Gibside Estate, ridge and furrow

Ridge and furrow faintly visible at ground level in the long grass as lines of darker longer vegetation. The crests of the rigs, which run roughly east-west down a west-facing slope, are approximately 4m apart. There is no evidence for the elongated S plan form suggestive of medieval rig and furrow, though the downslope ends of the rigs have been truncated by the carriage drive which was in existence by 1856/6, and the up-slope ends may lie within the woodland beyond the modern fenceline. It is possible that this is post-medieval, perhaps even 18th century ploughing. Some faint north-south linear features on the west side of the carriage drive may represent headlands associated with the rig and furrow, alternatively they may be the remains of another rig and furrow system or even a possible leat.