| Summary : The Rudston cursus group consists of four cursuses stretching along the bottom and sides of the Great Wold Valley. At least one end of each of the monument are to be found on the elevated chalk ridges which surround Rudston. The valley contains the Gypsey Race, one of the rare streams across the chalklands, and two of the cursuses (A and C) cross this stream. The Rudston group contains an unparalleled concentration of cursus monuments. Cursus A is the southern most of the group. The southern end of the cursus survives as an earthwork and the remainder is visible on air photographs as two parallel ditches. The cursus is 2700 metres long by circa 58 metres, it tapers to 41 metres at the south terminal. Cursus A is the only one of the group where both ends are visible, both of the terminals are square in plan. The earthwork was excavated in the mid 19th century by Greenwell and showed what appeared to be a round barrow raised upon the surface of a long mound. This excavation produced six burials (two with Beakers), only one of which Greenwell considered to be primary, and a considerable amount of pottery. These burials were inserted into the south end of the cursus monument in the early bronze age. Greenwell also found sherds of earlier Neolithic pottery, along with worked flint and animal bones on the ground surface beneath the bank of the cursus. A second excavation across the west ditch in 1958 recovered 24 small pieces of Beaker pottery from the bottom 18 inches of the ditch fill, excluding the primary fill, and 4 larger pieces from the primary fill. There is evidence to suggest that the ditch was recut at this point explaining the presence of the later pottery. |
More information : (TA 0998 6578) Earthwork (NR). (1)
Greenwell describes 'two long mounds, almost parallel, their northern end gradually losing themselves in the surface-level, but connected together at the southern end by another long mound'. The principal mound being oriented E-W, 137ft long, 40ft wide on average, 5 1/2ft and 4 1/2ft high at the E and W ends respectively, less in between. The second mound ran N for 190ft from the W end of the principal mound.
(TA 0998 6578) Greenwell No 66; Greenwell's excavation showed what appeared to be a round barrow raised upon the surface of the W end of the long mound. Within the round mound and above natural surface level was an adult and child inhumation, one with a beaker. Within the grave was another inhumation with a beaker which had disturbed the remains of an earlier primary (?) burial. The disarticulated remains of an adult and child and a single piece of burnt human bone were found within the long mound 76 ft E of the grave. (2)
TA 0998 6576. A square, three-sided earthwork, the ploughed Southern end of the Woldgate cursus. The bank is still 1-2ft above the interior of the cursus and up to 4 ft above the outside. The S. bank, circa 170ft long, is spread to 60-80ft. The E and W banks, highest where they join the S bank, decline as they go northwards. In 1958 T&E Grantham, TG Manby and others found four beaker sherds at the bottom of the primary silting of the W ditch (3).
(See TA 06 NE 22 and accompanying map) 'C' to 'D' and 'E' to 'F' shown on bank, and 'D' to 'E' shown as course (4). 'A' to 'F' and 'H' to 'J' seen as soil marks. (5 and 6). (3-6)
Area ploughed through, visible as a slight ground swelling only.
Published survey (25") Revised. (7)
TA 099 657 - TA 099 665. Earthwork on the Sheepwalk stretching N from Wold Gate for 530yds (480m). Scheduled No HU/105. (8)
Cursus A runs northwards from Wold Gate following a gently sinuous course to the south of Rudston village. The southern end survives as a substantial earthwork but there is no surface evidence to suggest the secondary round barrow described by Greenwell. For part of its length the banks and ditches of the cursus are visible as shallow earthworks, however across the floor of the Great Wold Valley there is no trace. (9)
The Rudston monolith (TA 06 NE 13) stands on a spur in the angle of the Great Wold Valley which is the focus of three cursus monuments, 'A', 'B', 'C' (see TA 06 NE 46-47). A fourth cursus 'D' (TA 06 NE 48) occupies the floor of the Great Wold Valley. The date of the cursuses is still to be confirmed. Cursus A must predate the Beaker accompanied burials inserted into its southern terminus bank. The overlying round barrow mound indicates a remodelling of the site and was probably responsible for the Beaker sherds in the lower silt of the cursus ditch. (10)
A map has been drawn of the group of four cursuses at Rudston from aerial photographs. Only in the case of Cursus 'A' are the positions of both ends known. (11) |