Archaeology Notes

Event ID 686696

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/686696

NO25SE 2 2635 5499 to 2748 5396.

(NO 2684 5406 to NO 2748 5397) Sir Allan the Durward's Deer Dyke (NR) (Remains of)

OS 6" map (1927)

There is an extensive enclosure on the west side of the Loch of Linthrathen, with vestiges of wall remaining between the Knock of Formal and the loch. It is believed to have been Sir Alan Durward's Deer Park in the 13th century (A J Warden 1884) and is comparable in situation and construction with the Buzzart Dykes (NO14NW 2) which enclosed a (? late) medieval deer park.

O G S Crawford 1949

"Durward's Dike" was perambulated from NO 2635 5499 to NO 2748 5396 and, where extant, survives as a turf-covered earth and stone bank with a ditch. Elsewhere its course is visible on RAF/APs (RAF/CPE.Scot.UK.267: 3205).

At NO 2684 5406 is a stone with the inscription:- 'Durward's Dike' BA BA 1881.

Visited by OS (RD) 14 October 1970

From NO 2635 5500 northwards, there is no trace of the bank and ditch configuration of a park pale. However, it appears that the deer dyke skirted the edge of what is now a forest, and the boundary bank of the woodland overlies the dyke. In places the bank is unusually high (up to 1.2m). The dyke extends from NO 2635 5500 through 2670 5535 ending at the loch side at 2726 5511. This section is not known locally as 'Durward's Dike'.

Surveyed at 1:10,000.

Visited by OS (NKB) 17 June 1976