Archaeology Notes

Event ID 725052

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/725052

NX05SW 12 0190 5230.

(NX 019 523) Fort - The Dounan: A small high point of land fortified by drawing a rampart and ditch in a slight curve across the landward end. The site has long been cultivated and in consequence the rampart is merely a faint swelling in the ground, some 25' thick, while the ditch is only perceptible near the S margin of the promontory where it is c.15' wide. There are two gaps in the rampart, one near the centre and the other at the N end, either of which may mark the original entrance. The interior, bounded by 200' high cliffs on the NW and S, measures 110' by 105'; apart from a modern turf dyke along the NW side, it shows no trace of structures.

RCAHMS Marginal Lands Survey TS., visited 1 June 1955

The scant remains of this promontory fort have now been completely ploughed out. It was centred on NX 0190 5230.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 4 September 1970

Nothing is now visible of an earthwork which cut off the steep-sided promontory knwon as the Dounan. By 1955 (RCAHMS 1955) the bank had been reduced to a slight swelling about 7m thick and the external ditch, which was about 4.6m broad, was only visible at the S end. There were two gaps in the bank one midway along its length, and the other at the NW end. The interior measured 33.5m from NE to SW by 27.5m transversely.

Name Book; RCAHMS Survey of Marginal Lands; RCAHMS 1985, visited (SH) August 1984.