Archaeology Notes

Event ID 706955

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/706955

NS 7744 9085. An almost circular dun (R W Feachem, RCAHMS) about 45' in diameter within a wall about 11' thick, situated on a spur.

Visited by OS (JLD) 11 May 1953

Except on the ESE where the entrance was probably situated, the wall can be traced continuously by patches of rubble core, and round the east half outer facing stones are visible up to a maximum height of four courses. In contrast, the inner face is exposed for only a short distance on the ENE. The interior is featureless. On the NW the dun is defended by a rock-cut ditch 26'wide and 5'6" deep which traverses the spur.

Excavation by Thomson in June 1965 confirmed the structure of the wall and disclosed paving in the courtyard. Finds included fragments of both a saddle and a rotary quern and a piece of slag.

RCAHMS 1963, visited 1953; J K Thomson 1965

A dun as described.

Visited by OS (JP) 11 December 1973

A dyke of massive boulders runs downhill (to the E) from this dun. 72m long overall, its exact relationship with the dun is obscured by a fallen tree but can be traced to within 4m of the external wall face. The dyke incorporates two (clearance) cairns in its length and a 2.8m wide gap which is associated with a 10m long cross dyke, perpendicular to the main dyke.

Other clearance cairns can be seen in the area and another line of boulders, parallel to the dyke, runs along the foot of Gillies Hill nearby but may be associated with a fairly modern track. A hollow way cuts the Wallstale dyke beside the clearance cairn which marks its terminus.

N Aitchison 1982