Hampson Green Site

Mark · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:09 pm **Posts:** 32

Hello everyone
My name is Mark and I live in Preston. I have been reading this forum and blog for a while now and really enjoy it. I have been doing my own reaserch on the side as a hobby for about 2-3 years now mapping via aerial pictures and old maps the roman road network over the wyre and lancaster district. I paid special attention to the Hampson area as its where I grew up. I got a bit of a surprise when I found this in my old back garden ! I have spent the last couple of weeks checking the site on foot and doing a comprehensive search throwing up tons of associated sites. I hope you like these pics and can help me to build up a better picture as to what they are and are for. I' am guessing its a Setantii tribe site probably late iron age mixed with some roman and later although it looks as there has been serious occupation here for quite a long while. Please bear in mind I have no idea what to do next. Anyone lend me a spade ? :lol:

I have had a quick email with Brian and apparantly Dave Hampson is the guy to talk to and view all the pics and site with me. There is loads more pics and I could do to explain the context to each other face to face. Help Dave I live in Fulwood too, can we meet up ? Anyway here are a few pics, I hope you like it all and please ask any questions or let me know what you think. I think its fair to say the Hampson dobbie has somthing to do with it !

Cheers!
Mark

Mark · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:09 pm **Posts:** 32

More pics
The first pic of the first batch is at conder green less than a mile from the main ring.

Mark · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:09 pm **Posts:** 32

last few of pics of the conder circle today !

wyrearchaeology · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:50 am

Hi Mark,

Those photographs certainly look intriguing. The circles are way too large to be roundhouses, by the looks of things, but they're probably circular enclosures of some description.
What we could do with here are some good oblique aerials. Frank? If you happen to be up that way any time soon...
The next thing would be to find out who owns the fields so we can take a ground level look.
Can you let us know what the exact co-ordinates are, Mark?

PhilB · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:50 pm

I`m fascinated by these marks and have had a look on GoogleMap around Hampson. This shot is of a field 1000ft east of the M6 between Whams Lane and Anyon Lane. Knowing nothing about crop marks, could anyone comment on what these might be?

Mark · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:09 pm **Posts:** 32

I have seen that mark and filtered it ! it seems to be the footprint of an 18/19th century large barn. There is one less than a mile away with and identical footprint. I will post some more pics tonight.
the area is chocked full of really first class archeology. The more you look the more you find. Its really exciting ! (yes I don't get out much :lol:

) I will get some gps co'ords tonight for you all.

Mark

frankjsmith · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:19 pm

Well spotted Mark, some of the features look interesting, although some appear to be just harvesting tracks left by the machines. I've sussed out where all your photos are, and on the strength of that I have booked the Cessna for next Thursday at 4.30 pm, weather permitting. I've 3 spare seats so if anyone is interested PM me. Cost will be no more than £15 each, depending on how long we take.

PhilB · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:44 pm

Can I request an opinion on these two extracts from my photo above?

PhilB · **Posted:** Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:49 pm

I`ve just realized that one of the above (the Audi rings) is where a tractor has turned! What about this one?

wyrearchaeology · **Posted:** Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:29 am

To be honest Phil, that one looks like one of the farmhands has been whiling away a few minutes on the tractor, and the snake-like crop mark further up the page is probably just the remains of a natural watercourse.
The circular features in the original photographs, however, have a bit more archaeological potential.

PhilB · **Posted:** Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:42 am

Thanks but it wasn`t the double ring I was referring to in that last one - it was the faint trapezoidal shape around it.

DaveH · **Posted:** Sat Sep 26, 2009 4:30 pm

Mark,

I'm not sure what Brian has told you - I'm not the Hampson Dobbie (what is that anyway?) nor am I knowlegeable about Hampson Green despite my surname. Hampson is a fairly common surname in N of England and I suppose it derives like most of the other names ending in 'son' from 'son of...' (Jackson, Peterson, Johnson etc). 'Hamr' is an Old Norse personal name that can be found in Hampsfell (Hamesfell 1292/1314). However a 'hamps' (hamhesp) as any Old English person would tell you is a stream or river that dries up in summer so there are a number of place names that might derive from that meaning.

wyrearchaeology · **Posted:** Sat Sep 26, 2009 5:34 pm

Dave,

To be honest it was more the fact that Mark currently lives in Fulwood that immediately put me in mind of you. (The surname was just a coincidence.) I'm very intrigued by some of those earthworks (especially considering that they appear to not only cross field boundaries, but Saxon tenement strip boundaries at that).

I thought you might be able to meet up with Mark and get as much information as possible on behalf on the society...possibly present it at a future meeting.

Just a thought...

Phil,

You're absolutely right...the straight double-lined feature does have a smack of a road about it...although it might just be an old field boundary. Definitely requires investigation, whatever the case, I reckon.

Mark · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:09 pm **Posts:** 32

hi guys
Sorry I have not put the extra details up tonight again but I totally forgot I was on duty all night. I promise I will pop up some more teasers and co-ordinates tommorow. I' am really glad they look good to you guys too. Dave I was hoping to meet up with you soon to show you all the pictures and show you the geographical context of the site. I live in the Longsands lane area and I' am happy to have you come over or I can come to you if that is better for you. I will send you a PM with my home number if you want to ring me to arrange somthing. I have done a bit of digging (pardon the pun) and found out a bit about the old terrain and layout as it use to be. Access to the site should not be too much of a problem as I grew up here and know most of the land owners. I would love to come to the next meeting too if thats ok ?
Cheers!
Mark

Mark · **Joined:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:09 pm **Posts:** 32

P.S this is the reference to I made to the Hampson dobbie. It kinda ties in to the archaeology

http://wyrearchaeology.blogspot.com/search?q=hampson

Cheers!
Mark

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