Archaeology Notes

Event ID 700361

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/700361

NS45NW 1 41170 58800.

(NS 4115 5880) Fort (NR)

OS 6" map (1969)

The summit of Walls Hill, a steep-sided rocky plateau, 1540' x 650', is occupied by a fort, walled settlement (R W Feachem 1965), large enough to be considered an oppidum of the Damnonii. The rampart enclosing the summit was of earth, with stone kerbs, probably furnished with a timber revetment at the front. It had been reconstructed at least once. There are no surface traces of dwellings, but excavations in 1956 and later years revealed the foundations of circular, timber-walled huts, one of which produced Early Iron Age pottery.

Newall states that it was probable that the initial occupation of this site ended with the arrival of the Romans. However, his excavations showed that somewhere between the first and fourteenth, very possibly between the fourth and eleventh, centuries, the site was re-occupied. A final occupation took place in the 14th century, when a farm house was constructed.

J G Scott 1966; R W Feachem 1963; F Newall 1960

This fort is generally as described. The rampart is only evident on the N and SW sides. No internal features were noted save for the low bank from the centre of the fort to the E side. Newall's terrace area on the NE side of the hill appears to be entirely natural. No traces of former occupation were noted. The finds from the excavation are in Paisley Museum (no accession numbers).

Resurveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (JTT) 9 December 1964

A struck flake of green flint was recovered from a runnel just outside the main entrance to the fort in 1970 by A S Newall. In 1977, a rim fragment of a large cooking pot of coarse grey-black clay was found; it is on loan.

F Newall 1970; DES 1977.