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Nine members of UWHG met with other members of the Prehistory research section at Lower Winskill Farm Visitor Centre to hear Tom Lord tell us about “New Perspectives on Yorkshire Prehistory and the wider significance of AMS radiocarbon dates from the Settle caves.”
Tom gave us a brief outline of the history of his Grandfather’s interest in archaeology and his collection of artefacts, which Tom inherited - none of which had been catalogued! He then proceeded to tell us about the results of the recent AMS radiocarbon dating from Oxford University, of the bones from various caves in the area. Before the advent of AMS, dating was difficult due to the poor stratigraphy and low sedimentation in the caves. Tom now has 70 RC dates, which range from 14,000 years ago to post Roman, and which notably include a reindeer antler from 11,400BC and the atlas bone of a horse, dated to 12,350BC. This atlas bone, found in 1870, shows cut-marks made by a stone tool, which proves the presence of humans in the area at this date.
 A human internment dated to 3,900BC and cattle and sheep bones from an early date indicate the presence of farming communities in the area much earlier than previously thought. The location of the caves on the western edge of the limestone scar suggest they may have been used by people coming from the Ribble and Lune Valleys and the sea, which is only approx. 20 miles away. The bones found were from only a few people, not whole skeletons, and these had been disturbed. Some of the remains showed signs of death due to illness and Stephanie Leach (who also worked at Windy Pits) suggested that the bones of these people were put into the caves for a specific reason. Tom suggested that the cave entrances, which may have been blocked by scree were opened up specifically and then reblocked. Although the practice continued until the mid to late Neolithic, deposition was not contemporary in a single cave; however there was contemporary deposition in different caves. The practice was replaced by the use of pot-holes and shafts instead of caves and by the deposition of cultural objects.
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We were shown an unopened cave, which would have been very difficult to find in the wooded landscape of the time and by contrast we visited Kinsey Cave, which had been further opened and investigated by Bradford University.
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Field Walls
Tom also showed us examples the different types of stone walls on his land:
Narrow Top Walls:
A shaped, with a wide base and a narrow top of no more than 35 – 40cms (14 – 16ins) width. The stones are placed 2 on 1 and 1 on 2 to give stability to each level, and with no large stones higher up in the wall. The top stones do not overhang. Narrow top walls are more modern and tend to replace the broader top walls – broad top walls were not specified in the Enclosure Acts.
 
Broad Top Walls:
More H shaped, with a top width of 50cms (20ins) and having a projecting top stone on one side. There may be larger stones higher up in the wall.
Broad top walls are found in “infields” and in fields on monastic and estate lands. They are thought to be earlier than 1590 and Tom suggests that they could date back as early as the 13th century, although there is no evidence to confirm this.
The projecting top stone faces to the outside of the infield, the intention being to stop animals such as wolves getting over. Wolves were no longer in England by the early 15th century, so broad top walls were no longer needed after this.
Double Wall:
A wide topped double wall 50 cms (20ins) wide, built of weathered limestone, with projecting stones on both sides. This wall is typical of those on the lands of Furness Abbey.
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