Archaeology Notes

Event ID 720688

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/720688

NT71NE 30 centred 7650 1605

NT 766 160. There are cultivation terraces on the left bank of Wideopen Cleuch, opposite Swanlaws.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1938.

Two minor cultivation terraces and associated lynchets lie on a fairly steep S-facing hillslope.

Visited by OS (MJF) 30 October 1979.

The cultivation terraces are visible on a vertical air photograph, (OS 68/024/84, flown 8 April 1968).

Information from RCAHMS, 1997

An extensive system of cultivation terraces sweep along the N slopes of Wideopen Cleuch and round onto the SE flank of Chatto Craig. The leading edges of at least six of the terraces on the lower slopes of the cleuch and others on the steeper slopes to the E are marked by low turf banks about 1m in thickness and sit between 10m and 20m apart. It is possible that the banks extended further around the flanks of Chatto Craig, but they are indistinguishable amongst the more prominent terraces now visible there. While the system itself extends over a distance of at least 1km, it is clear from oblique aerial photographs that the terraces are organised in discreet blocks, the ends of the terraces of the neighbouring blocks interdigitating at the boundaries. The photographs also clearly show the extent of rig defined by shallow grooves that overlies the terrace system and hint at the presence of earlier terraces on the same hillside. The W end of the system is overlain by a later bank.

Visible on vertical aerial photograph OS 68/024/084.

Visited by RCAHMS (MFTR) 22 February 2000