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Archaeology Notes

Event ID 699935

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/699935

NS31NW 27 3122 1927

NS 312 192. Fort, Greenan: visible on RCAHMS air photographs, taken in 1978.

(Undated) information in NMRS.

There are no surface traces of this fort in a level arable field at c.15m OD.

The APs show cropmarks of four concentric curving ditches up to 100m long and averaging some 3m wide, cutting off a headland now occupied by Greenan Castle and probable medieval earthworks (see NS31NW 1).

There is a straight entrance break in all the ditches on the NE side, near the cliff edge. At the SW end the inner two ditches have probably been truncated by the medieval outwork ditch, and the outer two end against a natural scarp.

In all, the work represents a promontory fort enclosing an area of some 70 by 60m (0.4 hectares).

Visited by OS (JRL) 2 October 1980

NS 311 193 An archaeological evaluation consisting of a desk assessment and trial trenching was carried out at the Lands of Greenan in advance of the proposed development of a golf course. The Scheduled Greenan Castle was outwith the development area but was still a dominant feature within the landscape. Earthworks in the vicinity of the Scheduled area proved to be natural features. Trial trenching throughout the development area of features identified from aerial photographs proved that they were natural, but archaeological activity dating from the prehistoric period was apparent in a number of areas. A visual inspection of the ruins of Greenan House established that no definite earlier remains could be identified. A number of artefacts were recovered from the trial trenching and informal fieldwalking, varying from prehistoric lithics to WWII gun cartridges.

Sponsor: South Ayrshire Council.

B Simpson 1998

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