Bygone Burnley: Castercliffe, with historian Roger Frost MBE

Historian Roger Frost MBE takes us to Castercliffe and the site of what may have been an Iron Age fort or settlement.

It is, according to Roger, one of the most ancient sites in the whole of North-East Lancashire, and may have dated from around 700 BC.

Nothing remains of the original settlement now, but undulations in the land on the hill on which it stood give some idea of the shape and dimensions of the settlement.

“There have been several digs, but unfortunately they have proved inconclusive. It’s a massive site and would have taken a huge amount of manpower to build it.

“The structure was an encampment – it could have been a fort, village, manufacturing site or somewhere the local population retired to in times of danger.”

The settlement was founded by the Brigantes, Ancient Britons who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of what would become Northern England.

The tribe lived in upper, hilly, forested areas of the past such as Castercliffe.

Roger added: “We believe that the Romans occupied this fort for a short time. We don’t know how long. It might have only been when the fort at Ribchester was destroyed, and this may have seen them temporarily resuscitate this fort.”

Roger goes on to highlight the fantastic views afforded from the elevated site – looking over Burnley, Nelson, Colne and even over to the Yorkshire Dales.

“Castercliffe has got phenomenal views around the whole area. From Briercliffe you get directly into Yorkshire from Widdop, which is a very ancient route, so that might have been available to people who lived here in prehistoric and Roman times,” Roger explains.

Roger goes on to explain that much is still not known about the site, but it may have been on a route all the way from Ireland to Yorkshire.

He also said that it was “very amiss” of all the local councils not to have produced any information boards explaining the history of this significant site.