Campsite at Hornsea near Neolithic henge seeks permission for 30 tourers, motorhomes and tents

A campsite at Hornsea near the recently discovered site of a Neolithic henge is seeking planning permission for up to 30 touring caravans, motorhomes and tents.
The field next to the campsite has been identified as the site of a Neolithic hengeThe field next to the campsite has been identified as the site of a Neolithic henge
The field next to the campsite has been identified as the site of a Neolithic henge

The owners of the site at Northorpe on Atwick Road are not planning any major changes and want to keep the greenfield feel of the site.

But archaeologists may have to observe any groundworks which take place, as it is only 300m away from the henge, which was identified by cropmarks in 2010 and listed as a scheduled ancient monument in 2015.

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Martyn and Joanne Roberts brought the B&B and campsite in 2019 and say they won't be putting in hardstanding and will only be replacing a septic tank in the car park.

The Neolithic henge at Northorpe, near Hornsea, was added to the National Heritage List  Picture: Dave MacLeod/Historic England/PA WireThe Neolithic henge at Northorpe, near Hornsea, was added to the National Heritage List  Picture: Dave MacLeod/Historic England/PA Wire
The Neolithic henge at Northorpe, near Hornsea, was added to the National Heritage List Picture: Dave MacLeod/Historic England/PA Wire

Mr Roberts said: "We are not in any way going to change the business model. It will still be a roughy-toughy campsite in a field.

"We have electrical hook up but it's only six amps. You can't bring a flatscreen TV or a microwave, but it's sufficient to charge a phone."

They are hoping to reopen at Easter and have already had plenty of bookings.

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The earthworks in the adjacent field have long since been flattened by ploughing. But a circular space, with a ditch and a bank on the outside, is visible as dark cropmarks from the air.

A marked break in the ditch in the circle indicates where the entrance would have been.

Henges are thought to have been used for ritual purposes, between 4,500 and 6,000 years ago, and sometimes have burials on the inside.

Another structure inside the henge could be the remains of a high-status domestic roundhouse dating to the later Bronze Age.

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However another explanation is that it may be the remains of a Neolithic structure, possibly an inner ritual enclosure, building or earlier phase of the ritual site.

Experts say the level of detail picked up in aerial photographs shows there is a "high potential" for well preserved archaeological remains, even though the site has been levelled.

Documents online state that Historic England "now consider the (planning) application acceptable pending a condition securing the archaeological watching brief."

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