Ballaugh Glen (also known as The Purt, Upper Glendhoo and Slieau Curn)

Date(s): 1996-2004

Creator(s): Centre for Manx Studies

Administration / Biographical History: In 1995 Manx Nature Conservation Trust purchased 20 acres of enclosed farmland alias The Purt in Upper Glendhoo, Ballaugh (cSC 351907). The Centre for Manx Studies undertook a historic landscape survey, as a teaching exercise, of the catchment of upper Glendhoo in which the new reserve lies. During the duration of the project some 16 distinct activities were undertaken and are treated separately below:

1) Archaeology of the hills and slopes above Glendhoo/Field Survey (1996)
2) Field boundary survey in the valley floor (September 1996)
3) Survey of built structures in the valley floor (1996)
4) Botanical surveys (1996 and 1997)
5) Geomorphological survey (1996 and 1997)
6) ‘Upper Glendhoo, Ballaugh, Isle of Man: field survey, September 1996’ publication (1997)
7) Excavation of Sites 15 and 16 Slieau Curn, 5th to 26th July 1997
8) Soil analysis survey (1997)
9) Archaeological investigations at the Purt in two parts (July 1997)
10) Andrew Hartley CAD site plan (1997)
11) Additional field survey 21st April 1998
12) Oxford Brookes habitat survey (1998)
13) Aborted excavation on Slieau Curn 10th to 23rd July 1999
14) Oxford Brookes Digital terrain map (1999)
15) Excavation of Slieau Curn, Site 22 (Iron age) SC34429120 (May 2000)
16) Ballaugh Glen Project proposed final publication (2000 to 2004)

1. Archaeology of the hills and slopes above Glendhoo/Field Survey (1996)
In 1996 new sites in the hills and slopes above Glen Dhoo were located and surveyed. A total of 89 features were recorded and plotted; the areas covered by plantations were not surveyed. This extensive list included a range of linear, rectangular and circular earthworks as well as sub-terrain features (Woodcock, 1997a).

2. An archaeology and landscape history of the valley floor/land use (1996)
Field boundaries in the lowland farm area of Glendhoo were assessed in some detail with a view to determining a relative chronology (undated but sequential) and to understanding their origin. The following plots were surveyed: 1820 to 1823, 1832 to 1840, 1844, 1846 to 1847, 1850 to 1854, 1857 to 1868. New maps produced include field access, land use and historical ownership (Johnson 1997a).

3. Survey of built structures in the valley floor (1996)
A total of 17 buildings present on the 1868 1st Edition 25” Ordnance Survey map was investigated in September 1996. The structures were dealt with in three groups: Group 1 (buildings 1 to 10) at the Phurt, Group 2 (buildings 1 to 8) in upper Glendhoo and Group 3, a small number of ephemeral structures at the head of the valley. In Group 1, nine of the ten buildings were located and in Group 2 six of the eight were found. Groups 1 and 2 consisted of farmhouses, farm buildings and a mill. The dating and chronology of the structures at the head of the valley were unclear, so limited excavation was proposed (Johnson 1997b).

4. Botanical survey (1996 and 1997)
A total of 97 plant species were recorded at 24 sites in varying habitats. Surveying took place during Sept 1996 and again in March to April 1997 with additional data from 24 quadrats A to C, at site H1 to 4 (Davey 1997b).

5. Geomorphology survey (1996 and 1997)
A geomorphology survey of physical features in Upper Glendhoo was carried out in 1996. This concentrated on the three river terraces represented in the valley and their associated meander scars. In 1997 the survey focussed on mapping drift exposures and the levelling of the terraces (Davey 1997c).

6 ‘Upper Glendhoo, Ballaugh, Isle of Man: field survey, September 1996’ publication
A seven-chapter publication combining all the elements and surveys which were undertaken during the 1996 season was produced in 1997.

7 Excavation of Sites 15 and 16, Slieau Curn, 7th to 26th July 1997
Excavations were carried out on two of the structures identified on the northern slopes of Slieau Curn in the 1996 survey at SC 34561 91444. They were aimed at identifying the age and function of these earthwork structures and were directed by Dr P J Davey for CMS and supervised by Dr J J Woodcock. They took place over 18 days from 7th to 25th July 1997; Liverpool undergraduate students and Manx volunteers took part. The structure of the building appears to have been primarily turf and was surrounded by (tested) agricultural soils. Three super-imposed hearths were uncovered in the central floor space as well as three flint fragments. The most recent hearth contained five sherds of ‘early’ Manx granite tempered ware, and a small fragment of iron slag. Charcoal from it produced a carbon date of cal AD 1220-1286 (AA-28386), whilst the hearth beneath it dated to cal AD 1053-1268 (AA-28387). The pottery, carbon dates and surrounding field system suggests a Norse period farm on land that became less hospitable for settlement later in the Middle Ages (Davey 2014; Davey & Allwood 2016b).

8 Soil analysis survey (1997)
This was carried out during July 1997. Seventy-two 50ml samples were taken from the same 24 sites used in the botanical survey. Three samples were taken from each area and plotted on an OS map. PH results ranged from 4.01 (Sample 51, Ulex) to 6.84 (Sample 72, Gramineae).

9 Archaeological investigations at the Purt in two parts (July 1997)
Part 1- Excavation at the Purt, of early modern buildings - Group 1, Building 10 SC35096 90855
Identified in the Sept 1996 survey, fragmented Building 10 is one of a small group of structures on the valley floor. The excavations located all four sides of the building and established its primary relationship to the present trackway. Associated finds consisted of 48 fragments of window and bottle glass and 19 ceramic sherds, of later 18th and 19th century date. None were retained (cf Johnson 1997b; Davey and Allwood 2017).

Part 2 - Excavation at The Purt, early modern buildings (lime kiln) - Group 3, structure 1 SC35030 90359
Identified in the Sept 1996 survey, Group 3, structure 1, the larger of three of ephemeral structures was subject to a limited excavation (removal of bulk and vegetation from within) to establish its nature and function. Ovoid mound (5mx3.6m) built of riverine boulders with an arc (1.3m) of good quality stone work at its centre. This had been subject to considerable heat as at its surface silicon within the stones had fused. The structure was interpreted as a lime kiln which was situated just beyond an area of intact and was probably constructed when the new land was enclosed for farming probably during the late 18th century. There were no finds (cf Johnson 1997b; Davey and Allwood 2017).

10 Andrew Hartley CAD site plan (1997)
This re-survey work by Andrew Hartley took place during the 1997 fieldwork placement, and was completed with the help of Ray Moore and the fieldwork placement students. The objective was to check on all sites numbered from [7] to [34] from the 1996 Archaeology of the hills and slopes above Glendhoo/ Field survey. The group worked on a larger scale map with a proper base-line and produced detailed and up-dated site location maps of the study area. Some additional sites were identified during this survey and are marked AH I - III. Site AH III was known about (part of [29]) but not included in the 1996 Research Report (Davey et al 1997). Material present includes field notes and sketches, as well a series of draft reports to accompany the sketch plans which report on conditions, methodology, site condition and detailed site survey information etc.

11 Additional field surveys, July 1997 and 21st April 1998
During the fieldwork placement an additional limited field survey of the east-facing hillside below Site 34 A to C was undertaken. These sites were re-examined and two new sites D and E and two new boundary banks were located. The sites were re-examined during the following April in order to re-assess them when the vegetation was low. Sites 7 to 34 were also re-assessed; Site 34 D was re-interpreted and two new sites and a few new stretches of bank were recorded. The plantation was investigated, but no further features were identified.

12 Oxford Brookes habitat survey (1998)
In 1998 students from Oxford Brookes, as part of a cartography degree, undertook a habitat survey representing the broad ecological zones present in the study area. Nick Davies, Kate Cooper and Mirabelle Stobbs, as well as others unnamed, produced maps and a report entitled ‘Habitat types in upper Glendhoo’ on behalf of CMS.

13 Student fieldwork placement (10th to 23rd July 1999)
During July 1999 an additional year of student fieldwork placement was planned. Areas of study were to continue from the previous years but with a new excavation at Site 22 on Slieau Curn. The season never took place and “in the event, we were unfortunately unable to carry out the work due to other more pressing commitments at Rushen Abbey”.

14 Oxford Brookes Digital terrain map (1999)
In 1999, a survey and mapping project of the prehistoric settlement above Slieau Curn was carried out by students of Oxford Brookes University on behalf of CMS as part of a cartography degree. This survey included prehistoric hut platforms and field boundaries, landscape measurements and a digital terrain model of Site 22.

15 Excavation of Slieau Curn, Site 22 (Iron age) SC34429120 (May 2000)
Whilst it was not possible to establish the nature of the building, the excavation indicated that a substantial Iron Age timber structure had once existed in the centre of the site. Investigation found four evenly-spaced stake-holes around the inner edge of the encircling bank, which enclosed a level central space. Towards the centre there was a large stone-packed post-pit from which the post appeared to have been deliberately withdrawn. Charcoal taken from this pit fill gave a determination of cal BC 395-56 (AA-39815) and peat from the silting-up of the same pit a date of cal AD 690-998. Charcoal fragments from the turf bank produced a carbon date of cal BC 795-398 (AA-39814) at 2σ (Davey and Allwood 2016a). There were no finds.

16 Ballaugh Glen Project proposed final publication (2000-2004)
A 6-chapter publication was compiled but not completed combining all the elements and surveys undertaken at The Purt, Ballaugh Glen. The chapters were proposed as follows; 1. Geomorphology, 2. Early prehistory, 3. Later prehistory, 4 and 5. Later history, 6. Natural history. Extras were to include articles on the surveys and the excavations from which the material for the various chapters would have been extracted from. The material present includes mostly correspondence, meeting notes and proposed structure details, although a range of illustrative material was accumulated. In addition to this, an Ornithological assessment paper by Aron Sapsford was included. This article was produced separately from CMS but was produced in connection with MNCT and was considered as an appropriate addition to the final publication.

People:
J. J. Woodcock (JJW), P. J. Davey (PJD), N.C. Johnson (NCJ) and Hazel Simons (MNH).
University of Liverpool’s archaeology and geography undergraduates, and volunteers from the Manx Nature Conservation Trust (MNCT).
Additional individuals: William Cain, Jean Buck and John Lamb (MNCT), Phil Freeman (Liverpool), Stephen Harrison (MNH), J. Lamb and R. Pollard (Forestry).
Students: Kelly Alderson, Stephaney Barr, Eve Cockburn, S. Graupner, David Green, Theresa O’Mahony and David Pressley.
Manx Volunteers: Clair Bryan, Clair Corkill, Miranda Fargher, M. Hastings, Richard Moore, Pat Newton, J. Sayle and S. Thrower.

Language: English

Collection: Manuscript Archive

Level: SERIES

ID number: MS 14146/35

Access conditions: No regulations or restrictions are implemented on this material. Advance notification of a research visit is advisable by emailing library@mnh.gov.im

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