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Field Visit
Date 30 September 1970
Event ID 1107306
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1107306
The remains of a motte and bailey occupy the tree-covered east summit of Castle Hill, a steep-sided gravelly hillock rising to 225 ft above sea level. The motte and bailey is oriented NNW-SSE with the motte occupying the north end and the bailey, divided into an upper and a lower bailey by a broad deep cross-ditch, sloping away to the south.
The flat-topped motte rises 1.0m above the bailey and the remains of a stone wall can be traced round its edge. A portion of stone wall can be seen along the east edge of the "upper" bailey and a sub-oval hollow at the south end of the"lower" bailey probably indicates the site of a building. The probable existance of other buildings is indicated by considerable stone debris in the east half of the "upper" bailey.
The Rattrays settled here in the 11th c. and the first recorded head of the family, Man de Rattref, resided here in the latter half of the 12th c. (A H Millar 1890)
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 30 September 1970
