Pinfold

This is a mid-18th century, or possibly earlier, limestone pinfold or pound located in Burghwallis. The structure is roughly U-shaped, situated at the end of a sloping lane that once led from the village to the common fields. The south east corner is angled, while the south west corner is curved and features an entrance. The east and west walls extend beyond the pinfold’s northern boundary, flanking the lower section of the former lane.

The pinfold is approximately 5.7 meters wide. The walls are constructed of roughly-coursed limestone and have curved coping stones. The north wall has been strengthened with vertical orthostats, incorporates steps at its west end, rises a few courses high, and carries a modern sewerage pipe. The south walls rise to about 1.5 meters, reflecting the change in ground level. A modern gate marks the entrance in the south west corner. Inside, a small, stone-lined watering trough is fed by a natural spring, and a later, low stone platform is built against the west wall.

Documentary evidence, including Manor Court Books, confirms the existence of a pinfold at Burghwallis from at least 1753, when Thomas Mallinson served as pinder, followed by his wife Dorothy. Records from 1780 show the keeping of sheep, pigs, and horses or beasts in the pinfold. The structure is thought to have been built using stone from a nearby quarry, and its location near former common grazing land supports this. The 1813 Enclosure Award map suggests the pinfold was located at the south end of an access route to the common fields, although it was not shown on later Ordnance Survey maps, indicating it had fallen out of use.