In collaboration with Appleby Archaeology Group

In July 2007, North Pennines Archaeology Ltd., with the help of Appleby Archaeology Group, undertook geophysical surveys of land at Brackenber Moor, near Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria. This was supported by a grant from Charles Haywood Foundation, which provided the opportunity for members of the group to learn geophysical survey techniques, with the
support of North Pennines Archaeology staff. The geophysical survey was undertaken to target an earthwork known as The Druidical Judgement Seat. This earthwork is the site of a possible prehistoric or Romano-British farmstead, about which nothing was known.

Brackenber Moor has been occupied since at least the Bronze Age, and a number of burial monuments survive from this period. A number of possible prehistoric settlement sites exist in the area, which could potentially date to the Iron Age or Romano-British periods. The Druidical Judgement Seat is a D-shaped enclosure, comprising an outer bank and inner ditch, with a single entrance on the northwest side. Similar sites in Cumbria are usually interpreted as Iron Age or Romano-British farmsteads. However, no archaeological features were visible within the enclosure, and no archaeological evidence was available with which to date the site.

The objective of the geophysical surveys was to determine the presence/absence, nature and extent of any archaeological anomalies within the survey area, and the presence/absence of any known modern anomalies within the survey area, which may affect the results. In particular, it was hoped that the surveys might reveal evidence for archaeological features within the enclosure. Two geophysical techniques, geomagnetic survey and earth resistance survey, were undertaken at the site covering the majority of the earthwork interior, banks, ditch, and a strip of land to the northwest.

A number of features were detected which could be associated with the former use of the earthwork by the Appleby Golf Club, as indicated on a modern air photograph of the site. These include possible land drains or gullies, and sub-surface deposits, as well as two visible spoil heaps. Only excavation will determine whether this is the case. A modern service pipe was also detected to the north of the enclosure.

The earth resistance survey proved to be the most effective technique for detecting archaeological features at the site, although the presence of earth hummocks over the interior of the earthwork may have masked insubstantial archaeological features. No definite archaeological features were revealed within the interior of the earthwork. Both geophysical survey techniques detected the earth-filled enclosure ditch, and parts of the earthwork banks. In addition, the earth resistance survey detected deposits within the ditch terminals, which suggests that the entrance has been widened at some time.

Given the results of the geophysical survey, further evaluation work is recommended, in order to test the results of the geophysical surveys, and to determine the presence/absence, nature and extent of any archaeological features within the enclosure. This could provide valuable information regarding the nature and past use of the site, and provide much needed dating evidence for the earthwork enclosure.