Publication Account
Date 1985
Event ID 1016141
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016141
The site of Hawick Motte forms the extremity of the watershed about 500m south-south-west of the meeting of the River Teviot and the Slitrig Water. The ditch surrounding the motte is now almost obliterated, but the mound itself is still a high, truncated cone apparently artificial in its construction. When excavated in 1912, the ditch yielded objects which included a bone needle, a coin of Henry II and numerous sherds of pottery, all pointing to a likely 12th century date. In the time ofWilliam the Lion, Richard Lovel of the Somersetshire Lovels was granted Hawick and Branxholm. This was doubtless his castle!
Some 10 or so km due north lies Riddell Motte (NT 520248) - an oval motte formed by trimming'the tail of a natural ridge and surrounded by a rectangular bailey which was defended on one, and probably on three sides, by a wide, steep-sided ditch flanked by two ramparts.
Information from 'Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Lothian and Borders', (1985).
