Archaeology Notes

Event ID 719235

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/719235

NT55NW 10 5211 5639.

A fort is situated at about 1000ft OD, on top of a steep-sided spur which projects into the Glen on the E side of the Kelphope Burn, above Hazeldean Wood. It appears to have been circular or oval, about 223ft in internal diameter, but the outline is indefinite. Towards the E end of the spur is a well-defined rampart, 6ft high externally, with a ditch 36 ft across behind it. The low, indefinite remains of a second, external, rampart may also be seen. Low mounds are visible on the N and S flanks.

RCAHMS 1915, visited 1908

NT 5203 5633. The only existing remains are the ramparts on the E; the inner rampart is 2.5m high, the outer 0.7m high. On the N,S and W there are vague traces of the outline of the fort, showing as a slight swelling. On the N and S, the bank, spread to a width of 12.0m, appears to join with the natural slopes. The interior is very broken, possibly due to quarrying.

Visited by OS (JD) 12 May 1955

NT 5211 5639. This feature is as described, except that there are indications that a rampart may have enclosed the whole hill-top giving an overall area of about 154m NNE-SSW by 38m. Traces of a rampart can be seen as a scarp on th N side of the hill, and inter- mittently on the S side. the highest part of the hill to the E seems to have been enclosed by the now reduced innermost rampart, perhaps representing a later phase of occupation. It is within this area that about 8 timber house platforms can be seen. Although severely mutilated, the situation - set back from the steep western slopes - would suggest that this was a settlement perhaps superceding an earlier fort or settlement (c/f NT55NW 4). The entrance may have been in the NE where a later field bank crosses the defences.

Surveyed at 1:10 000.

Visited by OS (BS) 4 May 1979