Rectilinear ditched enclosure. MPP classification: Enclosure / Rectilinear / Symmetric / Square / Straight sides 2 / Convex sides 2 / Corners curved / Ditch 1 / Length 52 m / Breadth 48 m / Complete / Internal features structural / Entrance 1 (terminal defined, aspect E). This "homestead" was superimposed on the EIA settlement SMR 305. Within a ditch 4.5 - 5 m wide, and a maximum 2.25 m deep, and a ploughed-out internal bank, there was a single, central, round timber house c. 11.5 m in diameter inside a drainage ditch 2 m wide and 1 m deep. Finds of Roman pottery suggest the site was occupied in A.D. C2.
Alison Deegan Aerial Photo interpreter (2018): A rectilinear enclosure with internal round house is visible as a cropmark on oblique air photos. The enclosure measures c. 43x39m internally and has an east facing entrance. There are suggestions of an outer ditch along the eastern side, off-set by approximately 13m from the inner enclosure and with a corresponding entrance. At the centre of the enclosure there is a circular enclosure that is likely to be the remains of round house drip gulley. It also has an east facing entrance and two narrow ditch mark a route between the enclosure entrance and the house entrance. This feature is located approximate 540m south of Seaton Burn, in a field between the A189 and Burradon Road. It is not 100% clear which of the two enclosures (306 or 305) she is referring to but assume 306 based on the description of a single round house.

Rectilinear ditched enclosure. MPP classification: Enclosure / Rectilinear / Symmetric / Rectangular / Not elongated / Straight sides 2 / Convex side 1 / Other 1 / Corners curved / Ditch 1 / Length 99 m / Breadth 89 m / Complete / Internal structures structural / Entrance 1 (terminal defined, aspect E). Excavated in 1968-9, this site was found to be the earlier of two, superimposed on one another. Within an enclosure ditch, 3 m wide and 1.25 m deep, and a onetime internal bank, now ploughed out, there had been 8 - 11 timber huts within drip trenches. Probably no more than three were in use at any one time. From the evidence of the pottery the excavator suggests that occupation of this "settlement" may have begun as early as the C6 or C5 B.C.

Rectilinear ditched enclosure. MPP classification: Enclosure / Rectilinear / Symmetric / Rectangular / Not elongated / Straight sides 4 / Corners curved / Ditch 1 / Length 67 m / Breadth 58 m / Complete / Internal features structural / Entrance 1 (terminal defined, aspect NE). The site was two-thirds built over by 1958 when the first trench was dug. Excavation in 1961-2 uncovered the entrance and a hut circle. The entrance was 6.7 m wide between the spatulate terminals of the ditch, but only 2.4 m wide between 2 short lengths of palisade trench within the ditch. The normal internal mound was missing, probably destroyed by ploughing. There was a little evidence for a stockyard inside the entrance. A round hut, 5.5. m internal diameter, was marked by a shallow trench.

Part of the bishops's estates, the earliest documentary reference appears to be 1183. Hatfield's Survey records the village as split between Sir William Hilton (2 parts) and Alice de Moderby (1 part). The Hilton family remained the principal landowners until the sale, in 1750, of their estate which then consisted of 7 farms though 8 are listed in 1755, and several remained in the village. The regular 2-row plan with green survives, though many of the buildings are modern. There are stone buildings, which appear largely19th century and have been/are being much altered at the east end of the green; on the north side at the east end stone cellars; and a pub and small terrace on south side. Outside the west end is the church, already present on 1st ed. OS, and outside the east end the school shown on 2nd ed. A watching brief was undertaken in May 2003 during the construction of a split level dwelling at "The Retreat" at Usworth next to Holy Trinity Church. No archaeological deposits were recorded, the foundations of a former stone cottage were found.

In 2018 groundworks at the former primary school of High Usworth were monitored because the northern extent of the proposed development was within the boundary of Great Ushaw village. During this monitoring no archaeological features were recorded and no artefacts were recovered. Dated C12th.

These 2 sites, which are quite close to one another, are normally coupled, and the O.S. adds a third. Surface finds of "Tardenoisian flint tools and chips" were made by G. Coupland in c. 1923; H. Preston in c. 1933; and ?A.N. Other. In a total of 281, Wymer lists the finds from Coupland's sites as: Sheddons Hill, 1 microlith (Mus. Ant.); 5 blades/flakes, 1 graver, 1 other, 1 microlith, 1 micro-burin (Hancock Mus. ex H. Preston); Black Fell, 139 blades/flakes, 3 scrapers, 15 microliths, 8 micro-burins (no home?); 5 blades/flakes (Mus. Ant.). In Sunderland Mus., from Black Fell (found by whom?), 87 blades/flakes, 2 scrapers, 8 microliths, 4 micro-burins. Miket reports a total of 421 being found c. 1923, of which only c. 100 survive, presumably those listed above as being in Sunderland Museum.

Paul Bidwell reports that Sunderland Museum holds 67 tools and waste flakes excavated by Coupland from the coast between Sunderland and Ryhope, i.e. between the above grid references, in addition to the groups listed above. Fieldwalking in 2005 in advance of the construction of a gas pipeline recovered 12 pieces of locally derived flint, but only one was worked. The excavation of six trial trenches found no features or finds of archaeological interest but subsequent watching brief recovered five more lithics and a single sherd of medieval pottery.

les Barres (1334) means outer fortifications, Beleburne (1303) means swollen or beautiful stream. Barras Bridge carried the Great North Road across the Pandon Burn just north of the junction of Northumberland Street and Percy Street. Remains of the bridge arch, viz. at least two of the medieval ribs, and part of a later widening, survive in the Pandon sewer. The bridge is "just south of the pedestrian crossing south of Claremont Road and is about 10 feet below the existing road surface". It was apparently widened in 1789, to the design of David Stephenson, architect, and "rebuilt, raised and considerably widened" in 1819. It probably disappeared in 1835 when the dene was filled up.

Bourne: "...the Word Barrows signifies the same as Tinnuli (sic), Hillocks, and sometimes Graves and Sepulchres: And when it is considered, that the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen was founded for the Reception of Leprous Folks, it is easy to see, that the Maudlin-Barrows are the Tombs or Burial-Places of those that died of the Leprosy in that Hospital:...". Brand repeated Bourne's suggestion that these supposed graves were in "the present 'Sick- Man's Close'". Mackenzie not only equated 'Sick-Man's Close' with St. James' Close (now the site of the Hancock Museum and terraces to the north as far as Park Terrace), but reported that "vast quantities of human bones" had been found during building operations there. Note however that the 1732 map of the hospital lands shows 'Sick Mens Close' where Brandling village is now, and 'Dead Men's Graves' on the site of the 19th century All Saints Cemetery.

In the account of the wards there is reference to "the Great Cross standing within the Maudlin-Barres without the Newyate...", and Bourne quotes the Milbank MS thus: "At the end of the Barras-Bridge before the Chapel stood a stately Cross firm and compleat, and John Pigg in the Time of the Rebellion took it down, and called it Idolatry, and thought to make his own use of it; but it was broke by some who hated it should be prophaned...".

Earliest certain reference is 1542 when the Master of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalene was styled also "Previsour of the chapell of St. Jaymes, and of the Lazar House nigh adjoining to the said hospitall". The account of the wards may be earlier - "...the Water-Mill beside St.James' kirk". The chapel is located by the 18th century historians "on the north side of the Barras Bridge". Brand - "The western end of this chapel has been converted into a cowhouse: in the east end is at present a dwelling-house, the fireplace of which stands on the site of the communion table. Old arches built up with brick are still observable, and the eastern window may still be traced out from the stairs of an adjoining house. The whole building is called at present "The Sick-Man's House". Largely demolished and rebuilt in 1797-1800, it came to be called St. James Place, and was finally cleared away when the Hancock Museum was built in 1878