Bleasdale Circle Excavation

iBase ID

283021

Reference identifier

ZCO20210825001

Title

Bleasdale Circle Excavation

Place

Bleasdale

General notes

Plan of the original 1898 excavation.

The Bleasdale Circle, a designated ancient monument, is a Bronze Age timber structure consisting of two circles set within one another. The Circle was discovered in 1898 by Shadrach Jackson and Thomas Kelsall. Excavation of the inner circle revealed posts, poles and a grave. In 1924 the site was scheduled as an Ancient Monument but it was not until 1935 that the outer circle and the area between the circles were excavated. At this time the inner circle posts were replaced by concrete ones. Four of the posts were moved to the Harris Museum. The outer circle, diameter 150 feet, consisted of timber posts set closely together with an entrance on the south western side. The inner circle, diameter 75 feet, consisted of 11 oak posts coming up through a small mound or barrow. This was surrounded by a horseshoe shaped ditch with an entrance to the east. This ditch was lined with birch poles. Within the inner circle a grave was found complete with 2 urns buried inverted and containing charcoal and cremated human bones. In one of the urns a very much smaller cup was found. This would probably have held food and drink for the afterlife. The contents of the grave, decorative urns and cup, were also moved to the Harris Museum in Preston. Bleasdale Circle has been dated to approximately 1700 BC which makes it Bronze Age. It was probably not a village settlement but possibly a religious centre. The alignment of the circles within the surrounding fells may have been used to follow the sun and stars. The birch poles in the ditch, the shape of the ditch itself and the relationship between the two circles make Bleasdale unique.

Medium

Map

Colour

Monochrome

Year of image

1900

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