Elmton Castle Research Project
Interim Report
July 2010
Matthew Beresford
Supported by:
East Midlands WEA
Elmton with Creswell Local
History Group
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Introduction
In September 2009 the local historian Ellis Morgan handed in his Masters dissertation
at the University of Nottingham – the subject he wrote about was the possibility of an
early medieval castle on the site of the aptly named ‘Castle Hill’ in his home village
of Thurgaton in Nottinghamshire. He believed the castle, should it exist, belonged to
the Norman family of the Deyncourts and his research seemed to suggest that they
had another castle (or more likely a manor house) somewhere in the village of Elmton
in North-East Derbyshire. With their main land holdings in and around Lincoln, it was
surprising that when the value of these holdings was worked out, Elmton was actually
the third largest in terms of wealth, with only Lincoln and Thurgaton worth more
(circa. 13th century).
It was during a discussion between myself and Pam Finch (of the Elmton with
Creswell Local History Group) towards the end of 2009 that she mentioned how a
gentleman from somewhere in Nottinghamshire had contacted her to enquire as to
whether she had any information on Camp Hill in Elmton. Her response was that
there were various theories on the area but nothing concrete and nothing much in
terms of documentary evidence. She asked if I would be interested in researching this
area as she would quite like to know more and would have liked to have helped the
aforementioned ‘gentleman’ but the history group were simply snowed under with
projects. When she told me she thought his name was Morgan I became intrigued, the
reason being that I actually knew Ellis Morgan from my time at Nottingham
University and we had remained friends. I also knew of his work and his startling
discoveries down in Thurgaton. The coincidence seemed too much to ignore,
especially as myself and my WEA group from Chesterfield had been looking for a
field project to get involved in. With a bit of planning a core team was put together
including group members from the WEA, the Elmton with Creswell Local History
Group and Ellis Morgan himself, and the Elmton Castle Research Project was born.
Its purpose was to attempt to discover whether or not there was a castle at Elmton,
1
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
what this ‘castle’ might have looked like, and also to fill the void of community-based
archaeology that was lacking in the area. So far, it has thrown up some interesting
information.
Camp Hill, Elmton
The reason there was the initial suspicion of a castle at Elmton is because of an entry
dated to around AD1200 in the Thurgaton Cartulary, a medieval manuscript that
contains information on Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. It relates to
the Augustinian Priory of St. Peter that Ralph Deyncourt founded at Thurgaton
around AD1130. The entry, in latin, reads thus:
‘Omnibus sancta matris ecclesie filiis Radulphus filius Walteri salutem. Sciatis me
dedisse et concessisse et presenti carta mea confirmasse Deo et ecclesie beati Petri
apostolic de Thurg’ et cononicis ibidem Deo servientibus duas bovatas terre, scilicet
lxii acras terre in Martineland’ cum pastures C et lx ovium et cum omnibus
aisamentis terre mee de Martineland’ in puram et liberam et perpetuam elemosinam
pro salute anime mee et uxoris mee et pro animabus omnium parentum meorum,
unam videlicet acram in orientali parte domus mee ad toftam feciendam, et sexdecim
acras juxta viam de Clune in occidentali parte terre de Martineland’, et quadragina
quinque acras inter fossatum castelli et domum meam, etc.’1
The entry basically grants lands at Elmton to Thurgaton by Ralph, son of Walter
Deyncourt. It roughly translates as (starting third line down …duas bovatas terre…):
‘two bovates2 of land, sixty-two acres in Martineland (this I believe to be present-day
Markland) with pasture for one hundred and sixty sheep in pure, unrestricted and
lasting alms in return for the health and prosperity of himself (Ralph) his wife and his
parents’. (This land was) ‘an acre located in an easterly direction from Ralph’s house
and the homestead being built and sixty acres near to the road away from Clune
(present-day Clowne) in a westerly direction in Martineland, and forty-five acres
between the castle ditch and his house.’
2
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
This entry suggests, then, that not only did the Deyncourts have a house at Elmton but
that there was also a castle located somewhere close to ‘Martineland’. The only
elevated piece of land in the area is indeed Camp Hill so it seemed to us that this was
the most likely location of the castle. Straight away, we were fortunate enough to
obtain copies of some aerial photographs of the area from the Library Archive at
Creswell Crags and they seemed to confirm that there was clearly some form of
structure at Camp Hill being shown in the cropmarks of the field (Figs. 1 & 2). There
is clearly a structure that resembles a ditch surrounding the elevated portion of Camp
Hill and a visible rectangular feature that could relate to the castle itself. We also
noted a number of other interesting features, such as two circular features in the
adjacent field, one or two circular features in the Camp Hill field and what appear to
be a number of small pits, again in the Camp Hill field.
Upon first studying the rectangular feature, it does look traditionally Roman and the
name Camp Hill itself perhaps relates to a Roman camp – the site lies approximately
3 miles to the east of the Roman road known today as Rotherham Road (or the
Ramper locally). Also, the circular features appeared to suggest Prehistoric house
platforms – clearly there was the scope for a palimpsest or multi-period
archaeological site. The first task we carried out was to obtain Sites and Monument
Record (SMR) information for all known sites in the vicinity and plot these onto a
local Ordnance Survey map, the results of which can be seen in Fig. 3. Then as much
information was gathered on each period in history that appeared to be reflected in the
area. This was from old maps, archive research, past fieldwalking, oral history where
appropriate and from past field research.
3
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Fig. 1 (above): Aerial photograph of Camp Hill taken from the south showing the ditch and a possible
building. The dimensions of the building would be approximately 60m x 40m (C. Cox, 1986)
Fig. 2 (below): Aerial photograph of Camp Hill taken from the east. The ratio of the possible building
and the top of the earthen mound denoted by the ditch can clearly be seen (C. Cox, 1986)
4
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Fig. 3: Location map of known archaeological sites based on SMR information.
Key: Black Square – Prehistoric, Blue circle – Roman, Red square – Medieval, Yellow Circle ambiguous
(David Astbury)
5
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Occupation evidence
Known Sites
Palaeolithic
(700,000 10,000BC)
-
Creswell Crags
Local Caves (Ash Tree, Whitwell / Whaley Shelters I & II,
Whaley / Langwith Bassett, Langwith)
Mesolithic
(10,000 4500BC)
-
Local Caves
Garden site on Hilltop, Bolsover
Neolithic
(4500 1800BC)
-
Local Caves (burials at Ash Tree, Whitwell / Sepulchral Cave,
Markland Grips / Mother Grundy’s Parlour & Robin Hood’s
Cave, Creswell Crags / Scabba Wood Rockshelter)
Whitwell Long Cairn
Bronze Age
(1800 700BC)
-
Settlements at Whaley and Scarcliffe Park
Cave burials at Whaley Shelter II
Iron Age
(700BC AD45)
-
Hillfort at Markland Grips (and possibly at Bolsover)
Settlements at Scarcliffe and Bolsover
Cave burials at Langwith Bassett, Mother Grundy’s Parlour,
Robin Hood’s Cave
Roman
(AD45 450)
-
Sites at Barlborough (probably a farmstead) and Bolsover
(industry)
Villa site at Whaley and Mansfield Woodhouse
Cave burial at Robin Hood’s Cave
6
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Prehistory
The only evidence (so far) for Prehistoric occupation in and around Camp Hill comes
in the form of lithic materials collected through either fieldwalking (from 1984-86) or
from stray finds. Generally, the flint types are translucent and mottled but there are
some of Lincolnshire Wolds type. 3 The Cherts that are noted are all from the
Limestone (White Peak) area of the Peak District in Derbyshire and are of Mesolithic
type – generally blades, scrapers and microliths. The size of the flint tools compare to
those found in the Eastern Moors and the Wye Valley of the Peak District and from
three sections of the Fosse Way in Nottinghamshire.4 Past fieldwalking noted that
there are three main areas of occupation in the locale; around the Elm Tree Cave,
Elmton, at Creswell Crags (as we might expect) and at Markland Grips. What was
interesting is that it appeared not to be linked to the caves in the vicinity, ie. Whaley
Shelter II had little evidence from fieldwalking and yet past excavations had revealed
Mesolithic presence through to Roman.
Mesolithic (Fig. 4)
The highest density of lithics was noted in field E54, just west of Elm Tree Cave. In
this field there was a high proportion of black chert which was barely represented in
the other fields (40% in that field compared to just 2.8% of the entire collection).
Perhaps chert knapping occurred in this area as much of the material is cores, blades
and flakes but not many retouched tools?
Early Neolithic (Fig. 5)
There is not much evidence from this period, but it is quite difficult to separate from
the earlier Late Mesolithic and the later Late Neolthic / Early Bronze Age. Only one
field was noted where occupation almost certainly occurred – here a leaf-shaped
arrowhead and an edge-used blade were found (very similar to examples from
Lismore Fields, near Buxton, the only other known Neolithic settlement in
Derbyshire).
7
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Fig. 4 (above): Fields with Mesolithic flints in the Elmton area (Knight et al)
Fig. 5 (below): Fields with Early Neolithic flints in the Elmton area (Knight et al)
8
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Key to distribution maps:
- indicates definite occupation through diagnostic tools and debitage
- indicates likely occupation through probable tools and debitage
- indicates uncertain occupation through possible tools and debitage
- indicates material from casual collections
Late Neolithic / Early Bronze Age (Fig. 6)
A wide range of tool forms were noted and all were quite widely represented. These
included arrowheads, scrapers, blades and knives. Generally, they were much more
widespread and ‘datable’ than finds from earlier periods, and also extended into the
northern part of the parish which does not occur earlier. In 1988, Clough & Cummins5
published a research report on Stone Axes and mentioned a polished Group VI Stone
Axe found at Markland Grips – clearly occupation was at its height in this period.
It is interesting that the results of the 1984-86 fieldwalking project at Elmton mirror
those from the Eastern Moors and the Wye Valley (in terms of density per hectare).
The Gritsone areas, or the Dark Peak, totally contrast those of the Limestone or White
Peak (which is a similar geology to Elmton, ie. Carboniferous Limestone in the Peak,
Magnesian Limestone at Elmton) in terms of settlement – the White Peak had pretty
much exclusive occupation in the Neolithic whilst the Dark Peak was inhabited in the
Bronze Age. Although the densities matched in the two areas (Peak and Elmton),
settlement patterns in terms of period did not.
9
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Romano-British (Fig. 7)
Forty-nine pot sherds have been recovered and one possible tile fragment. This is
indicated by the triangle symbol on the map and is at the Roman site on the ridge at
Whaley just above the cave (Shelter II). Of the forty-nine sherds, three minor
‘clusters’ are apparent:
1) Markland Grips
2) Adjacent to Whaley Shelter II
3) Camp Hill (though only three fragments and one in adjacent field)
Markland Grips – All surface find pot sherds were from the field adjacent to the
hillfort, not the fort itself, which suggests the occupation continued into the Roman
period and may have been an extension from the initial layout. However, four sherds
were found inside the fort, although a different system was used with only a 20%
sample being recovered (during 1984-86). Stray coins have been found here (SMR
5216) and three coin hordes have been found in the locale in the past.6
During Lane’s excavations at Markland Grips pottery, worked bone, slag and burnt
clay were noted. In total, twenty-two sherds came from the field to the west of the
ramparts, and of the four sherds from inside one was Derbyshire Ware, one was Grogtempered Ware and two were Grey Wares – all sherds dated to the 2nd century AD
except the Grog-tempered ware, which dates to the 1st century AD.
Whaley II – excavations here revealed a large amount of pottery and animal bones.
Radley7 noted a scatter of artefacts in the field to the east at the top of the slope
covering an area two hundred yards wide with a concentration approximately fifteen
yards across. This included pottery, bone and pot boilers. Five initial trial pits (one
yard square) revealed twenty pot sherds and evidence of a wall. The 1980s
10
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Fig. 6 (above): Fields with Late Neolithic / Early Bronze Age flints in the Elmton area (Knight et al)
Fig. 7 (below): Fields with Romano-British pottery in the Elmton area (Knight et al)
11
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
fieldwalking recovered a further six pot sherds and the possible tile fragment
mentioned above. Amongst the six sherds was the rim of a Samian ware bowl, which
normally indicates a higher status or wealthy site, and again a 2nd – 3rd century date
was suggested.
Camp Hill – only four pot sherds were recovered from Camp Hill, one Samian, two
Greyware sherds and a piece from the rim of a Greyware dish. The aerial photographs
of the site show clear crop marks and most notably the ‘ditch’ feature and what
appears to be a rectangular building of some description. The latter measures
approximately 60m by 40m and seems to have been constructed in phases. There are
also two mounds, one in Camp Hill field and one just the other side of the road in the
adjacent field, where there are also two circular features that are approximately 12m
in diameter (these are most likely Prehistoric houses).
The conclusion from past research and the fieldwalking project deemed Camp Hill to
be of late Prehistoric or Romano-British date. We would agree at this stage that there
clearly seems to be a Prehistoric settlement at the site, not just at Camp Hill but
stretching into the adjacent field. Given the amount of burials and further occupation
evidence in the vicinity, it seems likely that a settlement, whether temporary or more
prolonged, would have existed in the area. It would be fair to say that Camp Hill is
pretty central within the ‘cave burial’ area and also to the Neolithic Chambered Tomb
at Whitwell (now lost through quarrying). The dominance of Late Neolithic and Early
Bronze Age flint tools in the adjacent field lead us to speculate it was this area rather
than the Camp Hill field where the ‘core’ of the settlement lay, and this seems to be
supported by the lack of contemporary flints in the Camp Hill field, although this too
had ‘probable’ evidence. Interestingly, of the two fields, Mesolithic evidence (albeit
‘possible’) occurred exclusively in the Camp Hill field. What point that struck us was
why, if the mound of Camp Hill existed in Prehistoric times, does it not seem to have
been utilised? Perhaps this adds weight to the theory that the mound is a later,
artificial structure constructed for either the Roman camp or the Norman castle.
12
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Although initially the rectangular feature did indeed appear Roman in general layout
and structure, there was very little in terms of artefacts that were noted in the
fieldwalking. Surely, if we are looking at a Roman camp, we might expect a lot more
to have been recovered, even if this was simply waste material? For example, just four
sherds of pottery and a couple of coins have been recovered – is this enough evidence
to suggest a Roman camp? However, even less Norman material has turned up in the
field (actually, none) which also makes the castle theory seem very vulnerable.
Incidentally, just down the farm track from Camp Hill at ‘The Oaks’ farm two Roman
iron spearheads were found (see Fig. 8).
Fig. 8: Early ordnance survey map of the area showing Camp Hill and The Oaks farm. The spot where
the Roman spearheads were found is marked with a cross (M. Beresford)
13
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Elmton Castle – is it there?
There is good evidence to suggest there was a Prehistoric settlement in the immediate
vicinity at Camp Hill. There is no way of telling what happened as we moved into the
Iron Age, although the nearby hillfort at Markland Grips just a couple of miles to the
west suggests there was certainly activity in the area. With the coming of the Romans
we see industry, farming and evidence for high status residency (testified by the two
Roman villas discovered by Major Hayman Rooke at Mansfield Woodhouse in 1786
complete with mosaic floors). There is evidence that a Roman road passed quite near
to Camp Hill, with further evidence for this road coming from fieldwork in the 1970s:
‘Fieldwork is continuing on the line of a possible Roman road, running between
Templeborough Fort (W.R. SK414 916) and Broxtowe Roman Fort 3 miles N/W of
Nottingham…the supposed line of the road south takes it via Whiston, Ulley, Todwick,
Kniveton Park and Harthill, before entering Derbyshire north of Clowne on the
A618…it runs through Scarcliffe and Pleasley before entering Notts. via
Sutton…identification has been made by field-work, surface finds, Humidity-meter
graphs, field-names and tithe maps, as well as aerial photos’.8
Further evidence for the Roman period comes from an article in 1969 which
documents how ‘Ash Tree Cave (Whitwell) and all four caves at Creswell have
yielded Romano-British pottery – grey wares, black-burnished wares, Castor ware
and calcite gritted fabric, and Mother Grundy’s Parlour (at Creswell) has recently
produced a corroded coin and a fibula. At Elmton, a rock shelter (presumably Elm
Tree Cave) has yielded a few Roman sherds, and East of Whaley Hall several
hundred sherds have been recorded from what must have been a farmstead during the
2nd and 3rd centuries, yielding grey wares, Samian and Derbyshire and Dales. At
Scratta Wood an enclosure has an oval perimeter wall with internal subdivisions and
remains of huts, one 16’ in diameter; storage pits and surface levels have yielded
good Roman pottery and fibulae of 2nd and 3rd centuries, and crude native wares
which may extend back into the Iron Age’.9
14
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
This final description of Scratta Wood sounds remarkably similar to the cropmarks
visible in the aerial photograph of Camp Hill, and all this evidence suggests a good
level of Roman presence in the area. Although proposed fieldwalking may shed
further light on this, it is probably going to be impossible to tell if Camp Hill was in
fact a Roman camp without excavation at the site. However, if there was a Roman
camp here, it is most likely to date to the 2nd and 3rd centuries based on the evidence
from other local sites.
The Saxon period also proves difficult to assess, with little or no finds from the area
generally. We know there was a late Saxon church nearby at Ault Hucknall and
probably also at Bolsover, and a late Saxon hall (circa. AD1000) owned by Wulfric
Spott is known to have existed on the site of the present hall at Sutton Scarsdale.
Elmton itself was owned by the Saxon lord Swein Cilt (the Younger) but all his lands
were seized after the Norman Conquest in AD1066. Apart from that, we know very
little. And so it is post-Conquest that we must look to in an attempt to find Elmton’s
castle. When William the Conqueror took control of Britain and had suppressed all
native opposition he turned his attentions on institutions of government. For
Derbyshire, that meant a division of lands and estates as follows:
The King – Ashbourne, Parwich, Wirksworth, Matlock Bridge, Darley, Ashford,
Bakewell, Hope and Melbourne.
Bishop of Chester – Sawley, Draycott and Hopwell, and parts of Long Eaton and
Bupton
Burton Abbey – small estate in Ticknall, as well as parts of Caldwell, Mickleover,
Littleover, Findern and Potlock
Hugh, Earl of Chester – Markeaton and Ednaston
Roger de Poitou – Sutton Scarsdale, Heath, Stainsby, Tunstall, Blingsby and
Hardstoft
15
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Henry de Ferrers – Appletree, a castle at Duffield and a group of manors in the Peak
centred on Pilsbury Castle
William Peverel – 23 manors in 2 areas:
1) from Bolsover to Codnor (eastern border)
2) Castleton in the Peak Forest
Walter de Aincourt – inherited all Swein Cilt’s lands: Morton-Ogston-Wessington,
Pilsley-Owlcotes-Williamthorpe, North Wingfield, Holmesfield, Elmton, Stony
Houghton, Brampton (manor)
Geoffrey Alselin – Alvaston-Ambaston-Thulston-Elvaston, Etwall, Eggington,
Ockbrook, Breaston
Ralph Fitzherbert – Crich, Whitwell, Eckington, Clowne, Barlborough
Ralph de Buron – 5 manors with his seat at Horston Castle
Hascoit Musard – Staveley (5 manors)
Gilbert de Ghent – Ilkeston, Shipley, Stanton by Dale
Nigel de Stafford – 9 manors in the south
Robert Fitzwilliam – Stanley
Roger de Bully – Tickhill and castle, 9 manors in the North-East
One or two points are worth noting here. Firstly is the number of manor houses or
castles that were built by the new landowners. For example, Willaim Peverel built
castles at Bolsover and Castleton, Henry de Ferrers had Pilsbury and Duffield, the
latter having recently been excavated. Here, archaeologists found that an initial timber
motte and bailey castle had been constructed post-Conquest only to be replaced by a
16
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
stone structure in the twelfth century (this was later demolished in AD1266 after the
rebellion of Robert de Ferrers III). We know both of Peverel’s castles had a similar
evolution – timber being replaced by stone. Secondly, regarding Elmton and the
Deyncourts, we know that the main seat of the family was at North Wingfield, where
their manor house was located. Elmton was given to the family cadet branch – the
younger Deyncourts – who surely built at least a house from which to rule from? The
Thurgaton Cartulary, we will remember, suggested Elmton had both, that is castle
and manor house. And going on the landmarks and directions given, that castle should
have been somewhere in the Camp Hill area.
Fig. 9: Plan of Duffield Castle, Derbyshire showing a similar layout to cropmarks reflected in the
Camp Hill aerial photograph (Clive Hart)
17
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
So why were the early timber castles replaced by stone? There is a very good reason
for this, and it may directly relate to what form of structure ought to have existed at
Elmton. During the reign of King Stephen (reigned 1135-1154) there was a period of
anarchy in Britain that resulted in a number of ‘adulterine castles’ being built. It is
tempting to say this was the reason for the timber structures, but more likely these
were already in place. In his History of Derbyshire Turbutt suggests that there was a
‘degree of stability in Derbyshire thanks to the support (of Stephen) by the Ferrers,
Peverel and Alselin families’.10 However, he further believes that some adulterine
castles were built – ‘many of the castles that were built during the anarchy – the socalled ‘adulterine castles’ – have now totally disappeared, since they were constructed
of timber, but a few of the mottes on which they stood may yet be recognised’.11 It
seems more likely that it was the Baron’s War in AD1215 that was the catalyst for the
stone-built castles of the area. Yet for Elmton and the Deyncourts it seems they were
largely neutral in this. If we look at the table overleaf we can see which Derbyshire
landowning families were involved in each of the major troubles of the 12th and 13th
centuries. We can see that the Deyncourts remained uninvolved in all but the Baron’s
War when they were on the side of the reformers. What this meant is that by the start
of the 14th century they were one of the few Derbyshire-based families to retain their
lands – William Peverel for instance lost his as early as AD1154. So if there was a
Deyncourt castle it should have still been intact by AD1300, although not long after
this date the Deyncourt line became extinct.
Fig. 10 (overleaf): Table reflecting loyalties of Derbyshire landowning families between AD1087-1300
(Turbutt)
18
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
19
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Conclusion
This initial research stage of the project has shown that there could well have been a
castle at Elmton after all. If there was, it most likely dates to somewhere around the
12th – 13th centuries, probably a timber structure erected sometime in the early 1100s
and gone by around AD1300. It may have been replaced by a stone structure in the
early 1200s but this seems unlikely given the Deyncourt’s lack of involvement in
many of the rebellions and struggles. Having said this, they were involved in the
Baron’s War, and nearby Bolsover Castle had been replaced by a stone structure.
There is no real evidence to suggest this was anything more than caution however.
The only fighting that took place in the area did not come until the Civil War period
of the 17th century, and then Bolsover simply surrendered before any real fighting
took place. For Elmton, it did initially seem that a manor house would have sufficed
from which the Deyncourts could have ruled, but the entry in the Thurgaton Cartulary
suggests otherwise. It is our opinion that only excavation on the mound at Camp Hill
in the area where the rectangular feature is located will answer the question one way
or the other.
It is obvious that there is potentially a multi-period site at Camp Hill, and almost
certainly a Prehistoric settlement. Fieldwalking is planned in Phase Two of the project
and will take place in the Autumn of 2010. Twenty-five years have passed since the
last major fieldwalking project took place, and much may have been lost since then.
However, recent fieldwalking in the south-east corner of the Camp Hill field by
Creswell Heritage Trust revealed a multitude of objects, most of which were,
unfortunately, of no significant archaeological value.12 Nevertheless, what it did
highlight was that many objects have survived both agricultural practices and past
fieldwalking, so a further episode is deemed advisable. From this we may have more
of a picture on how to progress. Ideally, a third phase of the project would see some
geophysical survey take place, particularly in the area of the rectangular feature and
around the probable hut circle features in the adjacent field. From this, it may be
deemed beneficial to carry out test pits prior to any programme of more substantial
excavation. Both Camp Hill and the adjacent field are protected by Natural England
20
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
however, so this may not be possible. Decisions on the future of this project shall be
made after both fieldwalking and finds analysis has taken place, most likely in early
2011. The group are currently considering setting up a Local History & Research
group to manage the project more efficiently, but again this will be left until after
Phase Two is completed.
Matthew Beresford
July 2010
References
1 – Trevor Foulds The Thurgaton Cartulary, (Stamford), 1994, entry 161, p. 102
2 – a bovate is a measure of land roughly relating to around 20 English acres. It was based on the idea
of how much land could be ploughed by one ox annually.
3 – David Knight et al The Elmton Fieldwalking Survey: Prehistoric and Romano-British artefact
scatters, in Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, Vol. 118, 1998, pp. 69-85
4 – Ibid.
5 – T H McK Clough & W A Cummins Stone Axe Studies Volume 2,CBA Research Report 67,
(London), 1988
6 – Roman coin hordes were found at Stuffyn Wood, Shirebrook (1770), Whitwell (1850) & Scarcliffe
(1876). The latter was known as the Langwith Hoard and consisted of approximately 2000 coins all
dating to last half of the 3rd century AD
7 – J Radley Excavations at a rock shelter in Whaley, Derbyshire, Derbyshire Archaeological Journal,
Vol. 87, 1967 pp. 1-17
8 – letter dated 11th March, 1974 reprinted in Roman Road Survey, in Derbyshire Miscellany, Vol. III
pt. 2, p. 101
9 – J Radley & M Plant Roman remains from South Anston and North-East Derbyshire, in
Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society, Vol. 9, 1969, pp. 158-69
10 – G Turbutt A History of Derbyshire, Vol. II, 1999, p. 602
11 – Ibid.
12 – Maria Smith, Creswell Heritage Trust, pers. comm.. May 2010
21
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Bibliography
Clough, T H McK & Cummins, W A Stone Axe Studies Volume 2,CBA Research
Report 67, (London), 1988
Foulds, T The Thurgaton Cartulary, (Stamford), 1994
Hart, C The North Derbyshire Arhcaeological Survey to AD1500, (Sheffield), 1984
Knight, D et al The Elmton Fieldwalking Survey: Prehistoric and Romano-British
artefact scatters, in Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, Vol. 118, 1998, pp. 69-85
Radley, J Excavations at a rock shelter in Whaley, Derbyshire, Derbyshire
Archaeological Journal, Vol. 87, 1967 pp. 1-17
Radley, J & Plant, M Roman remains from South Anston and North-East Derbyshire,
in Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society, Vol. 9, 1969, pp. 158-69
Turbutt, G A History of Derbyshire, Vol. II, 1999
22
Elmton Castle Research Project
Matthew Beresford
Elmton Castle Research Project
Members (as of July 2010)
Matthew Beresford
Dave Cunningham
Susan Priest
Diane Payne
Richard Bailes
Glyn Eley
Brian Pemberton
Wendy Dale
David Astbury
Brian Clifford
Jean Fisher
Helen Figg
Robert Dawson
Ellis Morgan
Pam Finch
Daphne Row
Enid Hibbert
23