–ref. Field Investigators Comments F1 DS 27-JUL-72)
Scheduled as a moated site. (PastScape)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY714467

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 15068
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 775 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Books
  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (CWAAS)
    Jefferson, S., 1840, History and Antiquities of Cumberland Vol1 p112
• Journal Articles
  • Collingwood, 1923, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol23 p219