Stony Hill
Field System (Period Unassigned), Hut Circle (Prehistoric)
Site Name Stony Hill
Classification Field System (Period Unassigned), Hut Circle (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 16445
Site Number NJ25SW 5
NGR NJ 2485 5130
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/16445
- Council Moray
- Parish Rothes
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Moray
- Former County Morayshire
NJ25SW 5 2485 5130.
At NJ 2485 5130 is a circular, stone-walled hut within a contemporary field system.
The hut measures about 10.5m in diameter between the centres of a wall spread to about 2.0m. The NE arc is cut by a track and the entrance is not evident.
The field system is marked by stone clearance heaps joined in places by rickles of stones and lynchets, forming plots some of which measure about 10.0m square, about 17.0m square, about 50.0m by about 6.0m.
Hut surveyed at 6" scale.
Visited by OS (R L) 23 April 1971.
Field Visit (9 October 2020 - 5 November 2020)
NJ 24859 51300 (centred) A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out in advance of a woodland planting and regeneration scheme at the Moss of Rothes. The walkover survey recorded 14 archaeological sites comprising 1 prehistoric kerbed cairn, 3 prehistoric hut circles, and 136 prehistoric clearance cairns forming 3 field systems; a post-medieval farmstead, enclosure, field dyke and field system including at least 14 clearance cairns; and 3 sites relating to the use of the landscape by the Rothes Estate including 15 grouse butts and an estate wall. (See Canmore ID: 16444; 16445; 156171; 70990 for some of these).
While some of these sites had previously been recorded on the Moray Historic Environment Record, they had not previously been recorded in any detail and the survey carried out in respect of this project provides a comprehensive overview of the archaeological features focused on a prominent ridge of ground running SE from the Moss of Stonyhill. In particular, a significant number of clearance cairns and mounds were recorded within the prehistoric and historic field systems, along with a second hut circle.
A possible third hut circle and associated field system comprising clearance cairns and mounds were recorded in the SW sector of the survey area, within the area defined for planting.
Although a significant number of archaeological features were recorded during the survey, especially on the ridge running SE from the Moss of Stonyhill, extensive stands of heather created some difficulties in identification. This was further compounded while recording the prehistoric features due to their partial burial below the peat and sediment cover.
Archive: Highland Council HER and NRHE (intended)
Funder: Cawdor Forestry Ltd
Steven Birch – West Coast Archaeological Services
(Source: DES Volume 21)
Watching Brief (24 June 2022 - 30 August 2022)
NJ 24859 51300 A watching brief was undertaken at Bruach Hill, Rothes, in June to August 2022, in advance of the construction of a new forest road. The site was surveyed during a walkover survey conducted by Addyman Archaeology in 2021, itself building up on another survey from 2020 by West Coast Archaeological Services. This identified several archaeological sites. The original route was subsequently amended to avoid areas of deep peat and areas were proposed for archaeological watching brief due to their proximity to archaeological sites. The two watched areas did not reveal any buried archaeology. The whole area was covered in about 0.3m of peaty topsoil over the natural clay subsoil.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: Cawdor Forestry
Antoine Ruchonnet – Addyman Archaeology
(Source: DES Volume 23)
