Archaeology Notes
Event ID 667306
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/667306
NJ40SE 7 473 009.
(NJ 473 009) Cairns (NR) (NJ 4738 0091) Pictish Camps (NR) (Remains of) Name at (NJ 473 008) Pictish Road (NR) (Remains of)
OS 6"map, Aberdeenshire, 2nd ed., (1901)
The Mulloch Group, a settlement at about 800ft OD. The centre of the group consists of two hut circles A1, A3, some less irregular enclosures B1, B2, B3, a nondescript structure E, boundary walls D, and hollow ways.
A1, - A circular bank of earth and stones 45 feet diameter. Entrance on the east between a semi-circle of large stones on the north and a small ring, A2, 15 feet diameter, to the south.
A3, - An ellipse formed by a bank of earth and stones 63 feet north to south, 53 feet east to west. No apparent entrance. An eccentric cairn, C, lies a little to the south west of centre.
B1 - A horse shoe shaped bank of large stones. These structures are surrounded by a bank or wall, D, which has an entrance on the north, F. B2 - An indistinct half moon shaped enclosure outside D.
B3 - A triangular shaped enclosure divided into three by partitioning walls.
E - Beside entrance F resembles an oval cairn, 20 to 30 ft in diameter, of large stones, with its centre hollowed.
In addition to this centre group there is a complicated outer series of enclosing walls, 2 hut circles, at NJ 4741 0082, a large group of cairns in the 'fields' to the east and a few hut circles area centred NJ 4746 0095. Also, at NJ 4781 0088, is a cluster of stones, the remnants, probably, of a double chambered hut circle or oval enclosure of some size.
A Ogston 1931.
A settlement and field system generally as described and planned by Ogston although now so denuded and overgrown that parts are unintelligible. The centre of the group now comprises the structures A1, A3 and E.
A1 and A3 measure c.15.0m and c. 17.0m in diameter respectively and consist of turf covered stony banks spread to c.3.0m wide, c.0.5m maximum height. Each has an entrance in the east arc. Both have a low, turf-covered, stony mound c.6.0m. diameter placed eccentrically within giving the impression of disc barrows but this may be due to later mutilation as in a similar example NJ40SW 3 ('B').
E is a roughly circular enclosure rather than a hut, c.17.0m. It impinges upon a substantial field wall and has been misidentified by Ogston. Outcrop rock projects within the sloping interior.
The structures B1, B2, B3, are unintelligible but B1, is possibly the scant remains of another hut.
The field system is denoted by substantial field banks and large clearance heaps. The alleged hut circles at NJ 4741 0082 and NJ 4746 0095 are simply hollowed stone clearance heaps. The alleged double chambered hut circle at NJ 4781 0088, in a pasture field, is a low knoll cover- ed with modern stone clearance.
The "hollow ways", 15-20ft wide between flanking stony banks are associated tracks, sometimes denoted by terracing and probably what Wyness (F Wyness 1968) refers to as "14th century ways through the forest."
Settlement surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 13 November 1968.
