Shared description

Dewley Hill

An alleged round barrow, Dewley Hill (also known as Dewley Law, Dewley Mound) is generally regarded as a natural feature - a kaim (or kame) of glacial origin. However, a number of finds suggest that it was utilised in prehistory.

Although doubts have been cast on the existence of some flints claimed to have been recovered from its surface, a fragment of a Neolithic polished stone axe plus Mesolithic cores, blades, flakes and a graver are known to have been found on or in the hill. The axe is in private possession, while the Mesolithic flints are in the Hancock Museum (Preston Collection), the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries, Newcastle Upon Tyne, and Sunderland Museum.

The hill, which has been shceduled as a monument, has been reduced in size by ploughing but measured a maximum 43 metres wide and 4.2 metres high when visited by the Ordnance Survey in 1978. It has been dug into on several occasions, some by the farmer while pursuing foxes. Nothing has ever been noted to suggest anything other than a natural sand and gravel feature.

Historic England - Research Record 22704: LinkExternal link
HE Scheduled Monument (1018678): LinkExternal link
Heddon on the Wall Local History Society: LinkExternal link

Although now safe from the prospects of nearby open-cast coal mining (mainly the result of a local campaign), the Dewley Hill Scheduled Monument was added to Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register (list entry: 27470) with the following assessment:

Assessment InformationAssessment
Type: Archaeology
Condition: Extensive significant problems
Principal Vunerability: Animal burrowing - extensive
Trend: Declining
Ownership: Private
by Andrew Curtis

Created: Fri, 27 Dec 2013, Updated: Wed, 29 May 2024


7 images use this description:

NZ1668 : Dewley Hill by Andrew Curtis
2013
NZ1568 : West from Dewley Hill by Andrew Curtis
2013
NZ1668 : Dewley Hill by Andrew Curtis
2013
NZ1568 : North-west from Dewley Hill by Andrew Curtis
2013
NZ1668 : Dewley Hill by Andrew Curtis
2013
NZ1668 : Dewley Hill from the east by Andrew Curtis
2013
NZ1668 : Dewley Hill by Andrew Curtis
2008


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