Archaeology Notes

Event ID 718145

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/718145

NT54SE 4 5692 4097.

(NT 5692 4097) Earthwork (NR) (remains of)

OS 6" map (1968)

Camp (site of).

OS 1st edition 6" map (Berwickshire 1862, sheet xxvi).

This monument, situated in cultivated land at the top of a steep slope forming the E wall of the Leader valley, appears to have been an elliptical earthwork surrounded by a rampart and ditch, and measuring internally some 465ft by 366ft. The defences, apart from a short distance on the SSW, are almost obliterated.

RCAHMS 1915, visited 1910

A large, sub-oval area on the top of a hill with gentle slopes on all sides except the W. There is a slight, shallow broad trench on the SW, otherwise no trace of any other earthworks. The field is under cultivation and the site appears to be non-defensive. It measures approximately 159m by 123m.

Visited by OS (JD) 20 May 1955

A very slight scarp on the N and S sides, a scarp 0.5m high on the W side and traces of a shallow ditch on the SW are the only traces remaining of this earthwork. The E side has been ploughed out. The work would appear to have been roughly oval in shape and measured about 112m N-S by about 141m transversely, rather smaller than the size given in the previous field report.

Resurveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 8 October 1962

This site has been photographed from the air by Mr Forsyth.

Information from J Forsyth, Dept of Educational Resources, Borders Regional Council, Newtown St Boswells, 25 September 1979.

Aerial photographs have also been taken by the RCAHMS in 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995 and 1996.

This fort is situated on the summit of Birkenside Hill, a low rise at the top of the steep valley side on the E bank of the Leader Water. The fort is regularly under the plough and its earthworks had been reduced to low scarps by the early 20th century. The site has been regularly photographed from the air (RCAHMSAP 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998), and this description is based on cropmarks recorded on the aerial photographs, in particular those taken in 1995.

The fort is roughly oval on plan, with its long axis lying roughly E and W. There are two roughly concentric ditches extending around the hill, broken on the ENE by an entrance, the line of which is slightly staggered between the inner and outer ditches. A rampart presumably accompanied both ditches. The western arc of the defences has not been recorded on the aerial photography as it extends into a patch of rough ground unresponsive to cropmarking and is overlain by a shelterbelt.

In the interior of the fort the narrow lines of two palisade trenches can be seen, lying concentric to each other, and about 5m from the inner lip of the inner ditch. Around the N, E and S, the palisades are roughly concentric to the inner ditch, but to the W they diverge from the ditch and turn to run across the interior. The palisade trenches appear to continue unbroken past the entrance in the ditches and are likely to belong to a different phase of construction. On the S the inner palisade trench intersects the wall trench of a timber round house.

Information from RCAHMS (DCC) 4 December 2003