Archaeology Notes

Event ID 665112

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/665112

NH95SE 1 9978 5156

(Area: NH 998 515) Dun Earn (NAT)

OS 6" map (1906)

Dun Earn is a conspicuous hill bounded on the north and west by the Dunearn Burn, in a deep ravine. On the west side near the top is still visible a vestige of a Fossa leading eastward across from the ravine...to the river. The said track was pointed out to me by the forester. (This entry has been cancelled and another, indicating that there are no traces, has been substituted).

Name Book 1871.

Dun Earn is a wooded promontory with steep slopes to the Findhorn in the E and the Dunearn Burn in the N and W. Across the S end of the promontory at its narrowest point is a curving ditch c.4.0m wide and c.1.0m deep running E-W for c.90.0m and enclosing rising ground measuring c.180.0m N-S by c.150.0m transvesely. There are indi- cations that some of the spoil has been thrown outwards to form an outer bank, but this is now too overgrown to be certain. The ditch is cut in the W by a track and by a path towards its E end, and about midway is a gap c.5.0m wide which appears to be original, possibly an entrance. There is no trace of defensive works within the enclosed area which is confused by trees and recent tracks and paths.

This is splendid situation for a fort, but apart from the ditch which may or not be defensive, there is insufficient evidence to classify it as such.

Visited by OS (AA) 28 January 1971.