Archaeology Notes

Event ID 667155

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/667155

NJ46NE 8 4885 6877

(NJ 4885 6877) Green Castle (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1938).

Green Castle - a high green knowe, on the coast, bounded by steep rocky cliffs. It is traditionally recorded that a vitrified fort existed on it at one time, but there is no trace of it now remaining.

OS Name Book 1867.

The ruins of a building are to be seen at Green Castle.

Statistical Account (OSA) 1791-9.

There is no sign of antiquity on the uneven summit of Green Castle.

Visited by OS (EGC), 14 March 1962.

There are slight traces of an earthen bank bounding the S and SE sides of the flat top of Green Castle. Cliff erosion has exposed a cross-section of the bank, in which is a large quantity of charcoal, but no vitrifaction. There are no trace of buildings.

Visited by OS (RL), 17 July 1967.

NJ 489 688. Rescue excavation was undertaken in advance of erosion. The fort had a timber-laced wall, under which were traces of ploughing. The interior had been used for drying fish, and there is an extensive system of 19th century stone platforms, similar to those on neighbouring headlands. Other features included a dry-stone building with internal hearth, of late medieval date (pottery evidence), and a series of shallow pits containing some charcoal and bone but no datable material. Part of the interior was cleared to natural level and produced coarse pottery and a perforated jet ring. The timber-laced defences revealed the presence of one vertical member as well as horizontal and transversal timbers. Wall faces were difficult to identify, but the outer one probably included vertical timbers. Provisional radiocarbon dates indicate a mid-first millenium AD date for this construction. The approach causeway showed no evidence of artificial construction.

I Ralston and N Fojut 1977.

Air photographs: AAS/97/12/G27/2 and AAS/97/12/CT.

NMRS, MS/712/29.