Garrol Hill 2
Cairnfield (Later Prehistoric), Field System (Later Prehistoric)
Site Name Garrol Hill 2
Classification Cairnfield (Later Prehistoric), Field System (Later Prehistoric)
Alternative Name(s) Eslie
Canmore ID 36749
Site Number NO79SW 9
NGR NO 7201 9098
NGR Description NO 721 908 to NO 717 913
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/36749
- Council Aberdeenshire
- Parish Banchory-ternan
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Kincardine And Deeside
- Former County Kincardineshire
NO79SW 9 721 908 to 717 913.
(AAS NO79SW 17: location cited as NJ 720 910). Air photography (AAS/81/13/S14/30-1 and 34-7) has recorded a field-system at an altitude of between 200 and 230m OD. It was partially destroyed by land clearance in 1983.
The remains comprise an extensive area of stone clearance-heaps and narrow field-plots which are delimited by parallel stony banks. There is a hut-circle downslope (at NJ c. 7173 9072).
NMRS, MS/712/36.
Field Visit (April 1984)
NO79SW 9 721 908 to 717 913.
A field-system and cairnfield occupies about 18ha of moorland between the crest of Garrol Hill and the public road 200m SSE of Eslie the Greater stone circle (NO79SW 2); cairns and field-banks are also visible over a further 12ha within the forestry plantations to the NE and SE, extending to NO 723 913 and 722 907 respectively, and probably continued N towards Eslie the Greater and W along Knock Hill (see NO79SW 4 and 34). The core of the field-system is situated on the W flank of Garrol Hill, where about 2ha of fields are enclosed by stony banks up to 3m thick and 0.5m high; some of the fields are rectilinear, measuring between 70m and 35m in length by 1 0 and 20m in breadth, while others are curvilinear, the largest measuring 100m by 50m. There are about 450 cairns on the moorland, the majority of them occurring beyond the area of recognisable fields; they vary between 2m and 6m in diameter by up to 0.6m in height, and there are several linear heaps and short lengths of stony banks amongst them.
RCAHMS 1984, visited April 1984.
(NSA 1845; J C Watt 1914)
Measured Survey (1984)
RCAHMS surveyed the hut circles and field system at a scale of 1:2500 in 1984 using EDM for control. The pencil drawing was redrawn in ink to produce a finished ink drawing.
Project (2009)
This project is part of the Forestry Commission's management strategy to recognise and safeguard sites in advance of timber operations that may be potentially damaging to the archaeological resource.
This historic landscape survey was undertaken at Durris.
C Shepherd 2009
Field Visit (2009)
NO 7208 9116–NO 7255 9130 Mulloch An extensive area of small cairns apparently enclosed by linear dykes at its western extremity. Probably related to the extensive cairn field outside the wood to the S and W (NO79SW 9) but possibly separated by the linear boundary. The southern boundary extends across the modern road to the SE and into the field on the other side, passing through a further area of clearance cairns. This area would appear to be an extension of NO79SW 9 to its SE. The north-eastern cluster of cairns surrounds the ‘Nine Stanes’ recumbent stone circle.
NO 7222 9071 Garrol An extensive area of clearance cairns, probably a southern continuation of that noted above. There are also related linear features, though the vegetation makes these difficult to see. Many of the cairns are quite large, c7m in diameter. In this area is a well-preserved hut circle c11m in diameter.
C Shepherd 2009
