Saltaire's local woodland, Hirst Wood, developed on a glacial moraine made up of till or sediment deposited by a glacier some 200 million years ago.
I'd heard talk before of an Iron Age (pre-Roman) hut circle, believed to be in the wood, though I'd no clue where it was. The archaeological report I mentioned yesterday marks it on a map so I worked out where it was supposed to be - actually near the highest part of the woodland, which I guess makes sense. (The existing woodland, of course, is only up to 150 years old though the area may well have been wooded for centuries.). Anyway, I had a look around and I think (not being an archaeologist I could never be sure!) that these mossy stones must be part of it. They lie roughly in a large circle - the report describes 'boulder walling'.
It doesn't really matter to me whether this IS it or not, though it's interesting. I just like the sense that there are so many layers of history here; so many people who've enjoyed this area that I love so much, from Iron Age tribes to the generations who've lived in Saltaire village since the 1850s and worked in Salts Mill.
Even if not part of the structure, it's pretty certain those rocks would have been there at the time and so probably sat upon by Iron Age bottoms.
ReplyDeleteyes you are living on a mountain of history.
ReplyDeleteI so agree Jenny, it's the layers of history that fascinate me also ✨
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to think they may have been part of the structure.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't surprise me if this is indeed the case.
ReplyDelete