The site
of Lilla Cross once formed the boundaries of four Medieval parishes as well as
the junction of two trackways and the limits of an estate belonging to Whitby
Abbey in the 11th century - it still forms part of a modern political boundary
today. Long before this of course the Bronze
Age inhabitants of the North Yorkshire Moors area built a round
barrow here that formed part of their own territorial boundary that included
Flat Howes, Pen
Howes, Breckon Howe, Sil
Howe, Flass Brow, Robbed
Howe, Foster Howes, Ann
Howe, Louven Howe, Lilla Howe,
High Woof Howe and Low
Woof Howe. These barrow run in a roughly northwest-southeast direction from
Black Brow close to the High Bride
Stones down to near the head of the valley of Stockland Beck about seven miles
away in what is now the Langdale Forest. The barrow of Lilla Howe itself was constructed
of earth and stone and measures about 20 metres in diameter and stands over a
metre tall although it has been quite badly damaged over the years - the photograph
above shows a track cutting across the southern edge, there is also one to the
north. The site has fine views with Goathland Moor to the west, Sneaton High Moor
to the north, Fylingdales Moor to the east and Langdale Forest to the south.
The cross takes its name from an 8th century Saxon nobleman who died saving the
king's life although the style of the carving is thought to date it to the 10th
century, it is interesting to note that excavations of the barrow have uncovered
Anglo Saxon and Viking grave goods.
Just a few paces to the northeast of Lilla Howe at SE88929871
is another smaller barrow that is easily overlooked, it measures around 13 metres
in diameter but is only about half a metre high and badly overgrown. |
