Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Spades Mire
Hob Uid: 4175
Location : Northumberland Berwick-upon-Tweed
Grid Ref : NT9963053660
Summary : Spades Mire is an east to west orientated linear earthwork which ran from the now infilled Tapee Loch, immediately north east of Berwick Castle, to the sea where it effectively cut off the penninsula upon which the town of Berwick upon Tweed stands. Evidence suggests that the earthwork is earlier than the late 13th or early 14th century century Edwardian defences of Berwick upon Tweed, and it is considered to be related to the town which is known to have been in existence in the 11th century. The earthwork survives as a pronounced linear ditch 672 metres long ranging from 10 metres to 25 metres wide and from 0.9 metres to 3 metres deep. It is cut into two sections by an original off set entrance. The south side of the ditch is steeply scarped while the northern side is considerably shallowe suggesting that the earthwork faced north and defended the land to the south contained by it. Situated on the south side of the ditch are traces of an accompanying rampart, now much spread and up to 13 metres wide. This has now been incorporated into the later medieval field system and is partly obscured by rig and furrow cultivation running parallel to it. A small excavation across the monument in 1961 and 1962 uncovered the remains of the southern rampart and revealed that the ditch was constructed before the medieval rig and furrow cultivation which lies adjacent to it. Scheduled.
More information : [NT 9963 5366 - NT 9986 5363 and NT 9990 5365 NU 0018 5362] Spades Mire. [L.B.] Spades Mire consists of two ditches, offset at NT 9987 5364 suggesting an original entrance. Originally the ditches extended further in both directions. To the W. the course is represented by a dip in the railway cutting at NT 9956 5368, while on the E, the ground seaward of the extant portion looks like ditch filling and the same impression is given by its appearance when viewed from the bathing pond immediately to the E. The western arm is 30 feet wide and 10 feet deep, while the eastern is narrower and only 3 feet deep. It may represent the 13th C. defences of the town. Scheduled. The ditches are mainly well-preserved and correctly described. No apparent indications are visible to suggest that the feature originally extended further east, but a former westward extension seems likely. The western arm has probably been caused by rig and furrow ploughing, and does not appear to be an integral part of the earthwork. Published survey (25") revised. Spades Mire seems to be part of an outer line of defence first constructed during one of the military crises of Berwick's medieval history. Not under guardianship. (5a) NT 9964 5366-NU 0018 5362. Spades Mire earthwork survives as a ditch 540m long extending through the grounds of Berwick Middle School, where it is 3.8m maximum depth, eastwards to run alongside a public road terminating at a point where the road widens into a car park. The road occupies a flattened bank or rampart, 0.3m high, and broad rig has encroached upon the length of this bank. Surveyed by RCHME at 1:1250. (5) NU 000 537; NT 997 537. Spades Mire. Scheduled No ND/282. (6) A medieval dyke is visible as an earthwork on air photographs. The feature runs from NT 9963 5366 to NU 0017 5362 and consists of a wide ditch broken into four sections. (8)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 1:2500 1961
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : K G White
Page(s) : 355-60
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Vol(s) : 96, 1962-3

Source Number : 3
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Page(s) : 83
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : F1 ECW 08-JUN-67
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : Keith Blood and Donnie Mackay/JUN-1988/RCHME: Berwick Survey
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Source Number : 5a
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Source details : MacIvor I. 1972. The Fortifications of Berwick-upon-Tweed
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Northumberland
Page(s) : 16
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : 07-Apr-97
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : NMR OS/87123 0620 18-Jun-1987
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Between C11 and late C13
Monument End Date : 1266
Monument Start Date : 1000
Monument Type : Dyke (Defence), Rampart
Evidence : Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1267
Monument Type : Ridge And Furrow
Evidence : Earthwork

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : ND 282
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 28534
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Northumberland)
External Cross Reference Number : NT 95 SE 8
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : NT 95 SE 8
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1961-01-01
End Date : 1962-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1967-06-08
End Date : 1967-06-08

Associated Activities :
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 1988-05-16
End Date : 1988-06-21

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 2001-01-01
End Date : 2002-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2003-03-27
End Date : 2003-09-29

Historic England Research Records

Spades Mire