We can, then, imagine an invasion or slow infiltration of new blood and new ideas into our area. Stone and Bronze may be used together, depending of course on the availability of those materials. Both of these ingredients could be found in quantity in England. Once the art of producing the alloy had been mastered there would be no difficulty in producing the metal.
Bronze is easy to produce provided the required temperatures can be reached.
Brass, not in use until the 13th century, is much more difficult to produce. The evidence of the presence of Bronze Age man in our area is provided by his burial mounds. These are most prolific on the ridge to the south of Gilling, that is on Yearsley Moor. They are placed along this ridge all the way from Gilling to Oulton. These are round barrows consisting of raised conical mounds.