| Description | Earthworks, Haw Park Wood, Walton.
An archaeological level I survey of Haw Park Wood was undertaken by Archaeological Services WYAS in 2005. This was at the request of the Rotary Club of Wakefield. The survey was undertaken in accordance with a specification set by WYAS Advisory Service. The survey identified a variety of previously unknown monuments including boundary banks, terraces, holloways and hollows, the dates of origin being speculative, the dates of origin being speculative (Archaeological Services WYAS. 2005. 'Haw Park Wood. Walton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Archaeological level I survey') (see PRN 8132).
The earthwork that is the subject of this HER record was identified by the level I survey as a banked enclosure potentially of pre medieval origins. A level II survey was undertaken Archaeological Services WYAS in 2006 which concentrated on this feature (see PRN 8142). This was also undertaken at the request of the Rotary Club of Wakefield and White Rose Forest in accordance with a specification set by WYAAS. The resulting report which contains the earthwork survey plan, sections and photographic images is held by WYAAS (Archaeological Services WYAS. 2006). WYAAS also hold a set of photographic slides relating to the event (Archaeological Services WYAS. 2006). The parts of the report which describe the features are summarised below:
Four main archaeological features were recorded within the study area. These comprise a number of bank and ditches running across the site which have been given the names Banks 1, 2 and 3 and Ditch 1 and 2.
Bank 1
This is the most prominent feature in this area of Haw Wood. The bank runs in a north east to south west alignment for approximately 46m, and then turns to the north west, continuing for another 37m, describing a right angle plan. It is located immediately south of the track that defines the northern edge of the survey area. The bank is most prominent at the northern end of its north west to south east section. Here the bank is c.4m wide, with a height of c.1.2m on its eastern side. The ground level to the west is slightly higher, and the western side of the bank survives as a slight earthwork approximately 0.3m in height. Along the southern stretch of this section the feature appears to form a terrace between the higher ground to the west and the lower ground to the east, and no western slope was visible. The feature again takes the form of a bank after turning a right angle to the north east. At its southern end this stretch of bank is about 7m wide with gradually sloping sides forming a bank c.0.5m high. Towards the north eastern end the bank becomes thinner, but it profile more pronounced. Here it is c.4m wide rising to c.0.7m high on its southern side, and c.0.3m on the north western up slope side. The bank gradually slopes down at its north west end, to the west of ditch 1. There may be no relationship between the two features.
Ditch 1 and Bank 2
Ditch 1 runs approximately north west to south east across the survey area, turning at right angles towards the south west at its southern end. This feature survives in the best condition at its southern end where it consists of a ditch of varying width, between 2.5 and 6m. The western slope of the ditch is most prominent along its southern stretch, varying in height between 0.4m and 0.8m, the eastern slope survives as a slightly more gradual slope of c.0.2m high. This eastern side disappears completely for a 20m stretch, before resuming close to the point where a probable lynchet meets the line of the ditch. |