Coxhoe: the First Inhabitants
Coxhoe village is located approximately 6 miles from the City of Durham. Formerly
a mining and industrial centre which grew rapidly in the 19th Century, Coxhoe is
now a rapidly growing dormitory town to the nearby industrial centres on Tyneside,
Wearside and Teesside; with a population of around 4000. Approximately two
thirds of housing is owner occupied, and the racial profile is mainly primarily
European... (Parish Profile Benefice of Kelloe and Coxhoe 2010)
Currently, as the above description testifies, Coxhoe is a rapidly growing dormitory
town with excellent road links to larger industrial conurbations in the area. But,
where did it all begin? Who were the first people to live in Coxhoe.
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
Page
Figure 1 Aerial view of West House Coxhoe
2
Evidence of the industrial heritage of the modern village of Coxhoe which grew up
during the 18th and 19th centuries is relatively easy to obtain but if a slightly wider
geographical picture is taken into consideration, it would appear that the earliest
inhabitants of the village lived many hundreds of years earlier - in the first Millennium
B.C. Who were these people? How did they live? Examination of the available
historical evidence could begin to answer these questions.
The first inhabitants
Although a Bronze Age axe has been found in the area, it is doubtful that the area
was actually inhabited at that time. It was not until crop marks shown on systematic
aerial reconnaissance photographs taken in 1976 (approximately 200m north of the
modern village at West House) that possible evidence of a very early settled
community came to light. Under the direction of CC Haselgrove and VL Allon, 1 a
team of Archeologists from Durham University set out to explore the hidden
mysteries of the site in 1979 and again in 1980. Extensive records and intriguing
finds from the excavations are now lodged in the Old Fulling Mill, Durham.
Only a small section of the site was uncovered at that time, partly because it was
found that the archaeology of the site had suffered severe erosion due to both
medieval and modern ploughing. However, excavation of the most prominent crop
mark led to the discovery of a rectilinear enclosure ditch with an entrance gap in
the middle of its eastern side, typical of an Iron Age Settlement.
Figure 3 Enclosure ditch at West House
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
Page
The step-sided, flat bottomed
enclosure ditch was approximately
2m wide and 1m deep, but may have
originally been substantially deeper.
It would have needed many man
hours of labour to cut it through the
bedrock; a difficult task for a single
family to complete, which may be an
indication that more than one family
3
Figure 2 Plan of the excavation site
inhabited the site or perhaps assistance was provided by occupants of nearby
settlements.
The entrance to the enclosure ditch was relatively simple, facing east up the slope of
the limestone ridge on which the settlement was located. Two large substantial posts
supported agate across a 3m wide causeway. Further discoveries showed evidence
of a circular building within the enclosure.
Figure 4 Drainage gully
and post holes of a
circular structure.
The Main building
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
Page
Typically, Iron Age houses consisted of a main frame of upright timbers, which were
interwoven with coppiced wood - usually hazel, oak, ash or willow - to make wattle
walls. This was then covered with a daub made from clay, soil, straw and animal
manure that would weatherproof the house. The roof was constructed from large
timbers and densely thatched. Evidence of this type would not have survived, but the
archaeology at West House - a series of arcs 10m in diameter interspersed with 3
post holes found inside the gully which could have been part of a form of internal
partitioning suggests a typical Iron Age Roundhouse. A third and innermost ring was
also discovered at West House; consisting of 6 post holes, two of which were
substantially deeper than the others. These may have supported a central hearth;
also a common feature of Roman Iron Age, roundhouses. All of the domestic life
would have occurred within this building.
4
Excavations within the enclosure showed a circular gully of 13m diameter which
could have been a drainage ditch around the main building. Two gaps were found in
this gully, one 2.5m wide and the other 5.5m wide, the latter aligned with the
entrance to the enclosure indicating it may have been the doorway into the building.
The walls of the main building might have been made of stone as large quantities
were found on the perimeter of the fields surrounding the site, but equally they may
have been constructed using wattle and daub or cob-wall techniques.
Figure 5 Reconstruction of internal structure of a Roundhouse.
Internal partitioning would have created separate areas within the structure
for sleeping, storage or for weaving on a simple loom.
Weaving
The large number of animal bones found during the excavations at West House
indicates that domestic animals were an important part of daily life within the
enclosure, providing not only food, but also the raw materials for textile manufacture.
In fact, one of the recorded finds could have been a loomweight.......
Page
5
“Shaped piece of sandstone with a hole bored through it. The hole is complete on one
face. There is also a break running most of the length of the boring. One face is flattened
and may have been a base. This object may have been some sort of weight.” 2
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
During the Iron Age, wool from Astray
sheep, (ancestors of modern domestic
sheep breeds) was spun and woven
to make clothes.
Spindle-whorls (round clay/stone
weights used to make the spindle
rotate evenly), carved bone weaving
combs, and loom weights also of stone
or clay - which held down the warp
threads on the loom – were used on
wooden looms.
Figure 6 Reconstruction of Iron Age loom.
Using dyes made from locally
available plants, it would have
been possible to dye fleeces to
create colourful yarns for weaving
into the range of textiles that the
inhabitants of the roundhouse
would have needed.
Page
6
Figure 7 Coloured yarn made using plant dyes.
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
Sleeping area
Another typical feature of an Iron Age Roundhouse may have been present at the
West House settlement was the location of the sleeping quarters. Usually, these
were placed to one side of the interior of the building, raised from the ground on a
wooden base which was supported on internal posts. There would have been hay or
feather mattresses, strewn with animal skins and wool blankets. The thick thatch of
the roof of the building would have kept the occupants relatively warm and
comfortable in even the coldest weather.
Figure 8 Internal view of thatched roof.
Figure 9 Reconstruction showing angle of a thatched roof.
The roof structure
The angle of the roof structure of the main building was an important feature of Iron
Age buildings because they were constructed so that they could not be dislodged in
stormy conditions and were of sufficient height to allow smoke from the central
hearth to collect in the apex then slowly dissipate through the thatch, leaving the
living area mainly smoke free.
Other structures
Page
7
Although the excavations at the Coxhoe Site did not uncover all of the site, it is
thought that the settlement was relatively small (4 h.a.) and probably other
structures, for example, animal shelter, small blacksmith workshop and other small
buildings, all in use at the same time. Remains of iron nails were found, indicating a
blacksmith shop on the site, possibly to make and repair iron tools which would
have been needed to plough heavier glacial till soils such as those at West House.
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
Farming
Relatively large quantities of animal bones were recovered from the ditch, which
suggests the inhabitants of the settlement were engaged in animal husbandry,
possibly as part of a mixed farming economy.
This mixed farming theory is also supported by the discovery of fragments of both
saddle and rotary querns (for grinding corn) at the West house site... However,
these finds also indicate that the site was probably settled for a relatively long period
of time – saddle querns gradually being replaced by the more efficient rotary quern.
Figure 10 Saddle Quern - Fulling Mill Durham
Figure 11 Rotary Quern – Iron Age Crannog reconstruction – Loch Tay Scotland.
Page
8
If, as the evidence from the excavation shows, the earliest inhabitants of Coxhoe did
indeed at the West House Iron Age Settlement, questions are raised about other
aspects of their lifestyle. Shale beads and bracelets were found for example which
could not have been made by the people of that community.
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
Figure 12 Displayed at Fulling Mill Durham
Decorative jewelry items such as these would probably have been acquired by
trading with other communities living within travelling distance. Bartering and trading
rather than a monetary economy was typical of the Iron Age. A. Anderson 3
suggests that although the lifestyle of the residents of the West House settlement
was probably more basic than higher status settlements nearer the coast or closer to
Hadrian’s Wall, trading between these communities probably took place and this
suggests there is sufficient evidence to see East Durham as a “unique, well
populated area.”
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
Page
David Graham 5 mentioned such a settlement near Bowburn in his report on
archeological work carried out in advance of creating the link road between Bowburn
and Byers Green. In that instance, the settlement appears to have commanded
excellent views of the surrounding area. Could it have been constructed as an
outlook/early warning post for the purpose of defending nearby settlements? If so, could
this suggest that there were more settlements in the local area during the Iron Age and
that they were inter-connected and possibly inter-dependent? At present, insufficient
investigation prevent definitive answers to these questions. If, as Anderson et al
suggest, the area around West House was more densely populated than previously
indicated, there could be so much more historical evidence still lying buried beneath the
local soils. Aerial photographs of the East House area near to Coxhoe Hall could be
interpreted as evidence of a similar Iron Age Round House settlement to that at West
House. Could there have been other non-enclosed
9
Nick Hodgson 4 added support for this idea when he stated that new discoveries
about the indigenous population prior to the Roman Invasion could be applicable to
other sites in North East England including those found south of Hadrian’s Wall. He
suggests that aerial photography has not shown up all of the evidence that could
exist. Non enclosed roundhouse dwellings were relatively common during the Iron
Age and may have existed in between the enclosed settlements. Frequently pairs or
small clusters of dwellings were created to house more families or possibly extended
families living in close proximity to each other, thereby facilitating a social structure
that could have included inheritance of land. Up to twenty five people could have
lived within a settlement and similar settlements may have been situated within ten
to fifteen minutes walking distance.
dwellings nearby? Who knows? Further archeological investigation is needed to
fully unravel the mystery of the ancient origins of Coxhoe.
References
1.
2.
An Iron Age Settlement at West House Coxhoe CC Haselgrove and VL Allon Archaelogia Aeliana , Fifth
series, Volume X 1982)
Item No. DURMA.1984.3.16 fin list of finds from CC Haselgrove excavation of West House Coxhoe.
3.
The Social Archeology of late Iron Age –Roman North east. Arthur Anderson New light on the Roman North
East conference. Durham October 2010.
4.
Native Settlement north of Hadrian’s Wall Nick Hodgson New light on the Roman North East
conference. Durham October 2010.
Page
10
5. Excavations at the site of a prehistoric enclosure near Bowburn County Durham 2007 . David J Graham
Coxhoe History Group : The Iron Age by Margaret Jackson
PDF to Word