Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Field Visit

Date 26 September 2016

Event ID 1018808

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1018808

The First World War defences at the SW end of the summit of Aiden Hill form part (No.1 Position) of a larger infrastructure designed to protect the Portkil Coastal Battery (NS28SE 39) from its landward side (see also NS28SW 30, NS28SE 39.15-17). Aiden Hill is a low ridge given over to both improved and rough pasture, and it originally supported two ‘Positions’ – No. 1 at its SW end and No. 2 (NS28SE 39.15) some 340m to the NE.

No.1 Position comprised two blockhouses (No.1 and No.2), and two firing trenches set 260m to the NW and 140m to the SSW respectively. Blockhouse No.1 (NS c.2352 8110) stood on the SE flank of the ridge and no remains of it were positively identified in an area of rank vegetation on the date of visit. Blockhouse No.2 (NS 23489 81171) stood on the highest part of this area of the SW end of the ridge and, whilst there was visible on the date of visit a low scarp describing a fragment of a roughly circular feature measuring about 7m in overall diameter, this lay at least 13m NE of the position of the structure as recorded on an annotated War Department map (National Archives: WO78/4396). The only element of No. 1 Position that was positively identified on the date of visit was the firing trench (NS 23355 81358) on the crest of the ridge with an outlook to the west. It comprises a narrow and shallow trench some 24.5m in length which is fronted (on the W) by a flat-topped mound of upcast measuring about 2.5m in thickness and 0.4m high at the front.

Situated some 270m NE of Position No.1 and 160m S of Position No.2, are the remains of an ‘Officer’s Shelter’ (WO78/4396) now marked by a grass-grown rectangular area of hard standing measuring at least 6.2m from WE to SE by 3.3m transversely. The SW side and the two ends of this area are defined by very shallow outer-facing scarps: the NE side is lost beneath the upcast of a drain that now marks the NE end of the improved field in which the hut stood.

Visited by HES, Survey and Recording (JRS, AK, AM) 26 September 2016.

People and Organisations

References