Archaeology Notes

Event ID 698083

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/698083

NO23SW 1.00 2139 3167

NO23SW 1.01 NO 2133 3166 Cup-markings

NO23SW 1.02 NO 2120 3184 Macbeth's Well

(NO 2137 3167) Macbeth's Castle (Fort) (NR)

(NO 2120 3184) Macbeth's Well (NR)

OS 6" map (1959)

The fort of Dunsinnan is situated on a little green knoll on the narrow summit of a hill. The slightly dished top of the knoll, measuring c. 185' x 105', is surrounded by a slight ridging at the edge, 6' - 12' wide, not always visible. Around this, on the steep short slopes of the knoll, is a series of narrow terraces varying from three on the NE to one on the S. Overall the fort measures 325' x 240'.

Shortly before 1799, excavations by Playfair (D Christison 1900) revealed a stone wall around the top of the knoll, comprising two faces of large stones, with a filling of loose stones. No entrance through the wall was discovered in 1854, but there is a very distinct entrance through the outer defences at the NE corner.

Within the wall, Wise, in 1854, recorded the discovery of two connected stone-walled subterranean rooms, 20' long, 6' - 8' wide, and up to 6' high, with corbelled roofs, in which were found a quern, ashes and occupation debris, also three human skeletons. However, the MS account by A Stewart (of Kinrossie), who took part in the excavation, shows that the buildings were located on ground level, together with other building remains and a court, and that Wise had been misled by the considerable accretion of earth, containing evidence of burnt timber, over the site. Much vitrified material has been found among the stonework but there can hardly be any doubt that it came from either an earlier structure or some other site.

In 1857 a small bronze spiral ring of serpent design was found during an excavation near the gateway of the fort but it was lost within the year. Two hut circles were noted in the interior by Mrs Stewart (information to OS, 9 March 1957).

T A Wise 1859; T Brown 1873; M A Cotton 1954