Archaeology

The Moors contain an amazing wealth of archaeological remains of all periods, dating from the end of the last Ice Age - the flint tools and camps of the first hunters - through to the concrete and steel bunkers of the Cold War. There is the largest iron age hill-fort in the North of England, Roman Forts, castles and abbeys, moorland crosses and the remains of important early industrial sites.

When you look at the North York Moors, what do you see? Although the moors seem wild and natural, their appearance is entirely the result of human activity.

The evidence of this can be found all around us, if you learn how to read the signs. Each generation has left its own mark, manipulating and managing the land to meet their own needs.

With just a little knowledge, it is possible to look at the countryside and settlements here and imagine what was happening hundreds or thousands of years ago. Some aspects of this story may surprise you, opening up a vision of the past which will change your perception of the present.