Archaeology Notes

Event ID 769288

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/769288

NT57NW 89 NT 53048 76711

An important native fort with overall measurements of 630' by 250' on the summit of Seaton Law. Air photographs (RAF/CPE/Scot/UK257: 3085) show four ditches, the innermost of which encloses the S, E and W sides of a round-cornered rectangular area 300' E-W by 140'. The N side is formed by the edge of a steep escarpment, 150' high, and it seems probable that any defences which may have existed on this side will have been destroyed long ago by erosion of the cliff face. The other three ditches run in series and form a triple defence, curvilinear on plan, which envelopes the inner enclosure on all sides except the N. A wide entrance through all four ditches can be seen at the E end of the fort.

RCAHMS MSS 1956

The cropmarks of a multi-vallate fort enclosing an area on the edge of a steep drop called Hanging Craig 130m NE of The Vaults (NT57NW 27) have been revealed by aerial photography. As many as seven ditches, some of which may be palisades, are visible defining a total area of approximately 210m E to W by 75m transversely. The inner two ditches enclose a sub-rectilinear area measuring about 70m by 28m whilst the outer ditches describe an oval shape. The entrance is on the E and the ditch terminals are about 8m apart. Faint markings may indicate the presence of a timber round-house within the fort interior. A second fort on Seaton Law has been recorded 160m to the SE (NT57NW 24).

Information from RCAHMS (KB) 17 December 1999