Archaeology Notes

Event ID 710802

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/710802

NT14NE 7 1680 4607.

(NT 1680 4607) Fort & Enclosure (NR)

OS 6" map (1967)

Fort and enclosure, Whiteside Hill - NT 167460: Whiteside Hill is naturally strong, the only easy approach being by way of a narrow saddle on the north east. On its summit is a fort of one acre, in which three constructural phases can be discerned, and a small enclosure of later date.

The earliest phase is represented by a rampart (1) measuring about 240ft in either direction, at best, on the SSW side, of 5ft in height externally, from the bottom of the quarry ditch. The NNE entrance (G1) is probably original, while the W entrance (G4) may also be original although it was in use in phase II. The gaps at G2 and G3 were broken through in Phases II and III respectively. The interior contains nine house-platforms which may have been constructed during the primary occupation.

In the second phase the defences were strengthened by the addition of ramparts IIA and IIB with a medial ditch. Where best preserved on the S of the fort IIA is 7ft high internally and 5ft externally. Rampart IIB is 3ft high internally and 2ft high externally.

At the N and S ends of the fort there are traces of annexes. The northern, apparently unfinished, is formed by an earthwork (D) at a distance varying from (70ft to 140ft outside in the northern arc of IIB. The earthwork consists of a slight, curved bank, accompanied for part of its length by an external quarry-ditch and pierced by a gap 17ft wide. On the S an earthwork (E) consisting of a ditch, about 15ft wide with an upcast bank on the counter scarp, leaves the SE arc of rampart IIB and expands to form an annex of crescentic shape which has a maximum width of 80ft. The earthwork has the appearance of being unfinished, but the gap between its NW extremity and the SW arc of IIB was presumably intended to be the entrance.

At some time after the multiple defences had fallen into decay the fort was re-occupied, a wall (III) being built on and partly inside rampart I. The severely robbed wall appears as a stony bank 2ft high and 18ft thick. Entrance G4 appears to have been retained at this period, but G2 was replaced by a new entrance (G3).

The defences of Phases I and II represent the normal development of a pre-Roman Iron Age fort in S Scotland, and Phase III a re-occupation after an interval of disuse which probably coincided with the Roman occupation.

The latest work on the site is an enclosure measuring 140ft by 85ft within a bank (IV) which overlies part of the wall of Phase III and impinges on one of the house platforms. The entrance is at G3.

The narrow col between Whiteside Hill and White Knowe is crossed by a linear earthwork, 45 yds long, consisting of a ditch about 15ft wide with a bank on its SW side. The earthwork is probably contemporary with the pre Roman fort. At its SE end there are the foundations of a small rectangular building of comparatively recent date.

(Information from R W Feachem notebook 1959, 119)

RCAHMS 1967, visited 1959

This fort and enclosure situated at NT 1680 4607 is as described. The linear earthwork, between Whiteside Hill and Whiteknowe is at NT 1690 4621. The ditch has a max depth of c.0.6m, the bank on the SW side has a max internal height of c.1.0m and a max external height of c.0.3m. Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 31 August 1964

Description correct.

Visited by OS (JP) 7 January 1975

Photographed by the RCAHMS in 1980 (colour transparencies).