Fragments of Archaeology and Glimpses of History in the Landscapes of North the North York Moors

11. Crosses in the Castleton and Danby Area and other 'stone markers' in the same landscape

There are many crosses on the North Yorkshire Moors, mostly medieval in origin to mark important roads, but some no doubt have a different tale to tell.

White Cross is above Castleton at the T junction with the road up from Commondale (in the background). The base may be medieval and the remaining shaft 'dressed' 18th century stonework, but some consider both pieces relatively modern? On two sides of the shaft is a carved cross (date?). Several paved pannier ways or stone trods lead from it to Castleton, Commondale, Guisborough.

If you follow the track eastwards from White Cross with the 'peak' of Freebrough Hill is just visible on the right you eventually .....

... find a few hundred metres along on the left, and easily missed, Job Cross, which does not appear to be near any track or road these days. Possibly where a track from Moorsholm to Castleton crossed the old west road, part of the Siss Cross Road.

Continuing eastwards and then heading south-east you can find the old trig point on Siss Cross Hill, the highest point on the northern extremity of Danby Low Moor, here looking towards the coast and Freebrough Hill (in the distance, just to the left of the trig point).

Looking from the now dues to satellites 'defunct' trig point over the huge expanse of moorland towards Fryup Dale and Danby Dale.

Wandering down further in a south easterly direction you find the remains (maybe?) of Siss Cross, looking south towards Fryup Dale and Danby Dale. Some consider no remains of the medieval cross and a stone erected to mark its undisputed position.

Siss cross, looking eastwards towards the 'peak' of Danby Beacon (top left), which in fact is a bronze/iron? age burial mound or tumulus (you can just make it out!). You can then follow the Siss Cross 'Road' - path! down to Rosedale Intake at the top end of Danby.

After descending south to the top end of Danby, a small diversion off the path to Castleton - is what is believed to be a prehistoric standing stone, found by Peter Woods and re-erected on his land near Rosedale Intake en route for Castleton-Danby medieval Park wood and onto Castleton village on the ridge road south.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

Castleton on the ridge (ii), viewed from the Castleton-Danby path through the ancient 'hunting' Park Wood (i). Prior to the building of Danby Castle, the first castle was built overlooking the important River Esk crossing point, where the modern bridge, built 1874, centre of picture (iii), replaced the medieval Bow Bridge.

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* Small prehistoric and historic items occasionally appear in the 'archaeological' landscape when out walking over the tracks and heather-bracken clad moorland of the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, Northern England, or cycling or motoring along the quiet country roads to the many towns and villages of the dales often passed through by hasty tourists. BUT, there are many historic churches and other buildings in these towns and villages rich in history in and around the Moors, with their own extensive prehistory-archaeology stretching back over 1000 years of history and as well as the tumuli (burial mounds) megalithic standing stone alignments of the 4000+ years of very ancient archaeology, items in the landscape well worth pausing for a visit.  *  page updated Jan 10th  *  EMAIL Phil Brown  *  images-photographs-photos-webshots-pictures © Dr W P Brown  *