Up above the Eden Valley in Westmorland – Cumbria in new money – is Castle Folds, a truly unique Romano British settlement.
Surrounded by treacherous limestone pavements and bleak moorland, there were people living here behind extraordinarily defensive walls, 2,000 years ago.
And the signs are that things came to a violent end.
How “Roman” were these people and who were they so concerned about? We conduct an antiquarian survey and try to work out what might have happened.
#romanbritain #ironage #brigantes #romanfort #ironagesettlement #roman #celtic #greatasby #greatasbyscar #limestone #limestonepavement #westmoreland #westmorland #castlefolds
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50 Comments
I can't but other to agree with your conclusion as to the destruction of the fort but I do know that this vid was shot nearly in my back yard and in fantastic country! Ignore knockers as I love all of your presentations for their queriness, interest, enthusiasm and are many in my north and my beloved Cumbria ! Thank you. Rob
It seems to me like it's a bit of a hybrid between a British and a Roman fort. Maybe the locals agreed a peace deal with the Romans and were allowed to keep their fort. Then they saw the Romans had big stone walls on some of their forts. They decided they didn't want to be one-upped by a bunch of foreigners, and built their own big stone walls to keep up with the times. Then (like you say at the end of the video) the Romans decided they couldn't have the locals establishing big stone wall parity with their own military and sent the boys round to kick their big stone walls over.
Can't believe you bowed to cancel culture and got rid of the beautiful Mia. She may have been annoying, robotic, creepy and emblematic of a deeply worrying technological trend, but you can't just surrender to the woke mob!
About as similar folk hereabouts are in the Northern Sticks today to Urban virtue signallers in trendy areas.
The amount of history you have all over the place there is amazing.
More debacles, please. Carry on. Oh – that wind buster thing on your mic looks like a hamster trying to crawl out of your jumper. Just saying. But definitely carry on.
I do wonder if they were not prison camps. Or containment areas
You should've gone for the job as the new Time Team presenter!!
Agreed that keeping the camera falls and presenter stumbles in makes these far more authentic and entertaining.
As for the manual deconstruction of the outer wall…what was to stop the residents just rebuilding it after the legion went home?…unless there were no residents left of course 😮
Why ….the Romans, probably wanted to exterminate the last of em!
How, most likely just as you say….👍
Amazing area, though I think I would have broken several limbs going through there. It may be worth posting in the "UK Hillforts" group, mentioning the word "hillfort"
🙂
Good video Darren 👍 I remember eating my lunch in the fort a couple years ago thinking what a clever defensive usage of the limestone, total ankle breaking terrain. Stunning area too .
I know on good info that the ‘Crosby Garret Helmet’ was found in the neighbouring field! So pretty bloody Roman!
Big like from me – shame i can only like it once
Just a thought or two from a distant cousin across the pond; could the huts have been purposely built against the outer wall for both structural integrity, (tying into the wall) as well as acting as a 4m shelter from the seemingly incessant wind?
If it were so, then any open area in the center could be used to let livestock graze, and for garden (American definition) plots. Any wooden posts or fencing would be long rotted away but for stains in the soils, yet methinks there must have been some subdivisions of arable turf for (meager) subsistence and control of said livestock.
Just throwing some ideas for cogitation. Another "thumbs-up", well done.
Cheers from a displaced cousin with deep UK roots, now in the Oregon Country.
great interesting video again Darren, well done and thank you 😊
You should see Din lligwy on Anglesey. A much better preserved Romano British settlement in the same category as this one.
Some lovely shots of that fort and shieling. That map by Collingwood is lovely – he was also an architect. A thought crossed my mind – the way the builders ripped up the limestone pavement to make their walls pretty much like the Victorians ripped them up too for their gardens. Perhaps the romans went on a trip to upgrade their vicus gardens and chose the best stones from the bottom of the walls. I bet Collingwood had some in his garden By the way grikes are the gaps – was told by an elderly great uncle how to remember but perhaps not for YouTube.
Late in sorry, mad Tasmanian windstorms…Power has not been restored yet …but we have a backup generator at least …and the wireless internet was restored 30 mins ago …A fantastic vid sir, back to your perfect pedigree.
Thanks
Your knowledge of knolls is impressive. As your hat brim kept getting blown up, it made it look like you were wearing a pork pie hat…. so I'm kinda thinking an episode on an old Ska fortress and medieval rude boys is in the cards. Excellent as always, of course.
There is a good film from 2016 called Risen, its about some bloke in the middle east who was crucified and came back from the dead (hence the title).
It opens with an attack on a similar structure to this, but in the middle east. Its a brutal watch, but it does give an idea of what an attack would have been like.
Very reminiscent of the Burren limestone plateau in County Clare ( site of a 5,000 year old law school) ….in latter years site of numerous Father Ted filming…well done sir, best wishes from the wirral peninsula,bounded by the mersey and the Dee and the Irish sea…geography and rhyme….E…
Great video. I’ve been to this, a lovely spot. There’s something similar in Wensleydale near the village of Reeth, Iron Age I think.
Thanks! Interesting narrative, beautiful scenery, and great editing! 🎉
Just stumbled on this channel, what a wonderful hidden gem. Liked and subscribed. Looking forward to more content of this quality
I feel Mr WC21's explanation of his vid in his beautiful home, with follow up thoughts, map searches, mixed with his actual adventure shows the effort the good man puts into his work… Brilliant work from the best 'amateur' antiquarian out there.
I agree with your assessment…although trying to mix modern with old reality…Maybe the Romans saw it more an annoying traveller's encampment, marched inside and forced those dwelling within to pull the walls down from the outside.
Ribble Valley Lancashire , a place of importance in ancient times?, Whalley Abbey, Sawley Abbey, Clitheroe Castle, Pendle Hill (said to be the cosmic axis of the northern Celts, sacred hill of Brigantia, ) Ribchester Roman settlement, Stoneyhurst (Jesuit)College, Forest of Bowland, and plenty of limestone all in a 10 mile area?
Castles, Abbey's, weren't just built anywhere?
Thanks.
Great work Mr WC21, sorry I'm a bit late to the party but it seems this video has got off to a good start!
It is interesting to ponder how those Roman centurions managed to march over that limestone pavement what with all the grikes and clints! Perhaps they had gone there with the intention of coming to a diplomatic agreement but after a number of falls, twisted ankles and lost sandles they became so irate that they tore the place down?
Another fascinating site, beautifully captured, which once again I would never have heard of were it not for your tireless scouring of the landscape of Roman Britain!
really good
I have a bad habit of clicking like and watching full screen then moving on to my next notification without making a comment.
Does commenting make a difference to the YT algorithm or not?
I love your content and humour added in but I'm not a historian and have very little knowledge to interact with about sites unless they're ones I've been to or live near so I don't comment much 😒 Great vlog as always, thank you 😀👍
Ah ha! The "-by" ending. I have some knowledge of that postfix. You're in the old Danelaw, as is the little village of Bagby,Yorkshire.
I have been hypothesising overnight,
Maybe when the Romans arrived to calm us squabbling Brits they chose a local leader and added their military might to his/hers. The first thing a new local leader would do is subdue all the other local leaders with Roman help. So could this place be the home of a family/group who did nothing wrong but were out of favour with the neighbours.
Roman: Hey WC21. If you become our local representative for Rome then we will help you with issues you have.
WC21: Sounds good. First thing I need is to get rid of those people up on that hill, they use all the best grazing land for sheep and I need that for my sheep.
Roman: We will get right on it. Only cost a few Roman lives but we have lots of soldiers.
Bish Bash Bosh.
Roman: Job done, all the land is now under your control. Two things. Firstly you now have to pay tribute to Rome every year. Secondly you are now to be called WCXXI
WC21 / WCXXI: Bloody Romans coming over here and conquering us.
Loved this one Darren as it is extremely local to my holiday home and you should of visited the 3 Greyhounds for a pint I would of gladly paid and discussed this settlement as I never knew of it so I am one of those grateful for your enlightenment and definitely will pay a visit, I jog passed it frequently in a vain pursuit of regaining my youth. Cheers and keep up the good work it is highly regarded.
What's that Gamelands stone circle thingy to the SW…..?
Interesting as usual, telling us locals more about the area we live in. It’s often the way that we don’t appreciate what’s on our own doorstep.
More Roman than the Romans themselves
Very interesting, loved the graphics. When I used to go potholing half a century ago those clints and grikes were ankle breakers but fortunately little problem to someone with your gazelle-like abilities. I think it unlikely the Romans would have bothered with such a relatively small settlement unless they were causing serious problems to traffic on the roads. Even with high walls it looks like it would be difficult to defend with the number of adults available. Thank you.
Great stuff, very well produced.
Really like the well researched content. The site is unusually suited for defense with a whole belt of ankle breakers. I wonder about these in general being primary dwellings or refuges in times of danger. Probably not applicable but In my area (Pennsylvania, USA) the early settlers typically resorted to building stockades or blockhouses. The trick of course being getting sufficent warning.
Good one👍🏴
health spar = health spa!
I came here, liked and subscribed, courtesy of Mark Masterton review.
Super location, l could go there now l haven’t got my 2 dogs. I suppose we scratch our heads and wonder why on earth they would want to live in such an exposed place. Safety maybe, good view of the surroundings. Climate a couple of degrees warmer back then so maybe a good spot after all.
Found your channel through Paul Whitewick. I'm really enjoying your humour and style of video making. What's there to complain about?
You have my subscription, great video
Wonderful camera work💥Thank you 🙃
I wish I knew you! Superb channel; inspiring, and always informative.
Hi Darren. I am with you. It makes perfect sense that the fort predates the Romans and it was the Romans who saw off the inhabitants. I say that with conviction as no one who was there is around to prove otherwise. Oh it’s such great fun being an amateur armchair antiquarian. 😂👍😀