Archaeology Notes

Event ID 729609

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/729609

NX89NE 16 c. 89 99

(Location cited as NX 890 992). When the embankments of Morton Loch (NX 890 992), had gone to decay, towards the beginning of the 18th c, a dug-out canoe was found in the mossy soil at the bottom. (MS of Rev P Rae 1700-40)

Shortly afterwards, a copper camp-kettle and, in 1728, 'a copper cast teapot stroop' were found near Morton Castle.

C T Ramage 1876; NSA 1841 (D Smith)

(NX c. 89 99). The New Statistical Account of the parish of Morton notes the discovery in the early 18th century of 'a boat cut out of one solid piece of wood, in the form of an Indian canoe' at 'the bottom of a moss not far from the old castle'. This is probably the discovery from 'Merton-mere' that is noted in the New Statistical Account of the parish of Kelton.

Morton Castle (NX89NE 10) is situated at an altitude of 180m OD on the edge of upper Nithsdale and is bordered on the N, E and W by the loch of the same name.

Dumfries Museum records mention the transfer from the Grierson Collection of 'Fragments of Morton Loch dugout Canoe' under accession number DUMFM 1965.1814 but they cannot now be identified in the collections. These presumably formed part of the same discovery.

NSA 1845; D Wilson 1851; C T Ramage 1876; R Munro 1882; J G Callander 1924; R J C Mowat 1996.