Archaeology Notes

Event ID 698564

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/698564

(NS 1783 4910) Fort and dun (NR)

OS 6" map (1969)

The much-decayed ruins of a vitrifed fort occupy the precipitous tail of a ridge called Auld Hill. The rampart appears as a grass-grown mass enclosing a level sub-rectangular space about 100ft N-S by 50ft. Immediately to the S, the ridge is crossed by two rock-cut ditches, and farther S a higher ridge of rock forms, the N boundary of the dun, 45ft N-S by 27ft, defended on the W, S and SE by a wall of coursed rubble masonry. This dun is probably secondary, cutting off part of the precincts of the earlier fort.

V G Childe and A Graham 1943; R W Feachem 1963

The fort is generally as described above. Possible traces of the fort's rampart are evident on the N side in the form of a slight outward-facing scarp. The dun has no apparent entrance.

Resurveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (JTT) 11 October 1964

Only a sporadic, turf-covered, scatter of stone survives of the fort rampart, and this has no measurable height. Vitrified material is not conspicuous; only one isolated example was found on the SW perimeter. The relationship of the slight medial ditch(es) (0.7m maximum depth) to the fort appears as stated, but there is no suggestion that the dun, occupying the highest point of Auld Hill, is within the precinct of the earlier fort.

The dun itself shows approximatley 1.5m wide walling around the E side but it is lost on the W, where its course must have followed a curving line of outcrop. The entrance could only have been on the N, skirting the medial ditches(es).

Revised at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (JRL) 18 November 1982

Excavations at this site hitherto identified as an Iron Age vitrified fort have shown that in its present form it is a medieval castle of motte and bailey type. Substantial remains of a rectangular stone structure were uncovered on the motte. It is 17m long and 12m wide and the walls are lime mortared. It supercedes a timber phase of construction and 12th-13th century pottery is associated with both phases. The motte is separated from the bailey by 2 rock cut ditches of medieval date, with the surface between them leading to a ramped access on to the motte summit.

There are also remains of a stone rampart, vitrified in several places, encircling the whole site and which is earlier in date than the motte phase. Also traces of occupation (hearths, metalled surfaces and crude paving, of uncertain date) have been discovered in the bailey.

G J Ewart 1987.

A second season of excavation concentrated on the motte element of this bipartite fortification and showed that the 13th and early 14th century presence on this part of the site is reflected primarily by a rectangular enclosure (measuring 14m by 9m approximately) of lime mortared masonry. This proved to be the rampart associated with a large hall-like building which although only partially revealed, appeared to be of stone and timber construction and measured some 10m by 6m. There were prominent eavesdrip drainage channels to the south and west of the hall structure, while to the east of the building there was evidence of complex timber work, possibly supporting a wall walk. Finds from the excavation reflected the great antiquity of the site with various prehistoric artefacts as well as a large assemblage of early medieval pottery from the construction and occupation of the hall.

G J Ewart 1988.

The previous excavations indicated that the medieval presence on this multiphase fortified site consisted primarily of a hall-like, mainly timber building, within a stone-built rectangular rampart. The 1989 season showed however, that this layout was in fact the last in a possible series of lordly residences dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. It is now apparent that the stone rampart surrounding the hall was originally a form of hall-house with garderobe tower at its NW corner, generally similar to other West Highland types of the 13th and 14th centuries.

There was evidence that the subsequent hall was built on a new, raised platform within the denuded remains of the hall-house.

Sponsors: National Museums of Scotland, South of Scotland Electricity Board.

G J Ewart 1989.