In 1979 an urned cremation was accidentally discovered in the side of a quarry at Warden Law. It had originally been buried in a short cist which had been covered by a mound. The site was subsequently excavated. Dr J. Weyman reported on the cremation. Only part of the urn's contents were recovered, and they had been thoroughly cremated. Recognizable features included long-bones, ribs, vertebrae, pelvis, phalanges, skull and teeth fragments. These showed that the individual had been aged 3 - 6 years.

Mentioned by Greenwell in 1877, the barrow was described by Trechmann as lying on the south slope of Warden Law, just below the 500 foot contour. The barrow was round, c. 33 feet in diameter, and 3 feet + high at the centre. On excavation in 1911 it was found to consist largely of stones, with some earth, to lack a surrounding bank and ditch, but perhaps to have had an encircling boulder kerb. Trechmann did not find a cist, but he did record the discovery of a sandstone slab, 3.5 ft x 1.5 ft x 10 in, which "had every appearance of having formed the covering stone of a cist". In the barrow were found two much disturbed burials (SMR 442), and "a small hoard of flint".(SMR 443-445) Young describes it as "much-ploughed, grass-covered", 20.60 m across and 0.53 m high, and the O.S. follow his identification, saying, however, in 1978 that this could not be proved to be Trechmann's site.

In 1877 Greenwell noted that near Hetton "three barrows...still remain unopened". The largest was excavated by Trechmann (255), who noted that there were nearby "two smaller conical heaps of glacial gravel covered with trees. One of these had been utilized by prehistoric man as a burial place, a cist having been found here by Dr Greenwell many years ago inserted near the summit of this natural mound. The cist was never thoroughly examined and although I have several times searched for it I have been hitherto totally unable to locate it. Possibly it has been destroyed or obliterated". The above grid reference is that decided as most probable by the Ordnance Survey. This heap or knoll is described as 78 m in diameter and 6 m high, with the east part of it largely quarried away. "This could possibly be the mound in which Greenwell saw a cist but there is no evidence of any antiquity to be seen now".(3)

Gibbs records the discovery of a scraper, flakes and artefacts from this location, which Young describes as occupying the edge of the limestone plateau overlooking the main river valley, the barrow on Hasting Hill, and the complex of ? Neolithic/Bronze Age ritual sites c. 1 mile to the south- east. The objects seem to have been in Sunderland Museum at one time since Miket notes specifically a flint scraper and three flakes ("now missing"), and gives an accession number, and Young quotes W. Dodds as saying that the material was of later prehistoric character, i.e. not Mesolithic.

Source 1 "records 'flakes and scrapers' from this location in a field to East-South-East of the Farm - a higher point of the ridge'. The ridge in question is the same as that occupied by the cairn at Warden Law. The area was field walked once by the writer. No further additions were made. None of this material can now be traced. No further information is available".(4) Source 2 notes that flints found at Haining as well as High Haining were in the Skipton Museum, but gives no grid refs for either. Haining: 20 unretouched blades and flakes, one microlith. High Haining: 21 unretouched blades and flakes. Source 3 gives the museum accession number for High Haining only.

"Part of a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age stone axe found in 1962 by I. Dryden (farmer's son) during ploughing at Carr House Farm. Professor Dunham examined the axe and classified it as Pike of Stickle (Group VI) type, made of volcanic tuff".(2) Source 2 quotes a letter to Sunderland Museum as the original report of this discovery, and goes on to say that in 1977 the axe was in "Murton Modern School". Source 3 gives dimensions, 123 mm long, 82 mm wide, 32 mm thick, - were these in the letter or had he seen the axe? - and changes the name of the school to Easington Comprehensive. A different school or renamed?

Gibbs recorded flakes and a scraper or spearhead from north-west of the water tanks at Great Eppleton. Young, though extending the O.S. 4 figure grid reference to 6, points out that it is only approximate. He also reports that the objects cannot now be traced.

Surtees records "a remarkable tumulus, consisting entirely of field-stones gathered together", situated in a field "on the right-hand side of the road from Eppleton to Hetton and only one field from Houghton-Lane". In the top of the cairn was a small oblong hollow known as the Fairies Cradle. It is marked on O.S. 1st edition 1:2500 as "Fairies Cradle Maiden Hill (Tumulus)". Greenwell wrote "... a barrow was removed several years ago, when I believe some urns were met with; " and the VCH recorded the finding of "a vessel of pottery" when the mound was destroyed. Young lists it in his Group B, "Sites which upon destruction or complete excavation have proved to be barrows".

"In 1273 Sir Thomas de Herrington granted his manor of Houghall to the Church of St. Cuthbert; and in return for the donation, Richard Hoton, Prior of Durham, and his Convent, agreed, by their charter dated ...Feb. 1291, to institute two perpetual chantries in the Church of Durham...and to provide for ever two perpetual Chaplains to celebrate Mass; the one in the Chapel of Herverton, and the other in the Chapel of West Herrington...". In 1414, after a dispute, the Rector of Houghton agreed to provide a second chaplain in the parish to celebrate Mass 2 or 3 times a week in the said chapel of West Herrington. "The Chapel, of which no vestiges remain, probably did not survive the dissolution of the Chantries...". A church (with cemetery) was built at West Herrington in 1840. It was demoted to cemetery chapel in the late19th century and demolished in 1975. It is said it was built on site of chantry chapel but this has not been proved. Dated C13th.

The chaplain of St. Mary's chapel is listed as holding land in Burdon in Hatfield's Survey, c. 1380. This is the only reference yet found. Dated C14th.