Whickham, Cuthberts Hill

HER Number:
1924

District:
Gateshead

Site Name:
Whickham, Cuthberts Hill

Place:
Whickham

Map Sheet:
NZ15NE

Class:
Gardens Parks and Urban Spaces

Site Type: Broad:

Site Type: Specific:
Tree Enclosure Ring

General Period:
Post Medieval

Specific Period:
C18

Form of Evidence:
Earthwork

Description:
A small domed hill (natural geological outcrop) surrounded by a low earthen bank. Probably a mid to late 18th century landscape improvement associated with the original entrance to Gibside. The bank would have been topped by either fencing or dead-hedging and its purpose was to protect the young trees until they were established. Once the tree had reached a degree of maturity, the fence was removed or the dead-heading allowed to disperse. These copses provided landscape interest, provided timber and game cover. The visible rubble, narrowness of the bank, the overlaying of ridge and furrow and the mature conifer and broadleaf trees shown on the historic OS maps all suggest this site type.

Easting:
1985

Northing:
5920

Grid Reference:
NZ19855920

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 1924 >> Pers comm. A. Rounding, 2001, letter to County Archaeologist; Pers comm, Dr Rob Young, 12 April, 2017; Chris Mayes, Heritage at Risk Landscape Architect North East & North West Regions, Historic England, 13 April 2017