Archaeology Notes

Event ID 718762

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/718762

NT56NW 7 5117 6872.

(NT 5117 6872) The Chesters (NAT)

Earthwork (NR)

OS 6" map (1970)

'The Chesters'. The area now occupied by this earthwork is under cultivation and the outline can only be traced with great difficulty. It has been oval on plan, with the main axis NE-SW. The interior has measured more than 500' by some 400'. It is impossible to ascertain the original length for it is only amongst the trees to the NE that the structure can be traced with certainty. Here there is a short segment of the NW rampart, broadened out to a width of 21' and rising to a height of 2'. There is also a segment of the SE flank, where there are two ramparts placed 43' apart. The inner is 20' broad by 1 1/2' high internally and 4 1/2' high externally; the outer is 27' broad and 5 1/2' high. Some 30' from the side of the road a modern turf dyke has been built, but between it and the road there is a small portion of a mound, 12' broad and 4' high, which may have formed part of the original inner rampart encircling the NE end of the earthwork.

Its situation on the flat ground with no natural protection except on the NW removes it from the hillfort class and places it amongst the earthworks of indeterminate date. It might conceivably be medieval.

RCAHMS 1924; MSS 1954

As described above, the only remains which survive are two greatly mutilated outer scarps in the NW, 3.5m and 1.7m high, and two ramparts in the SE, 1.5m and 2.0m high. There is also a slight scarp, indicating a ditch, outside the two ramparts. The mound mentioned by the RCAHMS is still visible.

Revised at 25".

Visited by OS (RD) 23 March 1965

No change to previous field report.

Visited by OS (BS) 23 July 1975