Training and Trenches

A First World War centenary community archaeology project in the

Yorkshire Dales National Park

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

June 2015

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Training and Trenches was carried out between January and July 2014 by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund through their ‘Understanding the First World War’ programme. Copyright © Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Contact: Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Yoredale, Bainbridge North Yorkshire DL8 3EL herinfo@yorkshiredales.org.uk http://www.outofoblivion.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/dalesarch Cover illustration: Training and Trenches excavation open day at Giggleswick School © YDNPA Contributors – James Spry: Principal Author and Editor Miles Johnson: Rifle Range, Drill Hall, Training Trenches Survey, Editor Robert White: Editor David Johnson: Training Trenches Excavation Hannah Brown: Geophysical Survey Jenny Vaughan: Pottery Michael Miles: Documentary Research

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Table of Contents

Table of Figures .............................................................................................................................. iv

List of Tables................................................................................................................................... vi

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. vii

1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1

2 The Sites .................................................................................................................................... 2

2.1 Castleberg Drill Hall ............................................................................................................. 2

2.2 Attermire Rifle Range .......................................................................................................... 3

2.3 Training Trench Earthworks ................................................................................................. 3

3 Project Aims and Objectives....................................................................................................... 4

4 Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 5

4.1 Documentary Research ....................................................................................................... 5

4.2 Surveys ............................................................................................................................... 5

4.2.1 Drill Hall......................................................................................................................... 5

4.2.2 Rifle Range ................................................................................................................... 6

4.2.3 Training Trench Earthworks – plane table ..................................................................... 6

4.2.4 Training Trench Earthworks – geophysical .................................................................... 7

4.3 Excavation ........................................................................................................................... 7

5 Results & Interpretation .............................................................................................................. 8

5.1 Documentary research......................................................................................................... 8

5.1.1 Preliminary Research .................................................................................................... 8

5.1.2 Giggleswick School Archive ........................................................................................ 15

5.1.3 Imperial War Museum, London ................................................................................... 18

5.1.4 North Yorkshire County Record Office, Northallerton .................................................. 22

5.2 Surveys ............................................................................................................................. 23

5.2.1 Drill Hall....................................................................................................................... 23

5.2.2 Rifle Range ................................................................................................................. 28

5.2.3 Training Trenches ....................................................................................................... 31

5.3 Geophysical Survey ........................................................................................................... 33

5.4 Excavation ......................................................................................................................... 34

5.4.1 Excavation Trench 1.................................................................................................... 35

5.4.2 Excavation Trench 2.................................................................................................... 38

5.4.3 Excavation Trench 3.................................................................................................... 40

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5.4.4 Pottery Report ............................................................................................................. 42

6 Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 43

6.1 Drill Hall ............................................................................................................................. 43

6.2 Rifle Range ........................................................................................................................ 45

6.3 Training Trenches .............................................................................................................. 47

6.3.1 Trench Warfare ........................................................................................................... 47

6.3.2 Surveys ....................................................................................................................... 51

6.3.3 Excavation .................................................................................................................. 52

7 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 56

7.1 Drill Hall ............................................................................................................................. 56

7.2 Rifle Range ........................................................................................................................ 57

7.3 Training Trenches .............................................................................................................. 57

8 Outreach .................................................................................................................................. 59

8.1 Documentary Research ..................................................................................................... 59

8.2 Surveys ............................................................................................................................. 60

8.3 Excavation ......................................................................................................................... 61

8.4 Dissemination .................................................................................................................... 62

9 Legacy ..................................................................................................................................... 64

Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 66

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Table of Figures

Figure 1. The location of the sites investigated as part of this project. ............................................. 1

Figure 2. The road side exterior of the Castleberg Drill Hall. ........................................................... 2

Figure 3. The rifle range butts at and markers shelter at Attermire. ................................................. 3

Figure 4. Lidar image of two suspected First World War training trenches within the grounds of

Giggleswick School. ........................................................................................................................ 4

Figure 5. Walter Morrison as depicted in the 1920 publication ‘Cravens Part in the Great War’. ...... 8

Figure 6. Walter Morrison in his NCRC uniform. .............................................................................. 9

Figure 7. The 1/6th Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment as depicted in ‘Craven’s Part in the

Great War’..................................................................................................................................... 10

Figure 8. ‘Craven’s Part in the Great War frontispiece. .................................................................. 11

Figure 9. The Giggleswick School OTC, 1910. .............................................................................. 12

Figure 10. The Giggleswick detachment at the OTC camp at Tidworth Pennings, Salisbury Plain in

1911. ............................................................................................................................................. 13

Figure 11. Members of the Giggleswick OTC during a Field Day, c.1917. ..................................... 14

Figure 12. The First World War memorial inside the Giggleswic School Chapel. ........................... 15

Figure 13. Cover of the 1914 Almanac. ......................................................................................... 16

Figue 14. A copy of the Musketry Regulation handbook (not IWM copy). ...................................... 21

Figure 15. The south gable. .......................................................................................................... 23

Figure 16. The roadside elevation. ................................................................................................ 23

Figure 17. The north gable. ........................................................................................................... 24

Figure 18. The soot line indicating the roofline of the (since removed) additional covered entrance

at the north gable. ......................................................................................................................... 24

Figure 20. The cast iron sweeping hatch into the flue. ................................................................... 25

Figure 19. The outline of the footing of the covered entrance. ....................................................... 25

Figure 21. An internal view of the Drill Hall looking towards the elevated viewing balcony. ........... 26

Figure 22. The original stairwell leading up to the balcony. ........................................................... 27

Figure 23. The fireplace and engraved mantelpiece. ..................................................................... 27

Figure 24. The brass plaque war memorial ................................................................................... 28

Figure 25. Survey reduced from 1:100 field drawing. .................................................................... 29

Figure 27. The rear (left) and front (right) of two separate iron targets at the Attermire Rifle Range.

...................................................................................................................................................... 30

Figure 26. Fired lead bullets (left and center) recovered from the scree slope and a contemporary

empty lead case (right). ................................................................................................................. 30

Figure 28. The plane table survey drawing. ................................................................................... 32

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Figure 29. Greyscale data plot of the magnetometer data. ............................................................ 33

Figure 30. Archaeological interpretation of the magnetometer data. .............................................. 34

Figure 32. A finished shot of Trench 1 showing the undisturbed lychet subsoil. ............................ 37

Figure 33. The finished north-eastern profile of Trench 1 .............................................................. 37

Figure 34. The east facing profile of Trench 2. .............................................................................. 38

Figure 35. A close-up of the east facing profile of Trench 2, showing the upper and lower trench

fills. ............................................................................................................................................... 39

Figure 36. An east facing shot of the finished Trench 2. ................................................................ 40

Figure 37. The east facing profile of Trench 3. .............................................................................. 41

Figure 38. The finished east facing profile of Trench 3 showing the minimal depth of the earthwork

and the undisturbed lychet subsoil. ............................................................................................... 42

Figure 39. Nelsons reconstruction drawing of the Attermire Rifle Range structure. ....................... 45

Figure 40. The external face of the stop butt at East Weares rifle range. ...................................... 46

Fig. 41. Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban’s fortress attack design. ................................................ 48

Fig. 42. Sketch plan of Boer trenches from the Second Boer War. ................................................ 48

Figure 43. Aerial photograph showing the opposing trench systems between Loos and Hulluch in

July 1917. ..................................................................................................................................... 49

Fig. 44. Instructional diagram of font line trenches from the British War Office manual “British

Trench Warfare 1917-1918: a reference manual”. ......................................................................... 50

Figure 45. The Quarry Hil South West survey at Redmires. .......................................................... 51

Figure 46. Cross section of a communication trench from the British War Office manual “British

Trench Warfare 1917-1918: a reference manual”. ......................................................................... 53

Fig. 47. Cross section of a fire trench from the British War Office manual “British Trench Warfare

1917-1918: a reference manual”. .................................................................................................. 54

Fig. 48. Cross section of a fire trench in west soil from the British War Office manual “British Trench

Warfare 1917-1918: a reference manual”. ..................................................................................... 55

Figure 49. Research Assistant Michael Miles outside the Imperial War Museum in London. ......... 59

Figure 50. Talking to members of the public during the rifle range survey. .................................... 60

Figure 51. The survey team at the training trench earthworks. ...................................................... 61

Figure 52. Students from Giggleswick School being shown how to record a trench by a member of

the Ingleborough Archaeology Group. ........................................................................................... 61

Figure 53. First World War re-enactors giving a lesson on trench warfare during the site open day.

...................................................................................................................................................... 62

Figure 54. The Training and Trenches talk at the Craven Museum & Art Gallery. ......................... 63

Figure 55. A screen shot of the ‘Yorkshire Dales Archaeology’ Facebook page and the Attermire

Rifle Range post. .......................................................................................................................... 63

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List of Tables

Table 1. Context register for excavation. ....................................................................................... 35

Table 2. Small finds register for excavation. .................................................................................. 35

Table 3. Pottery catalogue. ........................................................................................................... 43

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Acknowledgements The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority wouldn’t have been able to carry out the Training and

Trenches project to the standard that it did without the help of many different external groups and

individuals. Therefore the authority’s Historic Environment Team would like to thank the following

for their input into the project:

The Heritage Lottery Fund, the Council for British Archaeology, Gigggleswick School staff and

students, the Richard Whiteley Theatre, Ingleborough Archaeology Group, Ingleborough District

Scout Group, The Museum of North Craven Life, The Craven Museum and Gallery, Giggleswick

Primary School staff and students, the Yorkshire Dales Young Archaeologists Club, the Yorkshire

Dales Young Rangers, the National Parks Mosaic project, Leeds Royal Armouries, Anthony

Crawshaw and Bill Flentje, Archaeological Services WYAS, Finlay King and Emma Wilson, the

Cravens Part in the Great War website, the North Craven Historical Research Group, the Dales

Volunteers, the North Yorkshire County Record Office, the Imperial War Museum in London, the

Kirby Malham Local History Group, and all of the individuals who attended the project open day

and talks.

All of those involved have demonstrated how rich the community spirit is within and around the

Yorkshire Dales and the level of interest there is in the Dales’ historic environment.

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1 Introduction

The First World War centenary runs from 2014 to 2018. Across Great Britain and the globe

individuals, communities and various organisations will be undertaking a range of projects and

activities to commemorate the sixteen million plus people who died during the Great War. This

included around 10 million military personnel and 7 million civilians. 888,246 British military

personnel were killed, with a further 1.2 million from around the British Empire, and around 1.6

million British soldiers were wounded. In addition, there were approximately a further 107,000 war-

related deaths among British civilians, resulting from factors such as malnutrition and disease.

As powerful as these statistics are, they do not tell us about the impact of the Great War on a local

scale in Great Britain, with communities from every corner of the country greatly affected by the

event that changed the world forever. It is important to understand the people, events and

communities behind these statistics and bring the stories of our ancestors alive. Archaeological

research provides an effective and engaging means of doing this. The Training and Trenches

project focuses on the physical legacy of the First World War, asking what archaeology and

standing structures can tell us about the impact of the war in the Settle area of the Yorkshire Dales

National Park. It focuses on three sites – the Castleberg Drill Hall in Settle; a rifle range at the foot

of Attermire Scar; and a pair of suspected training trench earthworks within the Giggleswick School

Estate (Fig. 1). It used documentary research, archaeological survey, and a targeted

archaeological excavation.

Previous research into the physical legacy of the First World War on the Home Front has been

limited, particularly among small rural communities. Nevertheless, the archaeology and architecture

of the Great War is being increasingly recognised and appreciated, with buildings such as Drill

Halls and other training facilities coming to the attention of archaeologists and historians alike.

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2

3

Figure 1. The location of the sites investigated as part of this project – 1. Castleberg Drill Hall; 2.

Attermire Rifle Range; 3. Training Trench Earthworks.

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Training and Trenches is a community project, supported by a £7,000 award from the Heritage

Lottery Fund as part of their ‘Understanding the First World War’ programme. The project began in

January 2014 with an application to the HLF by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

(YDNPA). The award was made in April, and the project culminates with the production of this

report, which will present to you the story of the project, the events that it included, the people

involved, and the results of the archaeological research.

2 The Sites

2.1 Castleberg Drill Hall

The Castleberg Drill Hall (YDNPA Historic Environment Record (HER) reference MYD59710) (Fig.

2), is a large stone building located at grid reference SD8211563547, on Castleberg Lane on the

eastern side of Settle. It is overlooked by the natural limestone outcrop Castleberg Crag to the

east. The Drill Hall has been used by the Settle Scout Group as their Scout hut since the 1930’s. It

has a kitchen and toilets and is available for private hire by the community. Although the original

form and structure of the hall remains, its internal makeup has been altered in order to provide

facilities for its current

usage.

Constructed in 1864 for

the North Craven Rifle

Corps (NCRC), the

Castleberg Drill Hall

provides an early

example of military

training in the Dales.

Drill Halls sprang up

throughout the country

from the 1860’s until the

beginning of the 20th

century and were

primarily used to aid the

training of the newly

formed local Volunteer

Forces, in addition to

offering a function

space for other local

organisations. Their

emergence resulted

from an increased investment in local military training in the aftermath of the Crimean War (1853-

1856) and the expansion of the British Empire throughout Africa and the subsequent Boer Wars

(1880-1881/1889-1902). A fresh surge in Drill Hall development came following the formation of the

Territorial Force in 1908. Two other drill stations are recorded in what is now the National Park at

Sedbergh and Reeth. Drill halls have been identified as representing an architecturally and

commemoratively significant part of our heritage which would benefit from further attention and

Figure 2. The road side exterior of the Castleberg Drill Hall.

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monitoring (Carmichael 2013).

2.2 Attermire Rifle Range

The rifle range at Attermire (YDNPA HER MYD36669) (Fig. 3) is located at grid reference

SD83856412, approximately 1.1 miles east of Settle. It lies at a height of approximately 330 metres

above sea level at the southern foot of Attermire Scar; a limestone cliff formed by the Craven Fault.

The rifle range was constructed in 1860 for shooting practice for the NCRC, who continued to use

the range up until the First World War. During the Second World War it was used by the local

Home Guard (Mussett 1980: 11). Following the abandonment of the range in the early 1950’s

(Mussett 1980: 11), it has been left relatively undisturbed by human activity. The cast iron targets

are located beside a well used public footpath, promoted as a circular walk from Settle and are

clearly visible. The site sits in an area of land that has not undergone any modern agricultural

cultivation and is used

entirely for pasture. Any

damage to the range

following its

abandonment is largely

the result of natural

degradation and animal

disturbance.

A previous small study

of the range was carried

out by Nelson (1998).

The rifle range is one of

two identified in the

Yorkshire Dales as

being used during the

First World War, the

other being just outside

the National Park near

Fell Lane, Ingleton in a

similar position against a

hillside (YDNPA HER MYD52805, SD71257360). Other nineteenth or early twentieth century rifle

ranges are known at Ellerlands, Castle Bolton (MYD43241) and Slei Gill, Arkengarthdale (MYD

43939). The date of the rifle range at Underbanks, Sedbergh (MYD33425), possibly associated

with Sedbergh School, is not recorded on the HER.

2.3 Training Trench Earthworks

The suspected training trench system (YDNPA HER MYD50937), located at grid reference SD

8112964469, is now within the grounds of the Giggleswick School Estate, having been purchased

by them in 1933. Unfortunately the previous owner(s) of the land has not been established. The

earthwork sits on the slope of Giggleswick Scar at a height of approximately 188 metres above sea

level. It is flanked to the northeast and northwest by Kelco Wood and to the southeast and

southwest by ‘The Mains’ road and the B6480 respectively. The field was until recently under

Figure 3. The rifle range butts at and markers shelter at Attermire.

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pasture and has likely been so since the early post-Medieval period. It was planted with

approximately 5,000 saplings in 2008 but the area of the earthworks was respected by this planting

and left unplanted. The underlying solid geology of the site is Carboniferous Limestone.

Giggleswick Scar, a major geological feature, was formed by the South Craven Fault. The

earthworks truncate a series of lynchets (presumed to be of medieval date) engineered into the

land. Little is known about these lynchets which represent a period of well established arable

agricultural activity in the Dales.

Very little is known about the history of the earthworks. An initial review of documentary sources by

the Giggleswick School Archivist revealed no mention of the trenches, which were first recorded by

the North Craven Historical Research Group in July 2006 and can be seen on recent vertical aerial

photographs and Lidar imaging (Fig. 4). They were provisionally identified as First World War

training trenches due to their characteristic ‘zigzag’ design. Training trenches represent a

significant yet until recently largely undocumented archaeological legacy of the Great War on home

soil (Cocroft 2013); with other examples at Redmires in Sheffield (Ullathorne 2006), Otterburn in

Northumberland (Brown 2009) and several on Salisbury Plain and Wiltshire (Brown & Field 2007).

Figure 4. Lidar image of two suspected First World War training trenches, the two parallel zigzag lines in the

centre of the image, within the grounds of Giggleswick School.

3 Project Aims and Objectives

The project had the following aims –

To increase the public awareness and understanding of the three chosen sites and the

legacy of the First World War in the Settle area.

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To demonstrate the important role that archaeological research can play in investigating the

impact of the First World War on British soil.

To engage various local community groups and individuals with their local heritage and

provide them with original learning and training opportunities.

The project sought to achieve these aims by –

Carrying out documentary research into the history of the three sites, as well as the wider

context of the First World War in the Settle area.

Carrying out measured surveys of the three sites and geophysical survey and excavation of

the possible training trench earthworks.

Comparing the results of the research to similar case studies throughout Britain.

Presenting the results of the study to the local community and the wider archaeological

community, using a diverse range of dissemination channels.

Directly involving members of the public in the excavation and survey stages of the project

and ensuring that adequate training is given.

Organising a range of interactive learning activities for children that were relevant to the

project and demonstrating the importance of archaeological investigation and historical

research.

4 Methodology

4.1 Documentary Research

This involved the analysis of a variety of documentary sources that shed light on the history of the

sites in question and to place them within the wider context of the First World War in the Settle

region. These sources included guide books, diaries, and online databases.

The research was primarily carried out at three locations – the Giggleswick School Archive, the

North Yorkshire County Record Office in Northallerton, and the Imperial War Museum in London.

As the main objectives of the project were concerned with fieldwork and community outreach the

documentary research was not intended to be an exhaustive review and only specific and directly

relevant information was recorded over the three days of research, as well as information from

several online sources, including the Kirby Malham Local History Group website. In addition

various members of the public also contributed to the research throughout the course of the

project. A volunteer Research Assistant, Michael Miles, recruited from the Yorkshire Dales National

Park Mosaic programme, helped assist with the documentary research as well as with the

fieldwork.

4.2 Surveys

4.2.1 Drill Hall

A buildings survey, consisting of photographic survey and plan drawing was carried out by YDNPA

Historic Environment Team staff over one day, following the guidance set out in Understanding

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Historic Buildings: A guide to good recording practice (King 2006). A photographic record was

made (exterior and interior) of all accessible and visibly significant parts of the building, including

both detailed shots and general photos. The cellar was not accessible at the time of the survey

and is not described in this report. Photographs were made with a Canon G7 camera, taking digital

still images in jpeg format. Wherever possible, images made use of a scale. Upon completion of

the survey, images were backed up to the YDNPA server.

A measured plan of the Drill Hall was made at 1m above main floor level at a scale of 1:100 using

traditional tape measurement. While the survey was in progress, the plan was annotated with

details and architectural/archaeological observations arising from the investigation. Additional

descriptive notes were made both at the time of the survey and from the photographic archive.

4.2.2 Rifle Range

A rapid earthwork survey was completed of the remains of targets, an earthwork target stand and a

mantlet at the base of Warrendale Knotts near Attermire Scar. The full area of the rifle range,

which included several shooting platforms, stretched over an area of several hundred meters to the

south of the butts at Warrendale Knotts. The survey was restricted to only the target zone, and the

full area of the range was not surveyed as it would have proved prohibitive in time costs. However,

it is hoped that future visits can improve the survey by examining some or all of the firing locations.

The drawn survey was produced in the field using a targeted tape and offset method from a single

baseline by YDNPA Historic Environment Team staff with assistance from Anthony Crawshaw and

Bill Flentje, following the guidance set out in With Alidade and Tape: Graphical and Plane Table

Survey of Archaeological Earthworks (Jones 2002). Additional data was also captured onsite and

added to the plan. The field drawing was captured at a scale of 1:100, and is reproduced here at a

reduced scale. A digital photographic record of the site was also made.

4.2.3 Training Trench Earthworks – plane table

A plane table survey of the earthworks was undertaken. The plane table survey was undertaken by

YDNPA Historic Environment Team staff and three volunteers, over one day, following the

guidance set out in With Alidade and Tape: Graphical and Plane Table Survey of Archaeological

Earthworks (Jones 2002). Prior to the survey the area of the earthworks had been recently

strimmed by Dales Volunteers and therefore the contours of the land were clearly visible. The

survey stayed within this strimmed area. The weather conditions were very favourable for survey

work, with no ground moisture and clear skies throughout.

Survey flags were used to delineate the following features – upper zigzag, lower zigzag, upper

lynchet, lower lynchet. This enabled the survey to be carried out in stages and ensured that ground

contours were followed accurately. The survey employed the use of a traditional plane table

instrument which was positioned and levelled over a site grid point, two 50m tapes and a survey

staff, as well as using ranging poles to improve the accuracy of the survey.

Prior to the survey a grid of 10 x 10m grid squares was laid out over the survey area. This covered

the extant of the two zigzags revealed by the strimming and the corresponding lengths of the upper

and lower lynchets. This covered an area of 0.39ha. The drawing was produced at a scale of 1:200

and then reduced for the final digital image. Some additional smaller features (e.g. wooden

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sleeper) were drawn in by eye.

4.2.4 Training Trench Earthworks – geophysical

A magnetometer survey was undertaken by YDNPA Historic Environment Team staff and PhD

research student Hannah Brown from the University of Bradford, over one day, following the

guidance set out in Geophysical Survey in Archaeological Field Evaluation (Jones 2008).

Magnetometer survey has been shown to be very successful in detecting cut features as well as

being sensitive to ferrous responses (Aspinall et al. 2008). Due to poor weather conditions and the

nature of the earthworks, an earth resistance survey was not deemed appropriate. At the time of

survey, the site was under mixed vegetation, including thistles, nettles and grasses; this was less

dense in the centre of the survey area, which had previously been strimmed but was beginning to

grow back. The extent of the survey area was therefore determined by the density and height of

vegetation, and the presence of small trees in the surrounding area.

The survey was conducted over an area of 0.32ha, using 20 x 20m grid squares previously laid out

for the plane table survey as 10 x 10m grids, with a Bartington Grad601 dual sensor fluxgate

gradiometer. This instrument has a vertical separation of 1m between sensors and is sensitive to

0.03nT over a range of 100nT. A sampling interval of 0.25m was employed, along traverses

spaced 0.5m apart and orientated approx. northwest-southeast i.e. roughly parallel with the long

edge of the lynchets. Data was collected in a zig-zag manner.

The data was subject to minimal correction processes using Geoplot 3.0. A zero mean traverse

function was used to correct variation in sensor alignment, and a de-stagger function was applied

to reduce variations in sample position caused by adverse ground conditions and topography.

4.3 Excavation

A targeted excavation of the suspected training trench earthworks was undertaken, based on the

results of the plane table and magnetometer survey, following the guidelines of practice set out in

the IFA Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Excavation (2013) document. This was primarily

carried out by members of the Ingleborough Archaeology Group, directed by Dr David Johnson,

and supervised by YDNPA staff. Volunteers from other organisations and members of the general

public also took part. The strategy adopted for excavation had in mind the aims of the project as a

whole as well as the allotted time frame and manpower available and was carried out according to

a Written Scheme of Investigation prepared by the YDNPA (Spry 2014).

Topsoil was removed using hand tools and all spoil was stored on Visqueen sheeting with separate

piles for each trench. As work proceeded, excavation was undertaken mainly by trowel in softer

and more sensitive material but by controlled mattocking in consolidated training-trench backfill.

Each trench was photographed prior to excavation, after the first photo-clean and on final

completion of work. Where it was deemed necessary, intermediate photographs were also taken

and logged.

Single-context recording was used throughout; and each trench was either planned at a scale of

1:20, if any surface features were visible within the trenches (Trench 2), or had long-section profiles

drawn, at a scale of 1:10, where the main interpretive detail rested within the profiles (all three

trenches). All artefacts were allocated a small finds number, bagged, and logged by context.

Trenches were duly backfilled and re-turfed on completion of work in each trench.

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5 Results & Interpretation

5.1 Documentary research

5.1.1 Preliminary Research

Prior to and in between the three main research days, the Project Manager and Research Assistant

carried out a programme of research using several other available online sources, in addition to

generic web searches. The purpose of this research was to provide some background information

relating to the war effort in the Settle area and our three sites. In reality many sources could have

been deemed relevant to this search, however several key topics and sources did stand out and

warranted being included here. The research focused on three key themes – Walter Morrison, the

Craven Territorials, and the Giggleswick School Officer Training Corps (OTC).

Walter Morrison

Throughout the project and during several conversations with members of the public, the name of

one man came up time and time again. This man was Walter Morrison (Fig. 5). Morrison was an

English Liberal and Liberal Unionist politician who inherited the Malham Tarn Estate from his

farther in 1857 and went on to become one of Craven’s most prominent and best-loved figures. His

legacy is evident through the district and this is none more so when looking at the physical and

socio-historic legacy of the First World War – indeed a look at his contribution to the local area

covers a great deal of the background information for this project. A series of essays on Morrison’s

life written by the

Kirby Malham

History Group,

available online at

http://www.kirkbym

alham.info provides

a good

understanding of

his legacy.

Presented here,

using the

information

provided by these

essays, is a brief

outline of

Morrison’s life

which shows how

important he is to

this story.

The Dalesman

Walter Morrison

was born in

London on May

Figure 5. Walter Morrison as depicted in the 1920 publication ‘Cravens Part in the

Great War’ (http://www.cpgw.org.uk/).

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21st 1836, the son of James Morrison, a Liberal MP for Ipswich who made his fortune in

haberdashery, before moving into banking. James bought the Malham Tarn estates when they

were sold in 1852 by Lord Ribblesdale, and bequeathed it to his son Walter when he died in 1857.

It soon became Walter Morrison’s favourite home. He graduated from Oxford University with a BA

in 1857 and an MA in 1862, became an MP, first for Plymouth in 1861-74 and then the Liberal

Unionist MP for Skipton 1886-92 and 1895-1900. Clearly a well educated and highly intelligent

man, Morrison had many interests and pursuits, and appropriately for us this included archaeology.

Following its formation in 1865 he became the Honorary Chairman of the Palestinian Exploration

Fund and was a member of its governing body right through until 1919. He was actively involved in

the planning of all expeditions by the Fund and was a generous benefactor all his life culminating in

giving the Fund their current premises in central London in 1911. In addition, Morrison was a

member and financer of the Settle Cave exploration committee. The committee ran excavations at

Victoria Cave in Settle for several months each year between 1969 and 1978; excavations have

revealed a site with a rich natural and cultural history spanning from the Upper Pleistocene to the

Roman period.

Morrison became a remarkable contributor to the local area surrounding his Malham Tarn Estate,

in addition to pursuing his various business interests. A patron of Kirby Malham church, he restored

the Church End House in 1866 for use as the vicarage, provided the premises and set up the

Malham Moor Subscription School in 1872 and was a governor of Kirkby Malham School. In 1874

he built the Kirkby-in-Malhamdale United School and master's house, and donated £10,000 for a

Readership in Egyptology to his old Oxford College. He was a Governor at Giggleswick School for

60 years and Chairman of the Governors twice during that period. A notable material contribution to

the school was funding the construction of the school’s magnificent chapel to commemorate the

Queens Diamond Jubilee in 1897, at a cost of £70,000. The chapel subsequently contains a

memorial (also funded by Morrison) commemorating those students who were killed during the

Great War.

The North Craven Rifle Corps

In 1859, shortly after taking residence at Malham Tarn

Estate, Morrison helped form the North Craven Rifle Corps

(Fig. 6); one of many local Volunteer Rifle Corps formed

throughout the country in response to a Secretary of State

for Wars initiative due to the threat of war with France. On

12th May 1859, a letter was sent to the Lieutenants of the

counties of Britain authorising the formation of Volunteer

Rifle Battalions. These volunteer battalions, of which locally

formed Corps were part, stood as a safeguard for home

defence in the event of a French invasion (Mussett 1980:

11). An inaugural meeting held on July 6th 1859 at the

Settle Court House resulted in the formation of the NCRC,

with Walter Morrison and John Birkbeck as Secretaries.

Volunteers were expected to pay for all or at least part of

their equipment, £3 8s 0d for a rifle and £2 1s 0d for the

uniform. By the end of the year there were around 40 Figure 6. Morrison in his NCRC uniform

(http://www.kirkbymalham.info/).

10 | P a g e

active members, with Morrison appointed the Corps’ Lieutenant. By 1860 he had funded the

construction of the Attermire Rifle Range for shooting practice and competitions, and the

Castleberg Drill Hall in 1864 as a place to practice drill and meet socially. He became the Major

Commandant and Lieutenant Colonel in 1865, going to the School of Musketry at Hythe for

training. The NCRC was championed throughout the local community, holding regular shooting

matches such as that in 1860 held on Morrison’s Malham Tarn Estate; when over 100 men from

Settle, Skipton and Ingleton competed for a silver bugle donated by him.

The Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment

Following the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 the NCRC were reformed as the Craven

Territorials. With Britain and France now allies, these new Territorial Forces acted as a reserve of

trained units for the regular Field Force in the event of war, and became the foundation for today’s

Territorial Army (Mussett 1980: 11). At 6pm on Tuesday 4th August 1914 they were mobilised and

absorbed into the 1/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment (Fig. 7), traveling to

France between 12th and 15th April 1915. They first saw action during the battle of Aubers Ridge in

May 1915, and fought in the Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916) among many others.

Demobilisation began in early 1919. Morrison gave £1000 to equip the regiment with shirts, socks

and boots and he worked tirelessly throughout the war attending war charity sales, recruitment

meetings, and fund raising for hospitals and relief funds.

Figure 7. The 1/6th Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment as depicted in ‘Craven’s Part in the Great

War’ (http://www.cpgw.org.uk/).

Following the 1/6th Battalion, the 2/6th Territorial Battalion formed at Skipton in September 1914,

11 | P a g e

were mobilised for war and travelled to France in January 1917, serving throughout France. They

were disbanded in France on 30th January 1918.

During September 1914, 100 men were also recruited from Settle to form Tunstill’s ‘Craven

Legion’. They eventually became ‘A’ Company of the 10th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s

(West Riding) Regiment; travelling to France in August 1915, and serving in France and Italy.

‘Cravens Part in the Great War’

To thank those men

from the Skipton

Parliamentary Division

who served in the war,

Morrison funded the

publication and free

distribution of a book

‘Craven’s Part in the

Great War’ (Fig. 8). The

book lists details, mostly

with photographs, of

over 1,500 men who

died, and contains an

article entitled ‘Craven in

Flanders’, the war record

of the 1/6th Battalion of

the Duke of Wellington’s

Regiment. It also

contains an article on

Tunstill’s Craven Legion.

A full digital version of

this book is now

available at the Cravens Part in the Great War website (http://www.cpgw.org.uk), along with a

database listing the names of those from Craven who served in the First World War. Making such

material available on line for all to see is a vital part of ensuring the legacy of these men and all

who contributed to the war effort. It is hoped that the site and its extensive database continues to

grow and receive the support it deserves.

One presentation of the book took place in Malhamdale on Saturday 24 th September 1921 and

aged 85 Morrison unexpectedly turned up to make the presentation. Too frail to get out of his car, it

turned out to be his last public appearance as he died in December of that year.

The Giggleswick School Officer Training Corps

Another key source was the 1980 publication ‘Cadets at Giggleswick’ by N. J. Musset (1980). This

book documents the history and growth of the Giggleswick School Officer Cadet Force (Fig. 9) –

later Combined Cadet Force – from its inception at the beginning of the 20th century up to the time

of the book’s publication in 1980. The following information is taken from this book, with a full

Figure 8. ‘Craven’s Part in the Great War frontispiece

(http://www.cpgw.org.uk/).

12 | P a g e

reading of the entire text strongly recommended in order to understand the history of this

successful organisation.

Pre-war years

Walter Morrison began as a Governor at Giggleswick School in 1864. This was five years after he

formed the NCRC and the same year that the Castleberg Drill Hall was built. Morrison’s affiliation

with both the school and the NCRC likely helped facilitate the relationship between these bodies

following the formation of the school’s Rifle Club. School cadet units were first formed in 1860,

although at Giggleswick not until 1906 when Giggleswick School teacher Mr A. V. Holliday formed

a Rifle Club at the school, a year after taking commission in the Settle Volunteers. At first shooting

practice took place in the covered playground and in 1907 a sub-target machine was presented by

Mr J. G. Robinson. Competitions against other schools began in 1908. Also in 1908 a miniature

range was constructed in the partially covered cloister behind the old school. The first recorded use

of the Attermire Rifle Range by the school is on Friday 23rd June 1911.

Figure 9. The Giggleswick School OTC, 1910 (Mussett 1980: 15).

In 1907, the Secretary of State Lord Haldane implemented a major reorganisation of the army,

which included the establishment of an Officer Training Corps, designed to provide Officers for the

new Territorial Force. There was a Junior Division for schools and a Senior Division for universities,

with annual training camps, coordinated training and Proficiency Certificates. The Giggleswick

Officer Training Corps was formed in 1910 with school chaplain, the Rev. C. F. Pierce undertaking

command and forty nine boys joining. Within a year this number had reached sixty four and it rose

rapidly at the outbreak of war. They paid 7/6d subscription per term and rifle club members paid an

additional 2/6d. Uniform fees were thirty shillings and cadets bought their own boots. Bayonets

were issued and were either carried in scabbards or were fixed to the rifles. Initially each cadet had

a long Lee Enfield type rifle and a few .22 inch rifles for use on the miniature range; more of these

were issued in 1913. The cap badge depicted the school seal and bore the school title on the scroll

beneath, with officially approved badges of rank worn by Officers and N.C.O’s. The standard of

training delivered by these N.C.O’s throughout the country was such that several helped drill village

volunteer units following the formation of Pals Battalions in 1914.

The OTC training was assisted early on by a Sargeant Naden of the NCRC and by the end of the

first year the N.C.O’s were able to take drill sessions themselves; with a Section Shield awarded

13 | P a g e

each term for the most efficient section, based on theoretical knowledge and musketry skills. The

Giggleswick OTC attended annual camps throughout the country (Fig. 10) where they would take

part in drill training, musketry practice and field days, and they formed part of the 20th Battalion who

travelled to Windsor Great Park prior to the Royal Review by King George V – the OTC’s Colonel in

Chief – on Monday 3rd July 1911. At the end of camps, cadets would be given a train ticket and had

to find their own way home, still adorned in full military gear and carrying their weapons. Annual

inspections of OTC battalions were undertaken. Captain Windsor Clive of the War Office General

Staff commented on how much had been achieved by the Giggleswick OTC since its inception

during their first inspection on Saturday 15th July 1911. Subsequent inspections nearly always

received positive reviews.

Figure 10. The Giggleswick detachment at the OTC camp at Tidworth Pennings, Salisbury Plain in 1911

(Mussett 1980: 17).

The First World War

During the First World War the Giggleswick OTC had many changes in personnel as Officers and

N.C.O’s were called up for service, and there was a succession of Cadet Officers during this

period. This meant that different members of school staff came in to help run the OTC and with

several staff away on active service temporary appointments were made. However this resulted in

the employment of older staff who were less able at instructing more physical activities. Eventually

however, Sgt-Major J. W. Perrett of the Wiltshire Regiment took charge of the OTC training for a

three year period and help came from Officers from several other regular units. This included the

return of ex-pupil and Northumberland Fusilier Captain Alan Angus who had been at the school

from 1908 to 1913, being head boy in his final year. Whilst recovering from injuries sustained in

France, he spent a full term with the OTC before returning to France at the beginning of 1918, and

became “indispensable to the OTC” (see below).

14 | P a g e

Figure 11. Members of the Giggleswick OTC during a Field Day, c.1917 (Mussett 1980: 38).

As well as a sharp rise in OTC membership during the war, members of staff were also

encouraged to take part in some form of military training, including drill and shooting, with the staff

troop becoming known as ‘The Gorgeous Wrecks’ – a pun on the ‘GR’ royal monogram displayed

on their red arm-bands. Following an £80 donation from Walter Morrison a new uniform and kit was

adopted during the spring term of 1917 and greater time was given to military training as the war

progressed. With the War Office declaring that all cadets aged over 18 should carry out a minimum

of ten hours training a week, the Attermire Rifle Range and the indoor range were used more and

more. Regular competitions were arranged, with silver shooting spoons awarded. There were no

national annual camps during the war; however a camp was arranged for northern schools, which

the Giggleswick OTC attended. The emphasis on this increased level of training was on drill and

musketry along with the introduction of signalling. This was supplemented by route marches and

field training sessions in the local countryside (Fig. 11), during which the OTC concocted their own

marching songs, with the following sung to the tune ‘The Church’s One Foundation’ –

We are the rag-time army,

The G.S.O.T.C

We cannot fight, we cannot march,

So beastly bored are we!

But when we get to Berlin

The Kaiser he will say:

“Mein Gott! Mein Gott!

What a jolly fine lot

Are the G.S.O.T.C!”

15 | P a g e

During the winter poor weather meant that

training was often interrupted, however the

time was filled productively. Poignantly this

included listening to accounts of the war given

by old boys or members of staff returning on

leave. In addition to ‘Letters from the Front’

published in The Chronicle these accounts

helped the cadets stay in touch with the

realities of war and what they were training for.

The Chronicle noted that over 300 OTC

members were eligible for service during the

First World War. Giggleswick lost one school

master – 2nd Lt. H. F. Dyer, D. W. R – and 122

old boys during the war; or 17 per cent of ex-

pupils who fought (Fig. 12). This compares to

251 or nearly 20 per cent from Sedbergh

School. Those from Giggleswick fought with

the West Riding Regiment, as well as others

including the Durham Light Infantry and the

Canadian Infantry.

5.1.2 Giggleswick School Archive

Settle Pamphlets Vol. XXXVII

This volume includes several small articles

relevant to the project and local military

training. There is a Settle roll of honour

including men from Settle, Giggleswick and surrounding villages and towns who served in the

Great War, and an essay entitled ‘Early Days of the Settle Volunteer Corps’. As the title suggests,

this details the beginnings of the Settle Volunteers Corps, or North Craven Rifle Crops. The essay

details a shooting event in October 1860 where a silver cup valued at £20 was competed for at the

Attermire Rifle Range. Local tradesmen and innkeepers raised a fund to enable the men to procure

their cartridges at a reduced cost and local residents offered competition prizes. It details how the

Corps eventually became part of the 2nd West Yorkshire administrative Battalion with the Skipton,

Burnley, Guiseley and Ingleton Corps. From 1861 onwards there was a requirement for each man

to take part in 24 drills a year.

The information taken from this pamphlet demonstrates how much the Rifle Corps was a locally

driven organisation, as no doubt they were throughout the country. The donation of competition

prizes and fund raising for cartridges shows how people throughout the local community wanted to

contribute to this training. With such strong support for local military training it is therefore no

surprise that these volunteer regiments produced well drilled and efficient soldiers. It is important to

view the Attermire rifle range within this socio-historic context as it helps us appreciate the

significance of its preservation and interpretation to the local community today.

Figure 12. The First World War memorial inside the

Giggleswic School Chapel.

16 | P a g e

Lambert’s Settle Almanacs 1913-1916

These volumes contain great snippets of

information related to local military

training and the Great War (Fig. 13). The

1913 and 1914 volumes list the

Commanding Officers and overall

numbers of the Duke of Wellington’s 1/6th

Battalion West Riding Regiment (F

Company) for the years ending 31st

October 1912 and 1913 respectively. In

1912 the company consisted of 112 men,

and in 1913 it had grown to 124 men. The

1913 volume also includes –

“New Morrison Challenge Cup won by

Pte. R. M. Tomlinson.

The following Officer and N.C.O. are in

possession of School of Musketry

Certificates, Hythe, being attached to the

Regular Forces for a period of 3 to 5

weeks:-

Lieut.-Colonel Birbeck, J. P

Sergt. J. W. Lambert”.

Similarly, the 1914 volume includes –

“New Morrison Challenge Cup won again

by Pte. R. M. Tomlinson, by 3 points.

The following Officer and N.C.O. are in

possession of School of Musketry Certificates, Hythe, being attached to the Regular Forces for a

period of 3 to 5 weeks:-

Lieut.-Colonel Birbeck, J. P

Sergt. J. W. Lambert.”

The New Morrison Challenge Cup was a continuation of Walter Morrison’s legacy at the rifle range

and demonstrates how committed the local community remained to rifle range training and

competitions over time. There is also an evident pride in mentioning those men in possession of

School of Musketry Certificates. A School of Musketry was established at Hythe, Kent in 1853 and

qualified reserve Officers – including Walter Morrison – to be able to instruct the practice and

theory of musketry, and thus return to their regiments and train their soldiers.

In the 1913-1914 volume there is an essay entitled “To Arms…To Arms”. This poetic piece

demonstrates the feeling throughout the Settle community towards the men who volunteered for

war service. Particularly touching extracts include –

Figure 13. Cover of the 1914 Almanac

(http://www.plongprestonheritage.org.uk).

17 | P a g e

Page 3. “Craven can hold its head up in Pride, for the sons of the Yorkshire Highlands have now,

as their fathers did of old, nobly responded to the trumpet’s blast.”

“But the parents’ hearts, though anxious, are filled with laudable pride.”

Page 4. “And we are all proud of these Young Heroes.”

This is referring to those men from the 1/6th and 2/6th Battalions, as well as those in Tunstill’s

Craven Legion and it is evident how proud the community was of the businessmen, skilled

workmen, and agriculturalists who were so willing to serve their country and their protect their

community.

However, there is also mention of the ‘exceptions’ to this movement. These, the essay remarks,

were the able bodied young men who prefer the ease and comfort of home, and should be

decorated with the “Order of the White Feather.” During the First World War there emerged a

significant pacifist movement in Britain which objected to the war. This included approximately

16,500 men who were recorded as conscientious objectors following the introduction of

conscription in January 1916, many of whom were Quakers. Their opposition to involvement in the

war was based on several issues, including religious faith, non-religious belief in the sanctity of life,

and a practical belief that war is wasteful and ineffective. The promotion of justice and human rights

was at the core of their motivation. As the story of sixteen men held at Richmond prison – the

‘Richmond Sixteen’ – in 1916 demonstrates, this stance would result in harsh penalties, including

ten years hard labour, and in some cases execution (Brown 2014). Choosing to be a conscientious

objector was not a decision taken lightly and those men who refused to sway from their beliefs

demonstrated significant courage. As a result of the stance made by these men and the hardships

they endured, public opinion changed and during the Second World War conscientious objectors

were less harshly treated.

However, for the course of the Great War much of British Society was not sympathetic to the

pacifist cause. One of the most significant demonstrations of this was the introduction of the Order

of the White Feather in August 1914, where women were encouraged to present those men who

had not volunteered for service with a white feather as a mark of their perceived cowardice. As the

following extract from the Almanac demonstrates, such men were treated with contempt among

parts of the local community –

Page 4. “Whether they stay at home from greed or cowardice or laziness is immaterial.”

“…they put Self before Country…there are still specimens of humanity to be seen at whom the

finger of scorn will be pointed to their dying day…”

The sense of community spirit is further emphasised by an update on the War Relief Fund in the

1914-1915 volume (p.253), where a committee was nominated to deal with this fund. Not

surprisingly, Walter Morrison was voted in as President and Mrs John Birbeck was nominated as

Vice-President. The meeting – in the Victoria Hall on the 19th August – also discussed the

rendering assistance to the families and dependants of local service men, in particular with clothing

and general assistance. Also mentioned is a £500 donation from Walter Morrison and the intention

to send Christmas parcels to every local serviceman. There is also mention of the Belgian Relief

Fund (p.3), with concerts held at Hellifield and Long Preston to raise money. The Commission for

Relief in Belgium - or Belgian Relief Fund - was an international organization that arranged for the

supply of food to German occupied Belgium and northern France during the First World War.

18 | P a g e

This volume also displays evidence of how local people were thinking about the morality of the war.

There is mention of an open conference at the Adult School in Settle, with one talk titled “What

should be the attitude of Christians towards War” and another “Christianity and War” (p.27). It is

interesting to come across such evidence despite the government’s overbearing attempts to

maintain support for the war effort – and the potential consequences of pacifism outlined above –

and demonstrates how omnipresent the war was in the lives and minds of people on the home

front, and how its consequences were clearly playing on their consciences.

The 1914-1915 volume contains a small article about the Settle and Giggleswick Volunteer

Training Corps (VTC’s), or “Village Guards”. Significantly there is mention of drills taking place at

Giggleswick School –

Page 231. “…the Governors of Giggleswick School placed their large Covered Playground at the

disposal of the Volunteers. They have also had the use of the School Playing Field and the

privilege of practicing shooting at the Miniature Range. The members of the Corps have obtained

an advanced stage of drill and military experience.”

After Great Britain declared war on the German Empire in August 1914, there was a wave of

concern regarding a possible German invasion of the British Isles. This resulted in un-sanctioned

‘town guards’ being formed throughout the country. Eventually, by July 1915 the VTC’s were given

the legal status of Volunteer Regiments and in August 1916 they were included in the County

Infantry Regiment system. The unauthorised formation of these guard units is a testament to the

initiative of local people and their eagerness to make a direct contribution to the war effort and how

those men left at home were still willing to train in preparation for defence of their country if need

be.

In this specific case the contribution made by the school in terms of donating its facilities is further

evidence of the sense of the communal war effort among the Settle community, adding to the

history of the school, its buildings and its grounds. The VTC was also permitted use of the school’s

Miniature Range, a facility otherwise reserved for the school’s Officer Training Corps. Being given

access to these facilities helps explains why these volunteers “obtained an advanced stage of drill

and military experience.”

5.1.3 Imperial War Museum, London

Private Papers of Captain A Angus (Imperial War Museum Private Paper)

This collection of papers from Captain Alan Angus comprises accounts of his services with the

Northumberland Fusiliers including the Battles of Messines (June 1917) and Langemarck (August

1917) during which he was wounded, hospitals in Etaples and London, followed by a period as

OTC instructor at Giggleswick School during the autumn term, where he used to be a member of

the school’s OTC as well as being the school’s head boy.

Two specific extracts from these papers were noted –

Page 3. “Daily routine consisted of a march up to the Fenham end of the Town Moor where we did

physical training and infantry drill. The latter was left in the hands of those of us with OTC

experience.”

19 | P a g e

Here Captain Angus is describing part of his Officer training at East Boldon (Tyne and Wear) with

the 2nd Reserve Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. The second sentence provides insight into the

importance assigned to OTC training during the period. Those men with OTC experience were

singled out during training to lead exercises. As well as providing a ‘head start’ for those men who

went on to serve in the Great War, being a member of an OTC was seen as a commitment to a

high standard of training and the development of important leadership skills. It shows the

contribution of OTC students from Giggleswick School to the war effort before they had even left

British soil.

Page 20-21. In 1917 spent two “delightful” months as an officer instructing OTC’s, as ordered by

the War Officer for injured service men. “…in the country they had no notion of what rationing

meant”.

He does not go into any great detail about his time at the school, and only mentions that he

instructed parade drills. Nonetheless, it shows that the society was aware of the need to train

schoolboys for their increasingly likely role in the conflict. A solider straight from the front line would

have also been able to teach the schoolboys about trench warfare itself.

That he mentions he had such a “delightful” time he wanted to return the following term

(unfortunately he was ordered back to serve in France) allows us to speculate on how many similar

scenarios were welcomed at other schools throughout the war. Furthermore, his reference to

rationing in the countryside – or lack of! – gives us a delightful insight into how the war possibly

affected people from different parts of Britain in different ways.

The Officers' Training Corps year book and diary, 1913 (Douglas 1913)

This booklet provides a fascinating and comprehensive insight into the training undertaken by

23,000 (as of 1913) OTC students in the years preceding the outbreak of war. The book delivers a

detailed instruction covering all areas of military service, including use of compass and maps,

musketry, morse signalling, field kitchens, knots, camp tent roll, cleaning a rifle, using flags, judging

distances, camp life. A detailed term-by-term programme presents a strict timetable of activities,

giving a sense of military organisation and efficiency that would have helped prepare the

schoolboys for life in the army. Such a thorough and disciplined programme is further evidence of

the importance placed in the role of OTC’s and how well prepared these young Officers would have

been for war.

In particular musketry training is covered in some detail, with details on how to aim, the effect of

wind, light and rain on bullets, and scoring. This emphasis placed on musketry training coincides

with the evidence of the Giggleswick OTC practicing at the Attermire Rifle Range and helps build a

picture of the activities taking place at the rifle range; activities that proved crucial in preparing

young men for life on the front. This advanced training needed supervision, perhaps a

dissemination of knowledge and skills taking place between experienced local riflemen - e.g. the

NCRC and the Village Guard – and the OTC schoolboys.

Instructions for the training of cadets in R.A. officer cadet schools (War Office 1917)

This 1917 War Office manual details the training to be undertaken by Royal Artillery Officer Cadets.

It includes physical training, dismounted drill, gun drill, driving drill, gun sights and testing, knotting

20 | P a g e

and lashing, director and plotter, equipment, signalling and telephony, map reading, model range,

horse management, harness fitting, riding, military law and organisation, anti-gas measures.

Minimum training was 38 hours per week (p.1).

Although the Officer Cadets were training full time in comparison to the part time OTC, the depth of

skills and drills covered was very similar. This helps explain Captain Angus’ claim that those with

OTC training were chosen to lead Officer training exercises and this level of preparation should be

credited to the local schools and facilities at which many received their initial training.

The training manual also included anti-gas measures. By 1917 gas attacks on the Allied Power’s

trenches were commonplace, and although not the most deadly, mustard gas was very effective at

disabling soldiers, causing blisters, soreness in the eyes, internal and external bleeding, and

vomiting (Sidell et al. 1997). Gas attacks would often accompany artillery fire to support trench

attacks and became a prominent and effective part of the enemies’ arsenal. The inclusion of anti-

gas measures in the training manual shows how the increasing use of chemical warfare was

dictating the training undertaken by soldiers at home.

Musketry regulations. Part II: rifle ranges and musketry appliances, 1910 (War Office 1914)

This book, first produced in 1910 and re-printed with amendments in 1914, was the General Small

Arms Training Manual for British Forces just prior to WWI. It includes chapters on Range Site

Selection & Construction, Target & Appliance Construction & Use (Fig. 14). This is a very detailed

record of how to select and construct different types of rifle range sites and how to conduct training

at them. For example, the selection and construction of four different range types is included –

Page 2.“Classification range: general type of range constructed for the execution of classification

practices.

30-yards range: A range with the service cartridge at 30 yards, and provided with such protection,

either natural or artificial, as to dispense with the need of a danger area.

Field Practice Range – specifically constructed and provided with suitable apparatus for the

execution of field practices under conditions approaching those of service.

Miniature range – for use with .220 ammunition only.”

Further information extracted from the source includes –

Page 7-19. “Classification range: firing right must be obtained over an area having a depth of not

less than 2,500 yards behind the targets, with a width of 250 yards beyond the flank lines of fire at

the targets; this width is to be increased to 500 yards a from 1,000 to 2,500 yards behind the

targets.

Value of a hill background is usually overestimated because: it is regarded solely as a natural stop

butt for bullets fired accidently with undue elevation, and not in relation to the trajectory of

ricochets. Its height is measured from the level of the targets, whereas its effective height is the

perpendicular from its summit to the line of the sight produced. Ricochets from ground rising

slightly usually range further than from level ground. If the line of sight is uphill, they will travel still

greater distances.

21 | P a g e

A hill background having an elevation of 200 feet will only be effective if: its face is nearly vertical,

and the targets are close to its foot, or, the targets are about 1,600 yards from the foot of the

slope.”

These extracts demonstrate the complex criteria that

needed to be considered when selecting a rifle range site,

with health and safety clearly a matter of concern. Also,

albeit 50 years before, it also gives an insight as to why the

Attermire location may have been chosen (discussed in

detail in survey results below), with the location of the rifle

range both within the immediate vicinity of Warrendale

Knotts and the wider remote landscape, providing minimal

chance of harm coming to an un-expectant member of the

public.

Officers Training Corps (Junior Division) public school

officers, and other members of the staffs record of war

service, 1914-1918 (Montague Jones & Steers 1919)

Compiled in 1919, this book was written by Major B

Montague Jones, who was the then Honorary Secretary of

the OTC, and his assistant Major D. H. Steers. It provides a record of every Schoolmaster who as

well as providing the OTC with Officers and Instructors, had also served in the Great War

themselves. The record accounts for every OTC and public school in the country, including six for

Giggleswick School –

“Quick, L-Corpl, E. K. Oct. 1915-July 1918. Temp. C. F. (4th Class) Home Service, July 1918-Dec.

1918, Rifleman, L.R.B., Home Service.

Claughton, 2nd Lieut. W. T A. Cadet School, Gailes, April-July1916. 2nd Lieut 29th Bn, Roy. Fus.,

Aug—Nov 1916. France 21/11/16 – Feb 1917 with 20th Bn. Roy. Fus. Feb 1917-28/5/17 Home

Service. 28/5/17 – July 1918 France with 20th Bn. Roy. Fus. Invalided home.

Teversham, Corpl, T. F. Dec 1915 – Apr 1916, 26th Bn. Roy. Fus. Home Service. France 4/5/16 –

9/9/16 (invalided home). Transferred 11th Ban. Bedford Reg. Mar 1917. Discharged as medically

unfit for further service 11/4/18.

Haswell, 2nd Lieut. P. Cadet School July 1918 – Oct 1918. 2nd Lieut. R.G.A. France 31/1/18 with

331st Siege Battery. St. Quentin and Amiens (March, April 1918). Computing Officer, 4 th Army

Calibration Section, July – Nov 1918.

Parkinson, Rev. C T. Oct. 191 – July 1918. Temp. C.F (4th Class). France June 1916. Attd. 18th

Divisional R.F.A. Somme July-Nov 1916. Arras May 1917. Third Battle of Ypres July-Nov 1917. St.

Quentin, Amiens Villers-Brettoneux 1918. Cadet School July – Nov 1918. St. Johns Wood (R>F>A)

with a view to a combatant commission.

Watkins, Air-Mech. L. R.A.F. Sept 1918. Home Service.”

This book is an important reminder of the sacrifice made throughout different sectors of society and

Figue 14. A copy of the Musketry

Regulation handbook (not IWM copy).

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how school boys and their old school masters became part of the same collective. We add more to

our understanding of the impact that of the war had on different people in the Settle area, with the

Giggleswick School Masters undoubtedly respected members of the community.

History of the Service Battalions of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) in the

Great War 1914-1918 (Isles 2007)

Getting to know the Craven Territorials (NCRC/ 1/6th DoW) was a key part of this project.

Therefore, reading about the history of the regiment that they became a part of helps us

understand arguably the most important part of their Great War story: their time serving on the front

line. A section entitled “Wonderful Territorials” refers directly to the 147 Brigade in the 49th division,

including the 1/6th Battalion. Talking about the West Riding territorial force, the section states –

Page 33. “The patriotic action of the force in those early days of the war helped largely to relieve

the military situation not only in France but throughout the Empire.”

“…the men quickly won for themselves the recognition of army commanders, and also general

officers more closely identified with their work.”

Page 44. “…people wondered in April 1915, how the Territorials of the West Ridings would acquit

themselves in this epic war, all doubts were quickly set aside……Shortly after their arrival in

France, they proved beyond all doubt that wherever a Dukes’ unit is represented, whether it be new

or old, they are a body to be reckoned with…..The long training of these men…stood to their

advantage in the hard days that were to follow.”

The section also mentions the sense of duty felt by ordinary business and professional men to train

themselves during peace time, and how they were apt at holding very difficult sections of trenches.

It is evident from these passages how much respect the Duke of Wellington’s territorial forces

earned from their peers and how efficient and dedicated they were at their soldiering duties. This

respect was received from both Commanders and general Officers alike, helping to relieve the

military situation “throughout the Empire”. This ringing endorsement helps set aside any

reservations as to the fighting ability of territorial soldiers.

Crucially, the “long training” and how it “stood to their advantage” is an implicit reference to the

activities that would have taken place at the Castleberg Drill Hall, Attermire Rifle Range, and –

potentially – practice trenches at Giggleswick School. We know that those men who joined the 1/6th

Battalion were training at the Drill Hall and rifle range when part of the Craven Territorials and

NCRC and here we have direct documentary evidence of how well this training paid off when it

came to serving in theatre. It is a further example of how seriously preparations for military service

were taken during this period, as well as the enormous deep-rooted contribution of local rural

communities on the war effort.

5.1.4 North Yorkshire County Record Office, Northallerton

The visit to the Record Office was less productive than the other two outings; however it did reveal

some information relating to the memorial chapel in the Church of St Alkelda in Giggleswick; the

memorial being dedicated to those men who died in the two world wars. Among the Gigglesiwck

Parish Records (1919-1923), this included correspondence in 1919 between Austin & Paley

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Architects and the Rev J. P. Brocklehurst regarding the construction of the memorial chapel, in

addition to a bill of alterations to the building in June 1920, from Brassington Sons & Co. Ltd.

Letters were also found detailing donations made towards the construction and upkeep of the

memorial chapel. This included a one letter from a Mr C. Robinson in 1920 to the church, where he

is promising a donation of £100, or approximately £2,100 in today’s money.

As with other war memorials throughout the country, the Giggleswick memorial chapel stands as a

reminder of those men who lost their lives during both world wars. Its demonstrates how insistent

we are as a society to commemorate and remember the sacrifices made by our fellow countrymen

and at the time of its construction, the brothers, sons and husbands of local village people.

Substantial financial contributions made by local people such as Mr C. Robinson made this

possible. Similar to the generosity of men such as Walter Morrison during the war, it is evident that

the communal war effort at home did not just cease on November 11th 1918.

5.2 Surveys

5.2.1 Drill Hall

Exterior

In structural terms, the Castleberg Drill Hall appears to be a relatively uncomplicated building.

Castleberg is located on steeply sloping ground to the east side of Settle, and the building has

evidently been sited on a substantial platform excavated into the hill-slope. The gable ends of the

Figure 15. The south gable. Figure 16. The roadside elevation.

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building face north/south, with the (visually)

principal elevation containing five large

windows and facing west. The main

entrance to the Drill Hall is in the north gable

and accessed by ascending steps from the

roadside. The ground floor level of the Drill

Hall is at eye-level from the roadside, with

access to the cellar from a door at the

roadside.

The design of the Hall, the materials chosen

and the finish of the work shows that the

Drill Hall comprised a significant investment

and was clearly constructed to give a formal

appearance.

The construction of the walls is of sandstone

in roughly coursed rubble for the south

gable and east elevation (which is largely

masked by the hill-slope) (Fig.15), and in

roughly-shaped coursed blocks for the

roadside elevation (Fig. 16) and north gable

(Fig. 17). The dressed rock faced quoins are

substantial and neatly cut. A pronounced

string course (evident as chamfered slabs)

runs around the building at 2m above road

level. Above this line, the walling is set back slightly, and is probably indicative of a slightly

narrower wall thickness above the cellar, although the cellar interior could not be accessed to

confirm this.

A decorative mount for a

square gas lamp is sited on

the corner between the west

elevation and the north gable

and was clearly intended to

light the access to the

building.

A modern reinforced door is

sited in the west gable,

presumably giving access to

the cellar. The door appears

to be inserted; presumably the

original access to the cellar

was internal only.

The window openings are

sandstone segmental arches

cut in ashlar with rock-faced

exterior facing. The arches Figure 18. The soot line indicating the roofline of the (since removed)

additional covered entrance at the north gable.

Figure 17. The north gable.

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rise to slight points. The

windows have six large

lights, with the upper

(arched) areas providing

the opening parts of the

window. All of the windows

have internal horizontal

protective iron bars.

The roof burden is in

diminishing stone slates

and is of a visually dark

grey, coarse slate material

with roughly dressed edges.

The material is likely to be

local Helwith Bridge slate

(greywacke). A substantial

chimney is visible at the

south end of the building,

apparently built in the same

style as the quoins, with cut

joints and rock-facing.

The main entrance is set

centrally in the northern

gable. It is a broad doorway

that houses a double

painted timber door, which

is set into a sandstone

ashlar surround with

segmented ashlar arch over.

Both the edges of the door

surround and the facing

edge of the arch are

chamfered. The highest

(arched) section of the main

entrance is taken up by a

two light window.

The lower parts of the

exterior north gable wall

have been rendered and

painted, indicating that at one stage a covered entrance to the Drill Hall had been constructed over

the stairs from the roadside. A slight soot mark indicates the location of the roofline for the covered

entrance (Fig. 18). This was evidently not an original feature of the Drill Hall, because the (probable

shed) roofing had partially covered the formal ashlar arching to the main entrance. The outline of

the footing of this construction is visible as the impression of a single-skin (probably brick) wall in a

concrete pad which forms the standing immediately adjacent to the main entrance (Fig. 19).

Figure 19. The outline of the footing of the covered entrance.

Figure 20. The cast iron sweeping hatch into the flue.

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Cut into the rendering and evident as a darkened area in the higher stonework, is a channel for a

subsequent modification, a flue – presumably relating to a (non-original) coal-fired boiler or stove

within the cellar. There is a cast iron sweeping hatch into the flue, which has a decorated cover

bearing the name of the foundry ‘Manby & Bro, Skipton’ (Fig. 20).

The majority of the steps are large cut millstone grit blocks, with concrete modifications/

replacements in the area around the main door. The lowest of the steps show small drilled holes

indicating that a gate was affixed at the roadside entrance to the Drill Hall. There are

corresponding holes drilled into the quoins, two of which show iron stubs, where the gate housing

was removed. A reasonable assumption might be that the gates were removed during World War

II, although it is also possible that the removal related to the construction of the covered entrance.

No documentary evidence to confirm or disprove either possibility this has been seen. The gate is

likely to have measured circa 2m in height, judging from the height of the upper hinge fixing.

To the east of the main entrance on the north gable end is evidence of an inserted and

subsequently blocked smaller doorway. It is presumed that the door was inserted to provide

access to the back of the Drill Hall once the covered entrance had been created. The blocking

appears relatively recent, presumably following removal of the cover over the entrance stairs.

Interior

Internally, the Drill

Hall appears to

retain (with

relatively minor

modifications) the

original layout of

1864. The hall is

open to the roof,

with an elevated

viewing balcony

overlooking the hall

from the south end

(Fig. 21). This is

clearly part of the

original design –

with the intention of

facilitating

inspection and

oversight of drill

performed in the

open space of the

‘drill floor’ by the

NCRC. A narrow enclosed stairway in the south east corner of the building provides access to the

balcony (Fig. 22).

The space underneath the balcony has subsequently been infilled to provide storage rooms and

w/c’s. These appear to be relatively modern (later 20th century) additions to the Drill Hall. The

Figure 21. An internal view of the Drill Hall looking towards the elevated viewing

balcony.

27 | P a g e

principal feature masked by the infill is a

substantial fireplace located on the south gable

(Fig. 23). The fireplace is built in substantial ashlar

blocks, with a chimney opening of circa 1m, and a

substantial projecting hearthstone. The fireplace

was evidently intended to provide heat for the

whole of the internal space of the Drill Hall.

The fireplace was modified with a hand cut timber

mantelpiece, inscribed (also by hand) with

“OPENED IN SCOUT JUBILEE YEAR BY MRS

BEAVER”.

Scout Jubilee year (1957) celebrated 50 years of

the scouting movement and the centenary of

Robert Baden-Powell’s birth. The summer of 1957

saw many major commemorative scouting events.

In terms of understanding the sequence of

modifications at the Drill hall, the mantelpiece also

indicates that the infill modifications almost

certainly post-date 1957, probably by a number of

years.

Figure 23. The fireplace and engraved mantelpiece.

The balcony overlooking the drill floor has also been modified, with a small kitchen inserted at its

Figure 22. The original stairwell leading up to the

balcony.

28 | P a g e

west side. This has had the effect of blocking the western part of the viewing area, with the void

moved. The original dimensions of the open balcony are probably indicated by the limit of a

‘picture rail’ sited at first floor level, which now terminates in blank wall space, rather than at the

edge of the viewing platform.

The roof trusses are of a slightly unusual kingpost form with a wooden truss and raised wooden tie-

beam, and iron kingpost, with supporting iron struts. Raised tie beams are not entirely unusual in

buildings that provided communal open space in this period. The additional space afforded by the

raised tie beams may have been seen as beneficial for the practise of drill.

There are a number of probable original ironwork fittings within the building, both on the roof truss,

and the main door, as well as protective internal bars to the windows. These are likely to be

original.

A small war memorial in the form of a hand engraved brass plaque is sited on the supporting joist

to the balcony. It bears the names of six individuals killed in the war of 1939-45 (Fig. 24).

The inserted and subsequently blocked doorway is visible internally, as a slightly proud area of

walling.

Figure 24. The brass plaque war memorial.

5.2.2 Rifle Range

The targets were clearly sited at the remote location at the base of Warrendale Knotts for reasons

of safety, with any shot carrying over Warrendale Knotts having to travel an extra 2,550 meters

before the possibility of encountering a settlement. The large area of flat and agriculturally marginal

land between Stockdale Lane and the targets allowed for shooting stands at a wide range of

distances and the longevity of the firing range does suggest that Warrendale Knotts did prove to be

a safe location for the targets.

This substantial feature comprises an earthwork and stonework mound, which as depicted in

Nelson’s 1998 illustrations represents the remains of a shooting butt (Fig. 25). The mound is

29 | P a g e

partially composed of a collapsed building (mantlet) at its southern end, but largely made up of a

solid, rubble-filled structure. The remains of this feature are now ruinous and tumbled, potentially

the result of limited stone removal, perhaps natural degradation of the remains, although perhaps

also because of the use of more destructive ordnance, including armour piercing shells during the

second world war.

Figure 25. Survey reduced from 1:100 field drawing.

Brown = C19 metal targets, Grey = Helwith Bridge slate roof to mantlet. Pale grey = rubble. Scarp for C19

target stand at western edge of plan (1).

Examination of the mound confirms Nelson’s reconstruction as a built, stone-faced structure. While

most of the wall facing no longer exists, there is evidence of the outer wall line visible on both the

northern and southern sides of the structure. The western side of the mound is characterised by

more tumbled walling and the remains of two very large Helwith Bridge slate flagstones, which

evidently formed the roof of the mantlet. There is a substantial void beneath and adjacent to one of

the flagstones, indicative of the collapse of the mantlet.

Affixed to and scattered around the main earthwork are the remains of seven iron targets, which

are not in their original positions, and probably of earlier origin than the mantlet.

30 | P a g e

The scree slope

behind both

platforms is

heavily

fragmented,

providing an

unusually fine

scree, almost

certainly caused

by decades of

bullet impact.

The fine scree

clearly contains

many traces of

lead bullets,

most noticeably

of Martini-Henry

type, which was Figure 26. Fired lead bullets (left and center) recovered from the scree slope and a

contemporary empty lead case (right).

Figure 27. The rear (left) and front (right) of two separate iron targets at the Attermire Rifle Range.

31 | P a g e

in common use in the later C19 (Fig. 26). A limited number of examples of .22 bullets which

Nelson attributes to practice during WW2 were also seen. Many of the remains of bullets were

altered beyond recognition in the process of hitting the scree.

The iron targets are of similar design to other mid - late C19 iron shooting targets, some of the

faces of the targets show a typical concentric circle target pattern, overlying (Fig. 27). They are

clearly pock-marked from use, although generally in surprisingly good condition. One of the targets

contains three large holes, presumably made through use of armour piercing munitions.

5.2.3 Training Trenches

The plane table survey of the training trenches clearly identified the extant and form of the upper

and lower zigzags and their relationship to the two lynchet platforms (Fig. 28). The two lynchets run

parallel to one another in a southeast-northwest direction, at right angle to the natural slope of the

land, and extend beyond the survey area. The break of slope and slope between the positive and

negative part of both lynchets is clearly visible.

The survey shows that the apexes of both zigzags are very sharp rather than ‘wave-like’ or

crenelated. The basic zigzag shape of both earthworks is consistent with military training trenches

of either late 19th of early 20th century date. The upper zigzag runs approximately southeast to

northwest, following the direction of the upper negative lynchet. It is 39 meters in length and

averages 2.5m wide. The north-western end of the zigzag extends beyond the average width of

the earthwork and terminates into the break of slope of the upper lynchet. The south-eastern end of

the zigzag ends within the surface of the negative lynchet at around the centreline of the earthwork.

The upper zigzag earthwork is shallow with a gradual slope to its centre, which is less than one feet

deep on average. Running down most of the southwest face of the zigzag is a low lying mound of

earth that subtly mirrors the shape of the zigzag.

The lower zigzag runs approximately southeast to northwest, following the direction of the upper

negative lynchet. It is 61 meters in length and averages 2.5m wide. The north-western end of the

zigzag ends within the surface of the negative lynchet, on a line with the other southwest facing

apex points. The south-eastern end of the zigzag terminates within the surface of the negative

lynchet in a ‘Y’ shape. This shape has formed as the result of an extra length of negative earthwork

extending from the south-eastern most apex of the zigzag towards the break of slope of the

lynchet. The lower zigzag earthwork is shallow with a gradual slope to its centre, which is less than

one feet deep on average. Running down parts of the southwest face of the zigzag are low lying

mounds of earth that subtly mirror the shape of the zigzag in places.

A small rectangular segment of wooden sleeper is recorded two-thirds along the length (NW-SE) of

the zigzag, sitting on the edge of the earthwork. This sleeper appears to be at least embedded into

the topsoil, although its relationship to the zigzag earthwork is unknown. Modern chainsaw marks

are recorded on its surface.

32 | P a g e

Figure 28. The plane table survey drawing.

33 | P a g e

5.3 Geophysical Survey

Despite poor survey conditions affecting the quality of the data, the topography of the site is visible

and the two zigzig earthworks are clearly evident as negative anomalies (Fig. 29). The result

geophysics plot shows these earthworks as measuring approximately 2.5m wide x 8-10m in

segment length and 35m in total length, are parallel, reasonably regular, and are similar in form,

with 3.5 right-angular V-shaped segments each (Fig. 30). The zigzag anomalies are well defined

and roughly 5nT more negative than the background levels for this site, suggesting that the

trenches have been backfilled with material that is significantly less magnetic than the topsoil or

that they may contain wood or voids. G marks the position of a very strong positive anomaly (with

associated negative response) which stems from a discrete ferrous source. As identified in the

plane table survey, this is the exact location of a wooden sleeper segment. The positive component

may suggest that there is some ferrous metalwork associated with it. The plot does not clearly

show the extension of the lower zigzag beyond this point, although a ferrous response – alongside

a small negative anomaly – is visible at what would be the southern extremity of this earthwork, as

identifies during the plane table survey. In addition, the plot does show slightly more disturbance in

this section of the earth compared to the parallel area on the lynchet above, where the plane table

survey does not show any earthworks. Whereas the southern section of the lower zigzag is well

defined in the plane table survey, its lack of clarity in the geophysical survey may suggest that the

ground disturbance is not as substantial – or deep – as the rest of the earthwork.

Figure 29. Greyscale data plot of the magnetometer data.

In addition, a number of other strong, discrete anomalies, indicative of ferrous sources, are

distributed across the site. While these may be generated by modern debris, some may be of

archaeological interest given the context of the military training activities assumed to have taken

place on this site. Towards the eastern end of the site (e.g. around H) several anomalies are

34 | P a g e

interpreted as possible archaeology; these are areas of increased magnetic response, the

anomalies of which are more amorphous than those elsewhere on the site.

Whereas the magnetometer survey has been very successful in defining the shape of the

earthworks – excluding the southern section of the upper zigzag – it has also provided some more

ambiguous positive and negative anomalies; with the relationship of these to the main earthworks

unclear. The geophysics has also not clearly identified the parallel low lying mounds shown in the

plane table survey and it has also failed to provide any detail on the internal structure of any

possible training trenches. However, by confirming the zigzag shape and the less magnetic nature

of the earthworks, the survey does support the plane table survey interpretation of these being First

World War training trenches.

Figure 30. Archaeological interpretation of the magnetometer data.

A = Slope of the top lynchet; B = Lower zig-zag; C = Upper zig-zag; D & E = Northeastern tips of lower zig-

zag; F = Small positive anomaly; G = Strong positive anomaly (sleeper); H = Positive anomaly, possible

archaeology.

5.4 Excavation

Following a review of the plane table survey and geophysical survey results a decision was made

to start the excavation by opening two excavation trenches.

35 | P a g e

Context Register

Table 1. Context register for excavation.

Small Finds Register

Table 2. Small finds register for excavation.

5.4.1 Excavation Trench 1

This was laid out at the north-western end of the upper set of zigzag training trenches, where the

zigzags appeared to terminate on the lip of the upper cultivation terrace riser. It was aligned NNW-

SSE on the long axis, and extended 4m by 2m. The objectives for this trench were:

To determine the cross-sectional form of the training trench – its width at the top and the

base, its depth, and its profile.

To determine if any original structures within the training trench had survived, such as

shoring (timber or corrugated iron).

To seek dating evidence to tie use of the training trenches with World War I.

To investigate the possibility, given that the zigzags seemed to terminate on the lynchet lip,

that there may have been access down into the training trench at this point either by cut

steps or a ramp.

Trench 1

101 = Topsoil 103 = Subsoil (lynchet)

102 = Subsoil lens

Trench 2

201 = Topsoil 205 = Training trench, cut

202 = Subsoil (lynchet) 206 = Training trench, northern cut

203 = Training trench, upper fill 207 = Training trench, southern cut

204 = Training trench, lower fill 208 = Natural

Trench 3

301 = Topsoil 302 = Subsoil (lynchet)

Trench 1

No. 104 = Clinker No. 105 = Glazed pot, mid-13th – 14th century

Trench 2

No. 101 = Iron bolt (modern) No. 107 = Iron bolt (modern)

No. 102 = Iron fragment, very corroded No. 108 = Rabbit bone (intrusive)

No. 103 = Clinker No. 109 = Iron nail, corroded

No. 106 = Iron metal plate, very corroded No. 110 = Iron fragment, very corroded

Un-stratified find = Pot, Cistercian ware, 16th

century

Trench 3

No. 111 = Pot, Red earthenware No. 114 – 120 = Charcoal specs

No. 112 = Pot, Gritty ware No. 121 = Pot, Gritty ware

No. 113 = Pot, Buff No. 122 – 124 = Charcoal specs

36 | P a g e

To test the hypothesis that the upper lynchet riser may have been faced with stone rather

than merely earth.

The upper set of zigzag training trenches seemed, under the turf, to terminate at the lip of the

upper lynchet riser so Trench 1 was laid out to investigate both the nature of the riser and the end

of the zigzags, and it encompassed the full cross-section of the assumed training trench.

Three contexts were recognised in Trench 1 (Fig. 31).

Figure 31. The south west facing profile of Trench 1.

Context 101 was a uniform layer of reddish brown medium sand topsoil with an average thickness

of 140mm covering the entire trench. It was fine grained and friable, probably of loessic origin, and

contained less than 5 per cent content of angular sandstone pieces with average long axis less

than 100mm. The majority of this stone was seen on the lynchet tread rather than on the riser

which was completely stone-free, and outside the training trench. One small piece of clinker (sfn

104) was logged in this context.

The excavation trench was divided longitudinally with a smaller sondage cut 1m wide down the

centre, later increased to 1.5m to take it back to the north-east edge of the trench. Within the

sondage a subsoil layer (Context 103) was recognised, again uniform in characteristics and also

reddish brown medium sand though sufficiently different from (101) to give it a separate context

number. It, too, was friable and also very low in stone content (less than 10 per cent). Its thickness

varied from 150mm within the training trench zigzag to 450mm outside but no evidence of cuts for

the training trench was found (Fig. 32); indeed the subsoil had hardly been disturbed at all and its

nature is probably due to the effects of long-term medieval ploughing. To ascertain the full

thickness of (103) a series of bores were made using a fine steel pin – average depths of over

300mm were reached before bottoming onto stony material, probably the natural layer. One pot

sherd (sfn 105) was logged within this context.

A small lens of subsoil (102) was identified towards the north-eastern end of the sondage, at the

interface of (101) and (103), and it took the form of material transitional between topsoil and

subsoil. No finds were logged in (102).

It was abundantly clear at the end of work on Trench 1 that this set of zigzags had not been dug to

any significant depth at all, and the subsoil was basically untouched (Fig. 33).

37 | P a g e

Figure 32. A finished shot of Trench 1 showing the undisturbed lychet subsoil.

Figure 33. The finished north-eastern profile of Trench 1 showing the minimal depth of the earthwork.

38 | P a g e

5.4.2 Excavation Trench 2

This was laid out across the lower set of zigzag training trenches, at one of their changes in

direction, configured so as to take in both apexes of the turn. It was aligned more or less north-

south and extended 5m on that axis by 3m. Objectives here were:

To determine the full form of this part of the training trench – width at top and base, depth,

cross-sectional profile – and if the zigzag turn was cut as sharp V-corners or more rounded

corners;

To determine if the short timber sleeper-like length seen partly in the turf prior to excavation

was coeval with use of the zigzags;

To determine if any dating evidence had survived.

Trench 2 was managed by use of a series of sondages each designed to answer a particular

question about the form and construction of the original lower training trench zigzags. In total, eight

contexts were recognised (Fig. 34).

Figure 34. The east facing profile of Trench 2.

Context (201) was a layer of topsoil, across the entire trench, very different in characteristics from

that seen in the two excavation trenches on the upper lynchet. Topsoil (201) was dark brown silt,

firm, and with up to 50 per cent sandstone content, most of which was made up of small (average

long axis <50mm) angular fragments. Stone content was greatest outside the zigzag training

trench, at each end of the excavation trench. Thickness of the topsoil varied considerably but was

least thick within the zigzag; maximum thickness was 130mm. Five small finds were logged within

(201) – three of modern metal, one of clinker, and fragmented pieces of rabbit bone.

Once (201) had been trowelled off, a 1m-wide sondage was delimited down the centre of Trench

2’s long axis to focus attention on locating the training trench cut within the excavation trench. A

subsoil layer (Context 202) was recognised outside the training trench zigzag, made up of reddish

brown silty sand similar in a way to subsoil horizons seen in the other two excavation trenches. It

contained a high proportion of small and angular sandstone pieces. This material did not extend

across the zigzag training trench so had clearly been taken out when that trench was originally dug.

This subsoil had a general thickness of 180mm, but depth below the turf line dropped from 240mm

at the north end of the trench to 140mm at the opposite end. One find (sfn 106) was logged in the

subsoil layer – a highly corroded metal plate with a curving edge 85mm long by a maximum of

30mm wide

39 | P a g e

Within the zigzag trench, seen in the sondage, was an unsorted amalgam of unsorted angular and

sub-angular sandstone and limestone cobbles of very variable size (maximum long axis c. 150mm)

and shape set in a matrix of silt and silty clay of variable hues (Context 203): it was so variable that

any attempt to allocate separate context numbers would have been futile; however, the dominant

colour was light olive brown. This was interpreted as the upper backfill of the zigzag training trench.

All this material had clearly been thrown back into the zigzag whenever the decision had been

made to backfill it and level it off. Average thickness of (203) decreased (from 230-80mm) from

north to south, for no apparent reason. Stone content of (203) was estimated at 70 per cent.

No finds were logged in (203).

Figure 35. A close-up of the east facing profile of Trench 2, showing the upper and lower trench fills.

As no evidence of the cuts to the original training trench was found within the sondage, its width

was extended first on the west side and then on the east to try and pick up the cuts either side of

the zigzag apex. The nature of material removed was identical to that seen in the original sondage.

Controlled mattocking down the east side did reveal the line of cuts on both sides of the zigzag

trench, though neither was obvious without close inspection and even then the northern cut

(Context 206), angled at 80 degrees to the horizontal, was barely perceptible compared to its

opposite number (Context 207), angled at 50 degrees. On the west side of the extended sondage

the top of the north cut was identified more easily as the material outside the training trench zigzag

was distinctively grey in colour whereas that within the zigzag was a bleached light olive. Further

40 | P a g e

work within the extended west sondage revealed the upper section of the south cut to the zigzag

trench.

To determine the full depth and cross-sectional profile of the training trench it was necessary to cut

a further sondage within the original sondage (203), contained within the training trench zigzag. By

so doing, the lower training trench backfill (Context 204) was removed: this mainly consisted of

limestone cobbles, significantly larger than in (203) set in a dark greyish brown clayey sand matrix.

Context (204) reached a maximum thickness of 670mm, bottoming onto natural, leached and

bleached, olive grey silty sand (Context 208). One charcoal sample (sfn 115) was logged from

(204).

Removal of this unsorted and unconsolidated material revealed the full profile of the west side of

the zigzag training trench (Fig. 35). The training trench edge showed as a clear concave cut (205)

with the south limb angled at 15-40 degrees from the horizontal and the north limb 35-70 degrees,

thereby making the profile asymmetrical. Its full depth, below the topsoil (201) was 900mm; its

width at the base of (201) was 2.6m, and at the bottom of the training trench 850mm (Fix. 36).

As the original cuts were not so clearly visible, and the material within (203) and (204) so

unconsolidated, it proved impossible to determine the position of the two apexes of the training

trench zigzag turn, so it was not possible to determine if the apex was V-shaped or curved.

Figure 36. An east facing shot of the finished Trench 2.

5.4.3 Excavation Trench 3

Trench 3 was conceived as a result of the findings obtained from excavation of Trench 1 which

were, in a sense, inconclusive. It was aligned north-south on its longer axis, and extended 3.5m by

1.5m. The aims in this trench were:

to confirm or otherwise that the upper set of zigzags had not been cut to any significant

depth below ground level;

to determine the cross-sectional profile and level of disturbance in these zigzags;

to seek dating evidence either for use of the training tranches or the lynchet terrace.

41 | P a g e

Given that excavation of Trench 1 had shown beyond doubt that the north end of the upper set of

training trenches had not been cut to any usable depth, it was deemed necessary to see if this set

of zigzags was the same throughout, or whether the lack of depth in Trench 1 was due to there

having been an access ramp down into the zigzag not picked up within the trench. Trench 3 was

thus laid out where surviving earthworks seemed to be more defined than elsewhere along this

zigzag set, and across the full cross-section of the earthwork so as to take in both sides of the

assumed training trench.

Two contexts were recognised within Trench 3 (Fig. 37).

Figure 37. The east facing profile of Trench 3.

Context (301) was a layer of topsoil with thickness ranging from 30mm within the zigzag earthwork

to 100mm on either side of the zigzag, covering the entire trench. It was uniform in soil

characteristics being medium brown silty sand (more silt than sand) with a friable composition, and

stone-free apart from one or two very small sandstone pieces. No small finds were logged within

(301).

To focus efforts, the trench was divided into two equal parts longitudinally with further excavation

undertaken in a 1.5m by 0.75m sondage in the western side of the trench. The subsoil layer within

the sondage, and clearly extending beyond it, was also uniform in characteristics and was identical

to the subsoil (102) in Trench 1. It was distinctly reddish brown, medium sand, very soft and pliable

in nature. It was completely stone-free. Excavation showed that, as with the topsoil, thickness

varied: 100mm to the base of the excavation within the zigzag but up to 270mm outside the zigzag

on its north side. Generally speaking, (302) appeared to have suffered minimal disturbance in the

recent past thereby confirming that this upper set of zigzags had not been dug to any usable depth

as a military training trench (Fig. 38).

Probing into the floor of the sondage with a fine metal pin reached average depths of 270mm for

the same soft sandy silt as seen in (302). Thus, it may be valid to assume that repeated ploughing

on the lynchet had turned the native soil into the fine tilth now seen on this terrace.

Nine discrete samples of charcoal were logged as small finds within the sondage, at depths below

the turf line varying from 120mm (sfn 116 and 118) through 140-160mm (sfn 114, 119, 160, 123

and 124), to sfn 122 at 260mm depth and sfn 117 at 280mm depth. Radiocarbon analysis of the

lower, and therefore more contextually sealed, samples could provide dating evidence for use of

the upper lynchet as a cultivation terrace.

Three ceramic sherds were logged from within (302): sfn 112 and 113 at depths between 140 and

160mm below the turf line, and sfn 121 at 330mm: it is probable that these represent plough scatter

and they should also provide dating evidence for cropping on this lynchet.

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Figure 38. The finished east facing profile of Trench 3 showing the minimal depth of the earthwork and the

undisturbed lychet subsoil.

5.4.4 Pottery Report

Summary

Six sherds of pottery were recovered during the excavations, four were medieval, one was 16th

century and the remaining (very small) sherd was probably 18 th century or later (Table 3).

Discussion

The sherds were small and, apart from the fragment of Cistercian ware, not clearly diagnostic of

specific types. The glazed sherd may be from a jug of Tees Valley ‘B’ ware. This is broadly dated

to mid-13th to 14th centuries (Didsbury 2010, 234-235). The coarser fragments, sfn112 and sfn121

in particular, could be earlier than this, but none are closely dateable. The Cistercian ware,

however, is a clear indication of 16th century activity. The condition of the medieval fragments is

consistent with material derived from field manuring. The Cistercian ware appeared to be fresher,

though is a harder fabric than the medieval sherds and therefore less liable to abrasion. The

absence of any identifiable late medieval (i.e. later 14 th/15th centuries) material may indicate a

hiatus in agricultural activity, which begins again in the 16 th century. However, with such a small

group of material even ‘presence and absence’ are of very little significance.

Strip lynchets are elongated cultivation terraces defined, on each long axis, by prominent scarps

themselves often augmented by cultivation; the typical field plot produced thus consists of a

relatively level arable area (tread) and a scarped leading edge or rear marker (riser) (McOmish

43 | P a g e

2011: 4). They are some of the most characteristic archaeological features of medieval field

systems in the Dales. The action of ploughing and collecting stones along the edge of the plot

builds up ‘steps’ on the hillside. Ridge and furrow was also created by ploughing, this time around

long narrow strips of land, throwing the soil up into a ridge in the middle (White 2014). The

chronology of strip lynchets in Britain is not yet fully resolved, with elongated fields of this form in

use throughout much of the later prehistoric and Romano-British periods (McOmish 2011: 4);

although they are more widely recognised as a medieval landscape feature.

The result of the pottery analysis is unfortunately limited due to the small size of the assemblage.

However the pottery shards recovered do suggest that the lynchets are medieval, potentially in use

from the mid-13th century to the 16th century.

Catalogue

context Find no. Type weight Comment

101 105 Orange (glazed) 2 gm Greenish-yellow glaze

Tr. 2 u/s 125 Cistercian ware 4 gm With blobs and rouletted strips of white

clay (yellow under glaze)

301 111 Red earthenware <1 gm Probably flower pot

302 112 Gritty ware 2 gm Pale brown with coarse quartz and

ferrous (red and dark grey) grits.

302 113 Buff 5 gm Pale brown with some greyish reduction

in core. Rather abraded. Some fine sand

with occasional larger inclusions.

302 121 Gritty ware 3 gm ‘Sandwich’ of orange (exterior), mid-grey

(reduction) and pale brown.

Table 3. Pottery catalogue.

6 Discussion

6.1 Drill Hall

The significance of the Drill Hall can be assessed following the identification of heritage values as

outlined in Conservation Principles (English Heritage 2008):

Evidential Value

The Drill Hall clearly reflects much of its original design and appearance in providing a designated

formal space for the training of uniformed volunteer militia. The drill floor and overlooking balcony

provide architectural evidence of the importance of military practice and the oversight of practice in

forming discipline.

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The design and construction of the Castleberg Drill Hall also tells us that Morrison was concerned

to provide a high quality environment for his local volunteers. Drill Halls appear to have varied

significantly across different areas in terms of build quality, with some halls more ephemeral than

others. While the size of the Settle Drill Hall is smaller than many, this perhaps reflects the size of

the town and eligible population, more than any restriction in funding to build the venue. The Drill

Hall also contains significant modifications and additions that are relevant to the history of scouting,

key of which is the carved mantelpiece (added to the original 1864 fireplace) celebrating the

scouting jubilee year of 1957.

Historical Value

The constraints of the Training and Trenches project have meant that there has been relatively little

resource available to research the history of the Castleberg Drill Hall in detail. Most Drill Halls were

used quite intensively for military practise, often rifle drill, but frequently also activities such as

semaphore or first aid practise. The majority of Drill Halls also provided other community functions,

particularly in terms of social events –although not confirmed by this investigation, this was almost

certainly the case at Castleberg.

Key elements of historical value lie in the connection to Walter Morrison, and the links that the

building provides between a relatively quiet rural town and military history from the 19th century

through the First World War. The building is also of some significance in relation to the history of

Scouting in the area, having been first acquired by the scouts in 1936, and remaining in use for the

Settle Scouts. The carved (1956) mantelpiece added to the original fireplace is a significant feature

in that history of scouting and should be seen a priority to retain, as should the small brass WWII

memorial.

Aesthetic value

The Drill Hall has some importance as a formal building on the edge of the historic core of Settle. It

stands out as a formal building in the mixed (and slightly cramped) range of 19th century and earlier

buildings that are built on the eastern higher side of Settle. The building falls within the area

identified as the historic core of Settle in a recent Conservation Area appraisal (Envision & Craven

DC 2008) and is clearly a contributor to the aesthetic of that core.

The Drill Hall shows quality both in its design and build; it is well proportioned, with high quality

detail in the window and door surrounds and quoins.

Communal Value

The continued use of the Drill Hall as a building with a semi-public function, and providing an open

space for the Settle Scouts is a strong expression of communal and social value. This is

particularly so because of the strong connection of Scouting and it’s ideals with the armed forces,

and British Nationalism. The history of the Drill Hall is not well understood, but there is clearly some

potential for linking the stories of individuals (probably some with descendants in Settle) through

national/global events such as WW1 to the Drill Hall.

The Drill Hall is significant as a location of commemorative importance through the WW1

centenary.

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6.2 Rifle Range

Part of the monument was depicted within recconstruction drawings (a plan and two elevations) in

a short article, published for the North Craven Heritage Journal by Jim Nelson (1998) (Fig. 39).

Nelson’s father used the shooting range in the years leading up to WW1. The reconstruction

drawings, made

from memory,

detail the main

earthwork that

was subject to

survey.

Much of the

mound – as

depicted in

Nelson’s

illustrations – is

hidden from the

range behind

the east/west

field wall that

forms the

southern limit of

the survey area.

The size of the

butt as

estimated from

the survey and

interpreted by

Nelson is

modest yet

comparable with

other contemporary examples in Britain.

However the scale of such ranges constructed in the late 19th/ early 20th century did vary

considerably, with the East Weares Rifle Range at the Royal Navy base on the Isle of Portland in

Dorset, constructed between 1889 and 1903, on the grander end of the scale (Fig. 40). Here

stands the remains of a large late 19th/ early 20th century stop butt built out of Portland stone,

measuring approximately 100 meters in length and 30 meters wide, with shooters firing towards the

butts at metal targets at 100 yard intervals from 200 yards to 600 yards, with an additional lane of

fire to the north-east, firing from 800 yards (The Encyclopedia of Portland History 2015).

Although constructed after the threat of war with France had passed, the prominence and longevity

of the butts at East Weares are an important architectural reminded of the other rifle ranges and

the training that took place at them during the period of Volunteer Rifle Corps and Territorial Units.

Figure 39. Nelsons reconstruction drawing of the Attermire Rifle Range structure

(Nelson 1998).

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Given the position of a

large area of heavily

fragmented scree directly

behind the main mound, it

is logical that the targets

were sited directly above

the building. In Nelson’s

reconstruction, the mantlet

was used to operate two

rotating targets during

shooting sessions, from the

safety of a protected

position. The rotating

targets are shown as being

sited on the north side of

the building. Although no

trace of the rotating targets

was evident onsite, this

would seem to be an

entirely practical

arrangement from the field evidence. An account from memory is given of the Cissbury Rifle Range

near the village of Findon in West Sussex, a range set up around the 1880’s for the local Volunteer

Rifle Corps (Botley and North Hinksey Community 2015). The writer describes the remains of butts

– in the 1970’s – perpendicular to the axis of the range and interprets rusty metal frameworks as

the remains of rotating target holders that were suspended above the butts (Martin 2010); therefore

in a similar fashion to Nelsons interpretation of the design of the Attermire range.

The iron targets recorded at Attermire were probably installed during the early years of the use of

the range, and likely to have been sited on two slight earthwork platforms cut into the break of

slope at the base of Warrendale Knotts. The westernmost of these two platforms (1) is depicted on

the survey plan, although the eastern platform lay just outside of the survey area.

Nelson (1998) records the shooting platforms or firing steps at Attermire at distances of 150, 300,

450, 600, 750 and 880 yards from the butts. At both East Weares and Cissbury the shooting

platforms are placed at regular 100 yard intervals, up to a distance of 600 yards, and at the Mains

Hill Rifle Range north of the town of Helensburgh in Scotland, the platforms extend for 1,000 yards

at 200 yard intervals (Secret Scotland 2013). Therefore the Attermire platforms seem to have been

placed at less regular intervals than the other examples, and at 880 yards give a significant

maximum distance for the shooters. It is possible that over time the location of the platforms

changed, and further field survey may help clarify this. However Nelson mentions that the 880 yard

platform was located by the lane wall and therefore it is clear that other elements of the landscape

influenced the location of these platforms.

As mentioned above, the location of the rifle range appears to have been well chosen. There would

have been no need to obtain a ‘firing right’ as the depth behind the targets – before reaching the

scar face – was far less than the 2,500 yard maximum suggested in the musketry regulations

manual (War Office 1914) ; approximately 17 yards in this case. In contrast, the height of the scar

face is approximately 35ft, with only half of this height consisting of a vertical face, and the other

Figure 40. The external face of the stop butt at East Weares rifle range.

47 | P a g e

half a gentler slope from the ground surface, with the slope and height of the scar making

dangerous bullet ricochets more likely. However, the relatively remote location of the range and its

setting within an unusually flat area shielded by the scar were seemingly enough to satisfy the

safety criteria. In addition, the low level of agricultural activity in the surrounding landscape and the

fact that countryside walking was not as popular as it is today, would reduce the danger presented

to members of the public by the shooting taking place at the range.

The history of ownership of the land immediately surrounding the range has not been established.

However, following the Military Lands Act of 1892 (Military Lands Act 1982) it is possible that at

least from this date the plot was under the ownership of either the Secretary of State, the NCRC or

the local council (to be loaned to the NCRC). This would have restricted access to the land and

thus making it even less of a danger to the public. A similar scenario is likely at the Ellerlands Rifle

Range, constructed for the 12th North Yorkshire Rifle Volunteers who were also formed in 1859.

In comparison to other examples it is evident that Walter Morrison and the NCRC committee had

taken particular care in choosing the location for the Attermire Rifle Range. For example, the newly

formed Stourport Rifle Corps set up a rifle range on Hartlebury Common soon after their

establishment in 1859, with butts found on the steep western slope of the hill. However, long range

firing points required shots to pass over the main Stourport turnpike. Flags and a bugler were

placed on the road to give warning to cease firing when travelers appeared and thus presenting

some danger to the general public; with one report telling of firing having to be suspended because

of cannon balls passing dangerously close to a labourer's cottage half a mile away. In 1872 a miller

complained that a cannon ball came over the hill and nearly killed him and his horse (Hartlebury

History Society 2013).

6.3 Training Trenches

6.3.1 Trench Warfare

The use of tunnelling in warfare can be traced back to the Roman period (e.g. James 2011), and by

the 11th century tunnels were used on the battlefield to enable the placing of fires beneath masonry

walls in the hope that they would crack and give way, with zigzag patterns used to avoid

countermines (Brown & Field 2007: 174). This method of advancing on walled defences using a

zigzag shape was known as ‘sapping’ and was also used on the surface where, aided by wooden

shields on wheels, the design prevented enfilade from ahead and above (Encyclopaedia Britannica

2011). This use of sap trenches to attack fortresses is particularly well demonstrated in the tactics

of the 17th century French military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (Fig. 41), with

‘sappers’ working in well-coordinated teams carrying out a highly skilled and dangerous job

(Encyclopaedia Britannica 2011). Furthermore, military engineers sought to counter the widespread

adoption of firearms during the English Civil War (Brown & Field 2007: 174).The protection offered

by zigzag sap trenches resulted in the wider zigzag and crenelated trench designs seen in the

latter half of the 19th century, and from the Crimean War (1853-56) and the American Civil War

(1861-65) defensive trenches became a more recognised battlefield feature (Brown & Field 2007:

171). Examples of 19th century military earthworks in Britain are found at Hungry Hill in Aldershot

and on the Ash Ranges in Surrey (English 2004: 87-93; 2006: 245-53). As trenches became more

prominent during the latter half of the 19th century (e.g. Smith 1995: 422-40), their design evolved

to become more effective and afford greater protection. By 1903 the more complex Boer War

trench design (Fig. 42) was being practiced on Dartmoor and Salisbury Plain (Guy 1981: 1-2); with

48 | P a g e

these S-shaped trenches a precursor to the First World War trench designs (Brown & Field 2007:

172). Military manuals indicate that by 1908 more comprehensive trench systems were being

Fig. 41. Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban’s fortress attack design (Encyclopaedia Britannica 2011).

Fig. 42. Sketch plan of Boer trenches from the Second Boer War (Anon. 1900: 92).

49 | P a g e

developed, which eventually led to the complex seen on the western front (Anon. 1908: 4). Two of

the best examples of First World War practice trench systems in Britain can be found at Perham

Down on Salisbury Plain (Brown & Field 2007: 176) and within the interior of the Old Oswestry hill

fort in Shropshire

(Smith 2010). Aerial

photographs of the

earthworks at

Perham Down show

a substantial

training trench

system consisting

of two opposing

‘front line’ firing

trenches, up to

200m apart, which

are crenelated in

shape. Behind

these front lines lie

support, reserve

and communication

trenches, which are

either zigzag or

sinuous in shape.

This basic structure

of front line

trenches, followed

by support, reserve

and connecting

communication trenches is perhaps more simply demonstrated by the Old Oswestry earthworks.

Soldiers in the front firing trenches acted as the first line of defence should the enemy attack, as

well as being the first to attack when the troops went ‘over the top’. Once in the front line you would

be constantly on alert for an enemy attack as well as continually repairing and improving the

trenches. Those in the support line, usually 200 to 500 yards behind, were there to counter the

enemy should they advance over the front line of trenches, as well as being prepared to support a

friendly advance. The reserve line was established several hundred yards behind the support

trench and was a place where supplies were stored as well as providing a rest place for soldiers.

Communication trenches enabled soldiers to travel quickly between the front, support and reserve

lines. Due to the enduring nature of trench warfare soldiers would be continually rotated between

the trench lines, spending approximately 15 per cent of their time in the firing line, 10 per cent in

support trenches, and 30 per cent in reserve trenches. They would spend up to 45 per cent of their

time out of the trenches, either recovering from injuries or resting.

The aerial photograph showing the opposing trench systems between Loos and Hulluch in July

1917 depicts this general three tier trench system (Fig.43). What is clear in the image is that the

firing line trenches are crenelated. This is seen in training trenches throughout Britain, such as at

Redmires in Sheffield (Ullathorne 2006), Pernham Down and Old Oswestry hill fort, as well as

being depicted in military manuals (Fig 44). This shape ensured that the damage from exploding

Figure 43. Aerial photograph showing the opposing trench systems between

Loos and Hulluch in July 1917. Note the ‘sap’ trench encroaching into no man’s

land from the right hand front line at the top of the image (Imperial War Museum

2015).

50 | P a g e

shells would be confined to ‘boxed’ areas, as well as allowing projecting ‘bastions’ to give covering

fire to other parts of the trench (Brown & Field 2007: 172). The training trench system at Otterburn

in Northumberland (Brown 2009) shows how the front lines could also consist of island traverses

interconnected by shorter trenches, with the support trench a classic ‘Greek Key’ pattern and the

reserve trench more irregular in form. In addition, the Redmires complex has platforms used as gun

emplacement as well as officer post and possible shelters. In the Loos and Hulluch image the

support and reserve trench also appear to be largely crenelated. In British training trench examples

the support and reserve trenches tend to vary between being crenelated and more sinuous in

nature, reflecting the lesser defensive nature of these lines. However in nearly every example

communication trenches take on a very sinuous or zigzag form, which allows for more rapid

movement down their length, whilst still proving protection from enfilade fire or shell bursts (Brown

& Field 2007: 172).

Zigzag sap trenches also continued into the First World War as a way of advancing out from the

firing line trench) into no-man’s land and towards the enemy line. This was done underground

where sub-surface mines would be exploded, or more riskily above ground during the cover of

darkness, where sappers would listen in on enemy soldiers, throw small bombs into the enemy

trench and launch a surprise attack. These saps were smaller than normal trenches and would

advance approximately 30 yards out from the firing line and terminate with a sap head or listening/

bomb post.

Sap trench construction was predominantly the responsibility of the Royal Engineer Privates or

Sappers, a term originating from the 1856 amalgamation of the Crops of Royal Sappers and Miners

and the Officer Corps of Royal Engineers, to from the Corps of Royal Engineers.

Fig. 44. Instructional diagram of font line trenches from the British War Office manual “British Trench

Warfare 1917-1918: a reference manual” (War Office 1997).

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6.3.2 Surveys

The wider archaeological literature presents a lack of alternative explanations to suggest that the

earthworks are not military training trenches. Based on the geophysical and landscape survey

results and the case studies outlined above, the basic zigzag shape of the earthworks would

suggest that the Giggleswick earthworks are early 20th century communication or sapping trenches.

Earthworks such as those at Beacon Hill and Bullford Rifle Range (Brown & Field 2007: 173-4) on

Salisbury Plain are examples of how smaller less complex training trench complexes were created,

unlike the larger reconstructions at Perham Down and Old Oswestry hill fort. However, at Beacon

Hill and Bullford the zigzag communication trenches are not in isolation; they are connected to front

line and support trenches in some way. Similarly at Redmires in Sheffield (Fig. 45) and Rothbury in

Northumberland (Cocroft 2013, Northumberland National Park 2008) we do find examples of

zigzag earthworks dug as a single entity; yet again they are part of a larger training trench

landscape consisting of multiple training areas. In contrast, at Giggleswick the pair of zigzags are

not part of a wider training trench landscape; with the Lidar imaging and aerial photography

revealing no other earthworks.

Similar to Beacon Hill, at

Redmires all of the earthworks

have been constructed on

areas of sloping ground and in

most cases it appears that the

trenches are at a right angle to

the direction of slope and facing

uphill. This provides a tactical

advantage as it makes it more

difficult for the enemy to shell

positions to the rear of the

slope (Brown & Field 2007:

172). The Giggleswick zigzags

have also been dug across the

slope of a hill (albeit dug into a

pair of lynchets), however if

they are communication

trenches then any future

connected front line and

support trenches would run

parallel to this steep direction of

slope and through the lynchets

– a scenario which would

present significant structural

challenges.

Therefore, the exercise may

have have been done just to

replicate the physical process

of digging a trench, rather than

learning how and where to Figure 45. The Quarry Hil South West survey at Redmires (Ullathorne

2006: 17). Notice several individual zigzag trenches.

52 | P a g e

establish a trench system in the landscape. It does however present the question of why you would

chose to just practice digging communication trenches as opposed to the more complex and

arguably more important front line trench construction.

Alternatively the earthworks may represent an exercise in above ground sapping, with Royal

Engineers Sappers specifically trained for this duty. The level of risk involved in sapping as they

encroach into no-man’s land increases the emphasis on efficient training and fitness, and therefore

we perhaps should not be surprised to see examples of individual sapping exercises. This would

also possibly explain why we have a pair of zigzag trenches in isolation. The flatness and

straightness of the lynchets provide an ideal platform to practice sapping and the ‘Y’ shaped

eastern end of the lower zigzag may even be the beginnings of a sap-head. Sap trenches can be

seen in the Loos and Hulluch aerial photographs and at Penham down zigzag sapping trenches

can be seen reaching into the no-man’s land area between the opposing trench lines.

In 1908 the 49th West Riding Division was created as the West Riding Divisions Territorial Force in

the British Army. The division contained the 1st (West Riding) Field Company and the 2nd (West

Riding) Field Company of Royal Engineers and along with the 1/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s

(West Riding) Regiment, they were at their annual summer camp when war broke out in August

1914. In addition, on August 31st 1914 the War Office issued orders for all Territorial Forces to form

reserve units, which lead to the formation of the 62nd West Riding Division, including the 2/1st and

2/2nd (West Riding) Field Companies of Royal Engineers. As a result, even though no documentary

evidence has been uncovered, here we have four territorial engineer companies operating in the

West Riding of Yorkshire prior to and during the First World War that would most likely have been

engaged in practice trench construction, including the specialist skill of sapping.

Similar to the Giggleswick trenches, German front line trenches were often more wave like of

zigzag in shape. As a result it has been suggested that the Giggleswick earthworks may in fact be

mock German trenches used to stage practice offensive manoeuvres or artillery fire. A similar

scenario has been put forward as a possibility at the area of Trench 1 at Otterburn (Brown 2009:

12). This might explain why the trenches run at a right angle to the fall of slope, with the steepness

of the hill below Kelcow Wood providing an ideal training landscape to improve fitness. However,

no evidence of spent small arms ammunition was recovered from the site, as might be expected

from such a drill, depending on who was being trained; although not all drills would have used live

ammunition. The presence of large craters and artillery ammunition at Chaperton Down and Old

Oswestry on Salisbury Plain indicates that these trenches were used for artillery fire practice; no

such features were identified at Giggleswick.

6.3.3 Excavation

Lower zigzag

The excavation revealed the cut of the lower zigzag at the point of Trench 2 to be 0.9m deep, 2.6m

wide across the top and 0.85m wide across its base. The zigzag trenches at Rugeley Camp,

Cannock Chase measure 0.6m deep, 2m wide across the top and 0.5m wide across the base

(Welch 1997); the unfilled trench at Redmires was recorded at 1.3m deep with “a narrow trench

floor” (Ullathorne 2006: 18); the trenches at Beacon Hill are approximately 1.5m deep with cuts 2m

wide (Brown & Field 2007: 172). At Otterburn the two defensive ‘D-heads’ constructed off the

zigzag communications trenches were partially excavated, with Area 2 revealing a trench depth of

2m, an upper width of 5m and a base width of 1m, and Area 3 revealing a trench depth of 1.75m

53 | P a g e

Figure 46. Cross section of a communication trench from the British

War Office manual “British Trench Warfare 1917-1918: a reference

manual” (War Office 1997).

and a base width of 0.5m (Brown 2009). The British War Office manual “British Trench Warfare

1917-1918: a reference manual” provides illustrations showing communication trenches at 8ft 6

inches (2.6m) and 6ft (1.8m) deep (Fig. 46), and front line trenches 6ft (1.8m) deep (War Office

1997). Whereas the other training trench examples above exhibit variable depths, with ground

conditions and military tactics often influencing their design, the War Office Manual indicates that

the Giggleswick trenches may

have been significantly under-

dug for communication

trenches.

Only the Cannock Case

trenches exhibit smaller

dimensions; though this system

has been interpreted as only a

quarter scale model (Ullathorne

2006: 26) and other than being

generically described as ‘deep

and narrow’ in several sources,

no specific recordings of sap

trench dimensions have been

found. Therefore the

Giggleswick trenches are

certainly at the small end of the

trench construction scale.

The excavation also revealed

that the lower trench, at this

point at least, has a very basic

U shaped profile, with no

obvious additional

modifications; this may be

deliberate or due to a lack of

available construction

materials. The slight step in the

north-western face of the

trench cut may possibly

represent a firing step,

although this was less than

conclusive during the

excavation. The plane table

survey showed that the only

certain addition to the trench

cut appears to be the spoil

bank that runs down its south-

western length. This is likely

the remains of the original

earthwork fill which would have been used to increase the overall depth of the training trench,

acting as a parapet like feature; a similar feature is seen at the Quarry Hill East trench at Redmires

54 | P a g e

in Sheffield (Ullathorne 2006: 18) and at Rothbury (Northumberland National Park 2008).

The excavation of First World

War practice trenches in Britain

and the subsequent reporting

has been limited, and little

interpretation regarding trench

structure can be made from

unfilled trenches (e.g.

Ullathorne 2006: 18). Yet,

where excavation and

reporting has occurred (e.g.

Brown 2009, Northumberland

National Park 2008) the trench

profiles have revealed the

internal features that are

outlined in training manuals

(Fig. 47). This includes

evidence of trench boards,

firing steps, revetments and

parapets (Fig.48), with some of

these features identified during

the Otterburn trenches

excavation, where the exercise

possibly provided the men with

a more thorough trench

building experience (Brown

2009: 8-13).

In contrast the basic U shape

and lack of internal features at

Giggleswick does not suggest

such a scenario here. The

sleeper-like feature was found

to only be in the topsoil with no

indication of any relationship

with the original zigzag

structure. However, confirming

the negative magnetic

responses recorded in the geophysical survey, the excavation showed that the trench has been

deliberately backfilled with the mixed subsoil previously extracted from the lynchet.

Therefore, it must be considered that any features such as trench boards and revetments may

have been removed before this took place. Furthermore, the need for features such as trench

boards and revetments did vary according to ground conditions (War Office 1997).

Fig. 47. Cross section of a fire trench from the British War Office

manual “British Trench Warfare 1917-1918: a reference manual”

(War Office 1997).

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Upper zigzag

The results from Trench 1 and Trench 3 indicate that the upper zigzag was dug very shallow. The

maximum depth from the bottom of the topsoil at the edges of the zigzag and the start of the

lynchet at the base of the zigzag, is only 23mm for Trench 1 and 39mm for Trench 3. The zigzag

does not appear to have been deliberately backfilled at any point, with no subsoil layer (trench fill)

between the topsoil and lynchet; therefore the trench was seemingly left exposed once digging had

ceased. There was no evidence of any internal features and it is assumed that the findings of the

two trenches represent the profile of the entire earthwork. In addition, it is apparent that where the

zigzag terminates off the end of the lynchet (Trench 1) this potentially just represents an end point

for the exercise rather than a specific trench entrance.

Beyond comparing the plan of this earthwork to traditional communication and sapping trenches

interpreting the upper zigzag is challenging due to its significant lack of depth. A review of

comparative case studies has not found any similar examples and there appears to be no

justifiable reason to practice such a design when bearing in mind the lack of protection it would

surely provide – the lower zigzag demonstrates an awareness of the required depth of trenches by

those practicing them. Therefore it is likely that the upper zigzag represents a trench construction

exercise that has come to a premature end and this makes it impossible to be sure of the intended

function of the trench.

We are therefore possibly witnessing a snapshot of the trench construction process rather than the

end product. The apparent uniformity of depth along the trench in the middle of the exercise depicts

a well-coordinated and disciplined exercise that reflects the standard of training by local regiments

highlighted in the documentary research. The well thought-out training regime suggested at much

larger trench complexes such as Otterburn (Brown 2009: 12-13) is potentially also represented

here, if not on a much smaller scale. This scenario would therefore place the upper zigzag as later

Fig. 48. Cross section of a fire trench in west soil from the British War Office manual “British Trench Warfare

1917-1918: a reference manual” (War Office 1997).

56 | P a g e

in date, with the lower zigzag seemingly a completed exercise, although there is no way of

confirming this. If this is the case then we must ask why construction ceased. Possibly the

participants ran out of time and moved on to other exercises, or possibly those men (assuming it

was men, of course) who were practicing trench construction moved from the area – perhaps a

result of traveling overseas to join the war. The upper zigzag may even represent a training

exercise abandoned at some point around November 11th 1918. Again, without any documentary

or dating evidence it is impossible to know.

7 Conclusions

7.1 Drill Hall

The survey shows that most of the modifications made to the Drill Hall have been relatively minor,

and have not significantly or permanently compromised either the layout or the appearance of the

building. The covered entrance probably did detract from the visual impression of the Drill Hall, but

its removal means that the main entrance of the building has been returned to something

approaching its original appearance. The use of the building as a Scout Hall from 1936,

subsequent to its military use has been key in preserving, with minor modifications, the original

layout of the building along with a number of original features of architectural and historical interest.

Later features of significance to the history of Scouting at the Drill Hall are also preserved in the

Drill Hall.

The origin of the site is also reflective of the beginnings of Volunteer Rifle Corps’ across the

country; these new forces needed accommodation to practice their drill, however with most

volunteer’s working class labourers and no central funding available, their early development often

depended on the generosity of men such as Walter Morrison. As we learnt Morrison was more than

willing to use his own fortune to help finance military training in the area, including supporting the

Giggleswick OTC. The Castleberg Drill Hall is the most architecturally prominent example of this

support, with purpose built Drill Halls preferred to the adaptation of existing buildings (Carmichael

2013: 3). Whereas there is no such thing as a standard Drill Hall design (Fisher & Roberts 2014)

the Castleberg Drill Hall does have similar features to most other Drill Halls and its early

development – both as a place for drill and a social venue – mirrors what is seen throughout the

country (Carmichael 2013: 3).

Furthermore, the re-use and development history of the Drill Hall is a common one. In their later

years many Drill Halls have been used as leisure facilities, GPO sorting offices or telephone

exchanges, downgraded to cadet unit premises, or used as engineering or stores buildings (Fisher

& Roberts 2014). However, many have been demolished and redeveloped as brownfield sites, with

a 2006 survey revealing that from a total of 1,863 documented Drill Halls in England, only 309 of

the 476 (64 per cent) built before 1900 survived (Carmichael 2013: 3). Therefore, the Castleberg

Drill Hall demonstrates the value of reusing significant local buildings, maintaining its historical

integrity and enabling the local community to benefit from this important architectural feature of the

Settle landscape.

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7.2 Rifle Range

Like the Castleberg Drill Hall, the origin of the Attermire Rifle Range is also reflective of the

beginnings of Volunteer Rifle Crops’ across the country, with adequate facilities required for these

newly formed units that were funded by wealthy benefactors such as Walter Morrison. We know

from the Settle Pamphlets that during its early days the range and activities took place there

received great support from local people, with donations of equipment and competition prizes

coming in from different parts of the community. Furthermore, it’s ninety or so years’ service up

until its closure in the early 1950’s (Mussett 1980: 11) made it an important feature in the local

military landscape for a long period during which the presence or threat of war was an almost

constant in British society. The damage done to the 19th century iron targets by larger armour

piercing shells during the Second World War serves as a reminder of the longevity of the rifle range

and the instability of the period it survived in.

During this period the range was used by a variety of different people and groups. This included the

NCRC, the Giggleswick School OTC and the Settle Home Guard during the Second World War. It

was therefore a site that was experienced and appreciated by people from different walks of life

and from different periods of modern history. However they all came to the range with the same

intention: to practice their rifle shooting skills. They would all have experienced the same

surrounding landscape, the sounds of bullets ricocheting off targets, walls and the face of

Warrendale Knotts, and the familiar sounds of a rifle fire. Although the range is no longer in use,

the surrounding landscape is heavily walked by ramblers who have the opportunity to learn about

what remains of the rifle range.

Today rifle ranges built in the mid-19th century for the purposes of training in anticipation of a war

with France are rare, with most falling apart ether by the effects of neglect over time or by

deliberate dismantling by those wishing to make use of the construction materials. For example, at

Ellerlands only part of the target structure still survives, with the remainer reported to have been

robbed to build a modern toilet block. Therefore, Nelsons article and reconstruction drawing of the

Attermire Rifle Range is an important source for understanding the history, design and use of the

site and it is hoped that this project has furthered this understanding.

7.3 Training Trenches

The fieldwork has added significantly to our understanding of the earthworks, although their

interpretation remains challenging. The design of the trenches in plan are similar to communication

trenches, although if so they are notably under-dug and presents questions regarding the choice of

location and why other trench forms have not been practiced. They may be replica German

trenches, although there is no evidence of artillery or small arms training (despite the random

strong, discrete anomalies detected in the geophysics across the site) as might be expected if one

was to practice attacking the enemy line. They may be the remains of a sapping drill by a local

engineer company; however if the lower zigzag represent a completed exercise, it does not

correspond with the deep and narrow design of a normal sapping trench and thus again has been

under-dug. The lower zigzag may have included internal features such as trench boards and

revetments, which have since been removed, or it may have always been as it is now. The lack

artefacts found within the trenches (e.g. food tins and domestic waste) suggests that they were not

lived in.

This lack of clarity and apparent lack of specific design may however speak for itself. The surveys

58 | P a g e

revealed the diminutive nature of the earthworks in comparison to other training trenches in Britain.

Consequently, rather than attempting to compare the earthworks to specific trenches features (e.g.

saps or communication trenches) it might be more suitable to consider them as simple, small-scale

exercise, in trench digging or even just trench layout. Training trench drills served to build up

fitness levels, fostering team spirit among volunteer forces and working together as a unit, as much

as teaching how to construct the perfect military trench (Brown 2009: 13, English Heritage 2014).

Training trenches are often small disjointed examples designed to provide soldiers with the merest

familiarisation of trench life (Brown & Field 2007: 170).

As the documentary research has revealed, the North Craven Rifle Corps, or Craven Territorials,

had been fully engaged in military training during the 55 years prior to outbreak of the Great War,

and with zigzag sap trenches being used from the 17th century it is possible that the earthworks are

significantly older than the postulated WW1 date; with no dating evidence from the trench contexts

to contradict this. The formation of the NCRC (1859) – and the subsequent construction of the

Castleberg Drill Hall and Attermire Rifle Range – came not long after the British military learned a

valuable lesson in trench warfare during the Crimean War (1853-1856). It is possible that this new

understanding of trench warfare was passed down to local volunteer organisations and assimilated

into their training; with the effectiveness of zigzag trench design as learnt during the Boer War

(1899-1902) also taken on board. It is reasonable to suggest that learning about military trenches

was part of the volunteer training programme at some point.

In addition, with the Giggleswick School OTC conducting military training in the area from 1910 and

the Giggleswick Village Guard using the schools facilities (which are overlooked by the lynchets)

we have two other groups who would also have benefited from an exercise in trench construction.

The small scale of the trenches may even reflect the efforts of smaller schoolboys being given a

taste of trench digging.

Despite uncovering no evidence to confirm who was behind their construction or date, the trenches

probably sit within a well-defined context of late 19th and early 20th century local military training; a

period which is also defined by an increase in the use of zigzag trenches by the British military. The

Military Lands Act (1892) – amended in 1900 – gave the Secretary of State powers to purchase

land in the United Kingdom for military purposes of any portion of Her Majesty’s military forces. It

also meant that volunteer corps may, with the consent of the Secretary of State, themselves

purchase land under this Act for military purposes. This act helped facilitate this increase of military

‘landscapes’ both at a local and national level and whereas Giggleswick School did not own the

land beneath Kelcow Wood prior to the First World War, it is possible that under the remit of the act

the NCRC or the Craven Territorials did have ownership or lease of the land for military training

purposes.

It seems likely that at least one of the groups described above were involved in the digging of the

Giggleswick Trenches, if not as a joint educational exercise in the basics of trench warfare. Even if

not, and the trenches are the remains of an engineering company drill, it is hard to envisage that

the local groups were not aware of their construction and therefore able to appreciate how they

added to a special local military landcape that they themselves had already helped to define. We

must also be aware of the fact that the construction of practice trenches in Britain continued until

the Second World War (Brown 2009: 3).

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8 Outreach

The main focus of Training and Trenches was to engage members of the local community with the

physical legacy of the First World War. Archaeological fieldwork is becoming increasingly oriented

around public outreach and education, with such an approach helping drive the archaeological

discipline into new, fruitful territory. More and more people are becoming actively engaged with

their own local history through archaeological projects and learning new practical skills along the

way. Taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘Understanding

the First World War’ programme, Training and Trenches was successful in achieving a high level of

community engagement and achieving its outreach aims. Over 300 people took part in the project

between May and August 2014 and therefore actively engaged with the physical legacy of the First

World War in the Settle area.

8.1 Documentary Research

The project aimed to give

younger people from the

surrounding community the

opportunity to contribute to

the results of the project by

taking part in archaeological

and documentary research.

Michael Miles was ‘recruited’

as a voluntary Research

Assistant. Michael had been

taking part in the National

Parks Mosaic programme

(http://www.cnp.org.uk/sector

/mosaic) for over a year and

was interested in taking part

in some archaeological

research, having heard about

the project from one of the

Mosaic co-ordinators.

The Mosaic ‘Young

Champions’ project

introduces 18-25 year olds to

the National Park life, gaining

experience and skills that will

help towards employment.

Michael attended the

research day at the

Giggleswick School Archive

and the Imperial War

Museum in London (Fig. 49).

The former was

Figure 49. Research Assistant Michael Miles outside the Imperial War

Museum in London.

60 | P a g e

supplemented with an informative guided tour of the glorious school chapel by the school’s

archivist Barbara Gent, and the latter took in the sights and sounds of the museum and its

surroundings. Michael also took part in the training trench survey and excavation, and an end of

project talk at the Museum of North Craven Life in Settle. His contribution was invaluable and his

involvement in the project enabled him to learn valuable new skills that he will hopefully be able to

use in the future.

8.2 Surveys

The three surveys days were designed to include volunteers and allow them to learn new recording

skills as well as contributing their own knowledge and expertise. The rifle range survey was carried

out by National Park Authority staff, alongside local volunteers and rifle range enthusiasts (and

experts), Anthony Crawshaw and Bill Flentje. As well as helping with the survey itself, Anthony and

Bill’s presence provided a fascinating insight into the history and function of the site; with their

expert knowledge and description of how the range worked adding much to the day. Bill spent

much of the time scouring the base of Warrendale Knotts behind the range looking for spent

ammunition; with his trained eye recovering a handful of artefacts. Their involvement was

particularly helpful due to the ‘off the cuff’ nature of the outreach that ensued. The range is located

close to a public footpath and 30 plus walkers came past the site during the day (Fig. 50). Anthony

and Bill provided these inquisitive visitors with plenty of historical and architectural information

relating to the range, and the walkers were left with an enhanced knowledge of the region ’s military

history.

Figure 50. Talking to members of the public during the rifle range survey.

A team consisting of National Park Authority staff, Dales Volunteer Victoria Bennett, Research

Assistant Michael Miles, and Site Director David Johnson, undertook a plane table survey of the

earthworks (Fig. 51). The survey went well and produced the detailed plan of the training trenches

61 | P a g e

used to inform the excavation methodology, as well as the lynchets.

Aside from the member of YDNPA staff who co-ordinated the exercise, plane table surveying was a

new experience for all involved. Plane table survey is an alternative to the ‘off-set’ method and

produces more accurate results on the challenging and uneven terrain presented here. Everyone

had a go at each part of the process, from staff holding and tape ‘wrangling’ to making the

measured drawing, developing new skills in the process.

Figure 51. The survey team at the training trench earthworks.

8.3 Excavation

The number of

people involved in

physically

excavating the

training trenches

during the exercise

proved to be quite

remarkable for a

small six day

programme. In

addition, over the

course of the

fieldwork many

people from the

local area came to Figure 52. Students from Giggleswick School being shown how to record a trench

by a member of the Ingleborough Archaeology Group.

62 | P a g e

look at the site and engage with outreach activities. Eleven Ingleborough Archaeology Group

members took part in the excavation and several Ingleborough District Scout Group members

helped set up and close down the site, providing us with the use of their large field tent. Two

volunteers came and helped from Archaeological Services WYAS in Leeds, Megan Clement and

Finlay King, and Emma Wilson from Northallerton 6th Form College, who wanted to study

archaeology at university. On the second day around 50 students and staff from Giggleswick

Primary School were given a classroom talk about the project before coming up to have a look at

the site and have a go at digging. On the final day over 70 students and staff from Giggleswick

Junior School were given a site tour and lesson on how to record an archaeological trench (Fig.

52). It was particularly satisfying to see this latter group of students engage with archaeological

features that were possibly created their predecessors, 100 years earlier.

In the middle of the excavation on June 21st there was a public open day attended by over 100

people including children, parents and supervisors from the Yorkshire Dales Young Archaeologists

Club and the Yorkshire Dales Young Rangers, who got to have a go at digging. Also in attendance

throughout the day were staff members from the Craven Museum, the Museum of North Craven

Life, and the Council for British Archaeology. One of the most engaging elements of the open day

was the talk and handling sessions given by two WW1 re-enactors from the Leeds Royal

Armouries (Fig. 53). These superb sessions taught everyone on site about trench warfare, how

soldiers would have dressed and the equipment they would have carried. Having two men dressed

in First World War attire talking about life in the trenches whilst stood inside real military trenches

was very effective and thoroughly enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Figure 53. First World War re-enactors giving a lesson on trench warfare during the site open day.

8.4 Dissemination

Once all of the fieldwork and research had been undertaken two talks were held in July 2014 to

begin disseminating the results of the project to the local community. On Tuesday 22nd Project

Manager James Spry spoke to members of the public at the Craven Museum & Art Gallery in

63 | P a g e

Skipton (Fig. 54), with

20 people attending.

Particularly heart-

warming was the

attendance of one

local ex-serviceman

(wearing his medals)

whose own father had

been part of Tunstill’s

Craven Legion.

As is already clear, the

most important factor

in the project’s

success has been the

input of local

volunteers. It was

therefore fantastic to

see this continue at

the talk with another of

the attendees - Mr

Earnest Ramsbottom -

providing a valuable insight into the possible purpose of the practice trenches and being our source

of the ‘sap’ trench theory.

On Monday 28th July a similar talk

was given at the Museum of North

Craven Life in Settle, with Research

Assistant Michael also on hand to

contribute. Michael spoke about

how he became involved through

the National Parks Mosaic project,

and went through the results of the

documentary research. Again the

talk was well received, with 24

people attending. The Folly was a

great venue to hold the talk,

especially as the museum has its

own ‘War Beckons’ exhibition which

is dedicated to the First World War

story in Settle and North Craven.

Three newsletters were produced

during the course of the project,

distributed among different

individuals and organisations within

the local community as well as to

other professionals with an interest

Figure 54. The Training and Trenches talk at the Craven Museum & Art Gallery.

Figure 55. A screen shot of the ‘Yorkshire Dales Archaeology’

Facebook page and the Attermire Rifle Range post.

64 | P a g e

in First World War Archaeology. As well as keeping local residents up to date with the project’s

progress this also facilitated a free exchange of information with other people carrying out similar

research, which has ultimately been of benefit to interpreting the results of this project.

Progress has also been trackable on the ‘Yorkshire Dales Archaeology’ Facebook page, with the

newsletters and other activity updates put up on the pages wall. An extensive project photo album

is also available on the page (https://www.facebook.com/dalesarch). The Facebook page itself has

proven very popular and productive, and in the case of the Training and Trenches posts, the total

number people ‘reached’ has entered the thousands. For example, the Attermire Rifle Range ‘post’

and photo album was ‘reached’ by 1,783 people and actively ‘shared’ by thirteen others (Fig. 55).

This was a good demonstration of how social media can be used in a responsible and highly

effective way to inform a wide audience of local archaeological research.

9 Legacy

The Training and Trenches project set out to achieve three primary aims - to increase the public

awareness and understanding of the three chosen sites and the legacy of the First World War in

the Settle area; to demonstrate the important role that archaeological research can play in

investigating the impact of the First World War on British soil; to engage various local community

groups and individuals with their local heritage and provide them with original learning and training

opportunities. This report hopefully demonstrates that each of these aims has been successfully

achieved. With over 300 people taking part in the project and people from outside the immediate

area learning about the project through newsletters and social media, there is no doubt that many

people now have a greater awareness and understanding of the three sites and the legacy of the

First World War in the Settle area. This is something that this report will contribute to.

The archaeological fieldwork has added an innovative method to the research of the First World

War in Britain, with the surveys helping define the nature of the sites, and the excavation shedding

light on the development and possible purpose of the training trench earthworks. All of the fieldwork

has complemented and in some cases demonstrated links with the results of the documentary

research. The earthwork surveys and excavation in particular contributes to an under-

representative dataset on military practice trenches in Britain.

By facilitating the involvement of so many different people and groups with the fieldwork and

research the project has been successful at engaging the community with its local heritage, with

many people taking part in archaeological fieldwork for the first time and learning new skills. It is

hoped that everyone involved in Training and Trenches will retain fond memories of their

experience and that the story that this project has striven to tell will stay in their consciousness

during the centenary period and beyond. However, to complement these personal experiences, as

well as to reach those not fortune enough to be directly involved in the project, this report has been

produced with the intention of creating a significant project legacy in itself.

The richness of the Settle First World War story has exceeded expectations, encompassing many

different organisations, individuals, sites and sources. The early activities of the North Craven Rifle

Corps fifty-five years before the war and the continuation of the Giggleswick Combined Cadet

Force today, demonstrates that the true context of any local Great War story is reflected in the lives

and actions of several generations, both in the past and the present. As the research has revealed,

the Settle community demonstrated great pride and commitment to the cause of military training,

65 | P a g e

with the distinguished service those ‘ordinary’ men who served with the Duke of Wellington’s West

Riding Regiment a tribute to the this indispensable local spirit. Characters like Walter Morrison

helped ensure the legacy of those local men involved in military action both before and after the

war, and websites such as Craven’s Part in the Great War and other local projects, as well

everyone who helped with this fieldwork, are safeguarding this legacy today.

During the First World War centenary information about the events a century ago will be

disseminated to people around the world in abundance. However, this project has demonstrated

that it is perhaps by learning about how the war impacted on local communities and how these

people came to involve themselves with military life, that we can best understand Britain’s Great

War. Archaeological research is demonstrating time and time again that it can be an effective way

of actively engaging people with their local heritage. When this heritage encompasses a subject

like the First World War, with its lessons as relevant to today’s society as those in the past, this

engagement becomes even more important. International events are reflected on a local scale.

Arguably however, the most significant legacy of Training and Trenches project has been the

accommodating nature of the local community and those affected by its research, the interest it has

generated and the eagerness of people to be involved and show support for an innovate local

venture. Poignantly this is exactly the impression of the Settle community both during and leading

up to the Great War that this project is left with.

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