Archaeology Notes

Event ID 720914

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/720914

NT71NE 1.00 79040 19390

NT71NE 1.01 c. 790 193 stone axe

(NT 7904 1939) Hownam Rings (NR)

OS 6" map, (1958).

Palisaded Enclosure, Fort, Settlement, and Homestead, Hownam Rings: This fort (see RCAHMS 1956, plan, fig.187) is situated on the raised northern extremity of an elongated plateau which rises to a height of 1117ft OD. It was excavated in 1948 by Mrs C M Piggott; this showed that the site, which is naturally protected on three sides by the fall of the ground but is easily accessible from the SSE, was occupied during at least four successive phases. Traces of the last three phases can readily be distinguished on the ground, but those of the first phase (a palisaded structure) have been obliterated by later works.

Phase 1: The earliest fortification at the site was a palisade of wooden posts. The excavations did not reveal whether this was a curved line drawn across the SSE approach to the site or whether it formed a complete enclosure; the latter is more probable. There were signs that an original palisade had been soon replaced by a similar one lying partly on the line of the first and partly close to it. No dwellings associated with this phase were found, and it could not be dated, but it was assumed to have been constructed during the 2nd or 1st century BC. Phase 2: Subsequently a stone wall, some 10ft to 12ft wide at the base, was built round the hill top, enclosing an area measuring about 250ft from N to S by about 300ft transversely. It was made up of a core of heavy rubble faced within and without by large blocks. No dwellings could be definitely associated with this wall, and it was impossible to find out anything about the precise date of its construction; but at the time of its destruction, when its entrance (in the SE) was blocked during the construction of the Phase 3 defences, the lower stone of a quern of the late 1st century AD was used in the filling.

Phase 3: The defences were now remodelled in depth. The innermost of the new multiple defences was a rampart, which now stands about 4 ft in height and is spread to a width of about 25ft. It was composed partly

of material from the dismantled wall of Phase 2 and partly of earth from an external ditch. The entrance is in the S.

The second rampart also stands to a height of about 4ft and is spread to a width of about 25ft; it was built of earth and loose rocks obtained partly from a shallow external ditch and partly by scraping together surface rubble. The entrance is in line with that of the inner rampart. The third and fourth ramparts of this phase were constructed entirely by scraping up surface rubble. They are now fragmentary and each is spread to a width of up to 30ft.

Phase 4: Evidence was found during the excavation that the Phase 3 ramparts had scarcely been completed before they were allowed to decay. The occupation which followed is represented by numerous hut circles and banks forming a settlement which lies not only within the fort but also upon and outside the defaced ramparts. One hut circle (area 3 on plan) was excavated. It was found to be roughly circular, about 20ft in diameter; its stone walls were about 5ft in width and the uneven floor was partly paved. Native pottery and some fragments of Roman ware of the late 3rd century AD were among the small finds.

Several small hollows were noted here and there within the fort; one of these, on excavation, proved to be a storage pit with a paved floor, 3ft deep. This presumably belongs to Phase 4.

A homestead, consisting of a subrectangular enclosure measuring about 110ft by 85ft along the axes, was situated on the E of the fort. The hut circle within it overlay the filled ditch of Phase 3; it was almost circular, about 24ft in diameter. Stone robbing had almost obliterated the structure of the hut, and the few small finds provided insufficient evidence for dating the structure more closely than within, or very shortly after, the latter part of the Roman period.

A group VI, neolithic stone axe was among the artifacts found during the excavations (which are now in the NMAS).

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1950; C M Piggott 1950; A S Robertson 1970.

Generally as described and planned by the RCAHMS, although no mention

is made of an outwork cutting across the ridge about 40.0m to the E, undoubtedly constructed as an added defence. It consists of an inner bank, about 0.7m high with an outer ditch 2.0m maximum depth.

RCAHMS plan revised.

Outworks revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 27 June 1968.

No change to previous reports.

Surveyed at 1:10,000.

Visited by OS(JRL) 24 October 1979.

Visible on OS vertical air photographs (OS 68/027/128-9).

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM) March 1990.