Investigations, surveys and excavations Wade's Causeway

1 investigations, surveys , excavations

1.1 discovery , initial records
1.2 pre-war excavations
1.3 post-war excavations , surveys
1.4 future archaeological work

investigations, surveys , excavations
discovery , initial records

john warburton, first antiquarian mention wade s causeway in published work

the sixteenth-century antiquarian john leland passed through area in around 1539 when compiling itineraries of local english history , mentions nearby , mythologically-linked waddes grave – standing stones @ mulgrave near whitby. appears not have had wade s causeway brought attention local antiquarians, since makes no mention of it. in 1586, antiquarian william camden makes passing note of fact that, in parts of england, locals take roman fabriks work of gyants , but, although mentioned in context of roman roads, appears refer folklore of time in general rather wade s causeway specifically. makes no mention of wade s causeway name, despite having toured area, which—as drake remarks in 1736—is odd ... when upon spot .

the first modern written record unquestionably relates wheeldale structure in 1720 antiquarian john warburton. first publication of existence of structure followed debate on structure s function, course , history amongst local historians , antiquarians in eighteenth , nineteenth centuries, existence came broader attention. in private letter dating october 1724, thomas robinson of pickering states approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) of structure, describes road, visible @ time, stretching south dunsley village:

drake visited , examined length of structure , incorporated description 1 of published works (1736). causeway mentioned in nineteenth century publications walley oulton (1805), thomas hinderwell (1811), george young (1817), john phillips (1853), robert knox (1855), george bevan (1884), john atkinson (1894) , ralph horne (1897); , in twentieth century thomas codrington (1903), boyd dawkins, austen (1903), frank elgee (1912,1923,1933), kitson clark (1935), ivan margary (1957), hayes & rutter (1964) , nikolaus pevsner (1966).

pre-war excavations

tempest anderson, prominent figure in yorkshire archaeological society, assisted in years of excavations before death in 1913

the first recorded excavations of structure in victorian era: after performing preliminary clearing of part of wheeldale moor section of causeway in 1890s, wheeldale lodge gamekeeper james patterson persuaded office of works (now department of environment) in 1912 transfer stewardship full 1.2 miles (1.9 km) stretch of causeway on wheeldale moor. working alongside oxley grabham york museum, members of yorkshire archaeological society , several private individuals, patterson cleared , excavated adopted stretch of causeway between 1910 , 1920. further section, near grosmont priory, excavated hayes between 1936 , 1939.

post-war excavations , surveys

historic england s pastscape website mentions further, minor, excavations of small sections of causeway in 1946 , 1962, , archaeologist hayes relates extensive excavations carried out between 1945 , 1950 @ riseborough, cawthorn, flamborough rigg, lease rigg, grosmont priory , west of aislaby. work partially funded council british archaeology, , findings published in extensive study titled wade s causeway in 1964. previous year course of structure across wheeldale surveyed whitby naturalists club. english heritage have published records of later survey works royal commission on historical monuments of england (1981) , plowman craven , associates (1984).

the royal commission on historical monuments of england (rchme) undertook theodolite survey of causeway in 1992, , limited excavations , analysis carried out in 1997 during maintenance work on structure. recent published survey has been performed aerial survey carried out in 2010/2011 archaeological research services ltd (ars) part of english heritage s national mapping programme.

future archaeological work

professor pete wilson, on behalf of english heritage s portico properties research project, has suggested questions future research , investigation of site, including: excavation establish date , function; examination of historic documentation medieval mention of use of monument route or in boundary dispute; , analysis of site via detailed aerial survey, lidar or other remote sensing technique establish extent of monument beyond length far excavated.

the possibility exists apply newer techniques such optically stimulated luminescence (osl) testing attempt date bricks, pottery, or other fired materials found in situ in structure, method used in identification of suspected roman road near bayston hill in shropshire.