The Iron Age and the Brigantes
Who lived around Castleford?
In the Iron Age the Castleford area lay within the territory of a powerful group of British tribes called the Brigantes. They controlled almost the whole of the north of England.
Evidence for people living in the area
Botanical (plant) evidence shows that there was well-established and well-organised farming in the Castleford area during the Iron Age. Aerial photography shows that people lived in small farms scattered around the landscape. Some of these farms close to Castleford have been excavated at Whitwood, Ferrybridge and Ledston.
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1. By the Iron Age people were living close to the henge monument at Ferrybridge, but they were still using and respecting the ceremonial monuments. Archaeologists found fields and farms with roundhouses. There was evidence for crop processing and metal-working.
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2. This artist’s reconstruction shows an Iron Age farm at North Elmsall. Archaeologists found a farmyard with a large roundhouse in the centre. There were three smaller roundhouses outside the yard used as homes.
Burial of an important man
A rare burial of an Iron Age man was found at Ferry Fryston near Ferrybridge during improvements to the A1(M) in 2003. He was buried in about 200 BC in a complete chariot. Archaeologists think that burial in a chariot was reserved for people of very high status in the Iron Age. Chariot burials are usually only found in East Yorkshire, so this man may not have been local.
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3. All the wooden and leather parts of the chariot had rotted away, but archaeologists got enough information from the remains in the grave to make this replica.
Timeline:
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