Just that a rather interesting article popped up on my FB. I am not a member of local history group. Rather strange to consider what you may walk or have played over! From earlier readings, I had assumed that settlement concentrated on small area of village, with surrounding area a bit wet. But, if I consider topography of gently rising ground... and pretty dispersed nature of settlement in prehistory... well.
So, maybe take a look at your local history group... you might be surprised!
https://the-past.com/.../pontelands-prehistoric-past.../...
Know we had Romans and Norse settlements around here.
I'm 'Forbidden 503' :(
But I sneaked round the back anyway - Very interesting.
Link (https://the-past.com/feature/pontelands-prehistoric-past-tracing-life-and-death-on-the-edge-of-the-northumberland-coastal-plain/) your link truncated or something.
I'm up in Falkirk area so our big one is the line of the Antonine wall going past us, but we have a good few earlier sites as well like Cairnpapple burial mound and some old brochs which are quite nice for a wee wander.
Quote from: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 04 May 2023, 01:37:20 PMKnow we had Romans and Norse settlements around here.
The Battle of Brunanburh was on the Wirral, apparently.
Where I live starts with a neolithic settlement and then goes full circle to the band Hard-Fi
Quote from: fsn on 04 May 2023, 07:37:59 PMThe Battle of Brunanburh was on the Wirral, apparently.
That is disputed, but a comon theroy. There were certainly Roman mines and there is a Norse dog pit on Bidston Hill.
But Dan Snow said it! So it must be true!
Wirral does seem to be most likely... and finds seem to indicate probility of area... and, maybe 'field', or part of. In earlier years, I thought it further North, nearer Solway... but given 'confederacy', Wirral now much more likely as a grouping point.
Its supposed to be at Brombrogh which is a good colleration.
I've been to Bromborough.
I believe a Dark Age battle was fought there.
The nearest we have to local military history is the Upper Hutt Blockhouse in the grounds of one of the local High Schools. Built in 1860 in fear of an attack by Māori that never came. (Windows & electricity added much later.)
(https://visitheritage.co.nz/assets/visit/wellington/upper-hutt-blockhouse/Header-Slider/Upper-Hutt-Blockhouse-Header-Slider__ScaleWidthWzE1MDBd.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMfat5VCPqYIkUv2cFq2SOHx4BtlSXSAapAnSqT=s680-w680-h510)
(https://i.imgflip.com/3wv1a0.jpg)
If I were to describe a blockhouse, I would have expected something more .. err ... imposing(?).
I think I see ports for muskets on the rear, but that looks to be made of planks as opposed to tree trunks. Unless, that's just cladding over iron armour plates?
QuoteIf I were to describe a blockhouse, I would have expected something more .. err ... imposing(?).
I think I see ports for muskets on the rear, but that looks to be made of planks as opposed to tree trunks. Unless, that's just cladding over iron armour plates?
There were musket ports on all sides and the only entrance was on the inside of the L
Attackers would be caught in a crossfire but defenders were stuck inside
Double planking with a few inches of gravel between for added 'protection'
(https://visitheritage.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Upper-Hutt-Blockhouse-visit-02__ScaleMaxWidthWzcwMF0.jpg)
We had a Home Guard Spigot Mortar post about 500m from the house until a few years ago when it disappeared for reasons that remain unknown - perhaps the town council though the threat of invasion was over.
Another odd thing, presumably from WW2, was that when landscaping our garden when we first moved into the house 30 years ago, I found a dozen or so .30 rounds and a 15 round length of .30 link. I suppose these must have been from Home Guard weapons though there is an old airfield within a km.
Fair bit of WWII stuff most of the pill boxes have been bricked up. Used to be an AA rocket battery in Bebington, demolished about 20 yrs ago.
Local area had some history, but the prehistoric was a surprise. What was my regular Pub began as a Pele tower... my crowd used to carouse under the plastered over, rounded ceiling of lower room for Stock... now a dining area. There is a very worn and rather deadly, (To The Drunk!), stair to upper floor... and there was a tunnel to nearby church, though sealed up, in fireplace. Remains of 'Vicar's Pele' still standing.
WW1, there was a landing field, presumably for night fighters. WW2, a small POW camp, think for Italian POWs.
When I was young, there were quite a few WW2 Pillboxes and concrete 'Tank Traps'around but most have now gone.
On trips to beach, you could sometimes find the iron stakes for wire. We once found spent Cartridge case for .303. Probably from LDV activity, but could, possibly, have been from RAF when hammering Luftwaffe Bombing raid from Norway, 1940.
Once, when a child, uncle took us to the well scavenged remnants of crashed B17 on top of Cheviot. Somewhere, still have bit of oxygen tube, scrap of parachute silk and a couple of plates from Flak Jacket. Sometimes wonder whether I should send to U.S VA, but doubt that I will get round to doing it.
There is History, everywhere... but most do not 'see' it.
I've been on archeological digs and surveys in my area, found traces of strip agriculture in a local wood, helped dig out 16th century witches scrap heap near Pendle, and saw indications of what is evidently a Roman road on the side of Pendle. We have the mounds created by lime extraction process in the 18th-19th century up on the moors.
Not to mention I've seen the 300 million year old sea fossils on Worsaw Hill about 700' ASL currently.
I am fascinated by what was here before the Romans, and just after, but the records for Lancashire seem sparse.
I gather the tribes that lived here didn't agree with the Roman occupation, and they had to send in forces which almost depopulated the region. In the period some time after the Romans left, I think a lot of people displaced by Vikings from the east coast migrated here, but I stand to be corrected on this. Wasn't Lancashire in effect part of the Cumbrian kingdom to the north of here for some time?
Quote from: paulr on 06 May 2023, 08:03:20 AMDouble planking with a few inches of gravel between for added 'protection'
Ah! That is interesting.
Thank you.
@ paulr.
Good job Maori did not have canon!
Imagine a ball hitting that!
Mixed earth and stones... well, ok... but loose stones? :( Better to stick with planking!