At St Michael’s in Ilderton, two periods of construction meet: most of the church dates from the 18th century, but its tower dates from the 13th century. The archaeological evidence at the named sites in the parish also offers different perspectives, from prehistoric settlements to medieval structures.
Church, Mausoleum and Village History
The Roddam Mausoleum stands at the western edge of St Michael’s churchyard. Built of stone in 1795, it has a barrel-vaulted interior and contains the tomb of Admiral Robert Roddam. The church and mausoleum can therefore be viewed as two distinct historic structures: the medieval church tower on the one hand, and a late-18th-century mausoleum on the other.
The medieval village of North Middleton is well preserved and retains significant archaeological deposits. Its former name was Midilest Middleton; it was first mentioned in 1242. This information about the name and date adds a documented village history to the visible settlement remains.
Hillforts and Settlement Remains
Middleton Dean Hillfort lies in the parish of Ilderton, on the eastern edge of the Cheviot Hills. It occupies a nearly level terrace above the confluence of two valleys, at an elevation of 230 metres. Its original Iron Age entrance was a simple passage, later altered and reused in the Romano-British period. The site’s location and entrance thus tell two different stories: its distinctive landscape setting and its later use.
At Brands Hill, a scheduled monument includes a Romano-British native enclosed settlement, unenclosed roundhouse remains, a field system and a trackway. A settlement near Cowboy’s Cairn has three roundhouses or roundhouse platforms in the elevated part of its enclosure; their average diameter is seven metres. A native settlement on the northeast slope of Brands Hill is well preserved and is likely to contain significant archaeological deposits.
The evidence at Heddon Hill also varies in form. A Romano-British settlement northeast of the hill is well preserved and retains evidence of domestic life from that period. At another settlement, three roundhouses are arranged around an internal courtyard and connected by an enclosure. North of Heddon Hill is also a well-preserved unenclosed roundhouse settlement, which preserves evidence of prehistoric settlement and agriculture.
Landmarks, Stone Monuments and Views
Three well-preserved burial mounds lie in an east–west row on Dod Hill. The site retains significant archaeological deposits and offers far-reaching views in all directions. The fortified Iron Age settlement on the summit of Foxes Knoll lies 740 metres southeast of South Middleton; from there, views extend to the north and east. Both sites combine archaeological remains with recorded views, but the directions of those views differ.
A stone circle and stone row dating from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age lie 370 metres west of Threestoneburn House. They occupy a gently sloping promontory at the confluence of Threestone Burn and a smaller tributary. Threestoneburn House itself is a listed building, probably dating from the middle to late 18th century, and was later altered.
The rock art panel 190 metres southwest of Middleton Dean Hillfort lies on a high, level promontory where Middleton Dene Burn and Lilburn Burn meet. The scheduled monument southeast of Middleton Dean documents land use and settlement over three millennia. It includes a square medieval moated site: it is approximately 85 metres wide overall, and its outer ditch is three metres deep. At Lamb Crag, another scheduled monument includes one or two roundhouses within a roughly rectangular walled field; it offers far-reaching views to the northeast.
Accommodation and Route Connections
Ilderton Dod Barns near Ilderton Dod is in Northumberland National Park. Several footpaths and bridleways cross the accommodation grounds. A loop of the official Sandstone Way mountain bike route passes directly by; check its route before setting off. Route 68 of the National Cycle Network runs along the end of the road leading to Ilderton Dod Barns. These details describe different route connections: a mountain bike loop by the accommodation and a cycle route at the end of the access road.
Discover more destinations: Chillingham, Seahouses, Hexham, Brampton, Kirknewton, Chatton, Allendale Town, Berwick-Upon-Tweed.
For the main travel overview: Northumberland.
