Skip to main content
1 of 2
LаngLаngС
  • 80.8k
  • 9
  • 284
  • 358

'Ghost walls' is a concept that is used in archaeology. But maybe not just so fanciful as in these historical fiction books:

Meanwhile, trial trenches at the north end of the adjacent long and narrow meadow—on the surface of which, when ploughed, stray finds of Roman pottery and coins had often been made—revealed a well-defined layer of Roman building debris associated with ‘ghost-walls’, or foundation-trenches from which all masonry had been removed by stone-robbers. Below this was a stratum of dark occupation-earth with an abundance of pottery indicating the presence of an extensive Early Iron Age settlement.

J. S. P. Bradford And R. G. Goodchild: "Excavations at Frilford, Berks., 1937-8", Oxoniensia, Vol 4, 1939.

The Oxford Archaeology Dictionary refers to this as:

See robber trench. ...

It seems reasonable to assume that the fancy name gives rise to imagination if you hear it.

Some books mention 'ghost fences' en passant in the way described in the question:

Alistair Moffat: "The Borders: A History of the Borders from Ealiest Times", Birlinn, 2011.

Alistair Moffat: "The Sea Kingdoms: The History of Celtic Britain and Ireland", Birlinn, 2011

And a few more. Seemingly with a claim to be real science.

But, as you can see, this concept seems to be a pet peeve of one man, outside of fiction and academia.

LаngLаngС
  • 80.8k
  • 9
  • 284
  • 358