Carl Wark
Carl Wark (sometimes Carl's Wark) is a rocky
Geography
Location
Carl Wark is located at
The promontory is a Millstone Grit outcrop[4] situated in Hathersage Moor. From the north it is overlooked by the higher 434 metres (1,424 ft) peak of Higger Tor.[5] To the east is the valley of the Burbage Brook, which is overlooked by Burbage Rocks, a Millstone Grit escarpment. The land gently slopes away to the south following the course of Burbage Brook into the valley of the River Derwent. To the south-west, the land rises towards Winyards Nick and Over Owler Tor.[2]
Layout
The promontory is approximately 230 metres (750 ft) long and 60 metres (200 ft) wide, oriented south-east to north-west.[6] It gently slopes down to the west; at the peak of the promontory an area of 0.7 hectares (1.7 acres)—180 metres (590 ft) long, 60 metres (200 ft) wide—is enclosed by natural cliffs enhanced with man-made fortifications.[7] The eastern and north-eastern sides of this enclosure are faced with vertical cliffs of up to 10 metres (33 ft) in height. The southern edge of the enclosure consists of large earth-fast boulders that have been reinforced with millstone grit blocks, forming a wall 2–2.5 metres (6.6–8.2 ft) high. A rampart across the western end of the promontory completes the enclosure. The rampart is 40 metres (130 ft) long and 8 metres (26 ft) wide at its base, rising to a height of 3 metres (9.8 ft).[8] It is constructed of a turf bank that is lined on its outer face with gritstone blocks. Within the southern wall, about 10 metres (33 ft) from the western rampart there is a 2-metre (6.6 ft) wide entrance. This entrance is a curved passage through the rock face with 2.5-metre (8.2 ft) walls on each side.[9]
At the south end of the rampart there are the remains of a shelter, possibly a shieling, built using stones from the rampart.[10] Around the base of the cliff at the eastern end of the promontory there is evidence of millstone production, probably dating from the 16th or 17th century.[11]
History
The date and purpose of the construction of the rampart at Carl Wark are uncertain. It has been described as being "unlike any other [structure] found in Northern England."
The origin of the name Carl Wark is uncertain. Rooke used the name "Cair's Work" in his 1785 description, whereas Bateman used "Carleswark". Sheffield historian and folklorist S. O. Addy, writing in 1893, posited that the name is Old Norse in origin, meaning 'The Old Man's Fort', where the 'Old Man' refers to the devil[23]—suggesting that the 9th to 10th century Danish settlers in the area regarded the enclosure as ancient and mysterious.[24][25] The 1802 Derbyshire edition of The Beauties of England and Wales refers to a rock on the site named "Cair's Chair"[26] suggesting the Welsh word Caer meaning fort or rampart as a possible origin - Cair being an old spelling variant.[27]
A scene from the 1987 film The Princess Bride was filmed nearby at Carl Wark with Higger Tor visible in the background.[28]
See also
References
- Footnotes
- ^ a b Historic England. "Carl Wark (312285)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ a b c "Grid reference SK 259 814". Get A Map. Ordnance Survey. Archived from the original on 27 July 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
- ^ a b Savage 1999, p. 11
- ^ Gould 1903, p. 179
- ^ "Grid reference SK 257 819". Get A Map. Ordnance Survey. Archived from the original on 27 July 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
- ^ Bevan 2006, p. 30
- ^ Addy 1893, p. 11
- ^ Bevan 2006, p. 31
- ^ Wilkinson 1861, pp. 163–164
- ^ Bevan 2006, p. 36
- ^ Bevan 2006, pp. 41–42
- ^ Savage 1999, p. v
- ^ Bevan, B. (2007). Sheffield's Golden Frame: the moorland heritage of Burbage, Houndkirk and Longshaw. Stockport: Sigma. p. 32. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- ^ a b c Bevan, B. (2007). Sheffield's Golden Frame: the moorland heritage of Burbage, Houndkirk and Longshaw. Stockport: Sigma. p. 35. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
- ^ Rooke, Hayman (1785). "A Further Account of Some Druidical Remains in Derbyshire". Archaeologia. VII: 175–177. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
- ^ Wilkinson 1861, p. 163
- OCLC 66308476. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
- ^ Gould 1903, pp. 178–179
- S2CID 246046288.
- ^ "Carl Wark". Peak District Information. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ Price, Norman (1953). The Derbyshire Dales. London: Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. pp. 27–28.
- ^ Savage 1999, pp. 46–48
- ^ Addy 1893, pp. 16–17
- ^ Armitage 1905, p. 41
- ^ Gould 1903, p. 175
- ^ Britton & Brayley 1802, pp. 477–478
- ^ A Dictionary of the Welsh Language. University of Wales. 2018.
- ^ "'The Princess Bride': 10 INCONCEIVABLE facts from the Academy's live-commentary screening". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 1 September 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- Sources
- OCLC 12239309. (wikisource)
- Armitage, Ella S. (1905). A key to English Antiquities: with special reference to the Sheffield and Rotherham district. London: J. M. Dent & Co.
- Bevan, Bill (2006). "From Cairns to Craters: Conservation Heritage Assessment of Burbage" (PDF). The Moors for the Future Partnership. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- .
- Gould, I. Chalkley (1903). "Carl's Wark". Journal of the Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. 25. Derby: Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural History Society: 175–180. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
- Pennington, Rooke (1877). Notes on the Barrows and Bone-caves of Derbyshire. London: Macmillan and Co. OCLC 59482616. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- Savage, Mick (1999). The Mystery of Carl Wark: Peak District Fortress or Folly?. Sheffield: ALD Design & Print. ISBN 1-901587-06-1.
- Wilkinson, Gardner (January 1861). "On Some of the Vestiges of the Britons Near Hathersage". The Reliquary. 1: 159–166. Retrieved 20 February 2011.