Archaeology Notes

Event ID 853433

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/853433

NT82SW 66 from 8184 2393 to 8175 2322

Spread over the steep E slopes of Cove Hill and Percy Law, there is a large area of terraced contour cultivation bounded on the W by a substantial boundary-bank. The terracing covers an area measuring about 640m from NE to SW by 190m transversely. The terraces vary greatly in width, between 2m and 20m and some display internal stressing.

Although there appears to be a short break, the terracing may represent a continuation S of the terracing (NT82SE 100), which covers the N and W slopes of Cove Hill. The upper limit of cultivation is marked by a boundary-bank on Cove Hill. The terracing extends downhill from this feature, beyond a modern field-boundary, right up to a tributary of the Elghope Burn. Further S, the lower limit of cultivation is marked by Pyatshaw Hole, the bottom between Percy Law and Shoulder Hill to the E. On the S slopes of Percy Law, the lower limits of the cultivation have been encroached upon by the upper extents of an area of cross-contour rig (NT82SW 139).

The great expanse of terracing on the E and S-facing slopes stops abruptly on the W side of Percy Law. Here the terrain becomes very steep and a series of narrow terraces occupy the slopes above more broken ground, on the slopes below which are further cultivation remains (NT82SW 25). This smaller area of narrow terracing measures about 280m from N to S by up to 100m transversely and its N limit is defined by the same boundary-bank that marked the upper limit of cultivation on Cove Hill, suggesting that the two elements may be associated although not necessarily contemporary.

The sinuous boundary-bank runs for about 450m along the W edge of the gentle slopes of the summit of Cove Hill curving round and slightly downhill towards Percy Law from NT 8186 2389 to NT 8171 2352. Steep slopes drop away on the W. From the N end of the summit of Cove Hill, the boundary-bank runs SSE for about 220m before it turning SW along the contour just below the summit of Percy Law. The boundary-bank is substantial, measuring 3m in width and standing up to 0.4m in height. The boundary-bank effectively defines the upper limit of the cultivation terraces except where these are absent on the gentler slopes of the saddle between the two summits. The two elements are closely related and it could be argued that the boundary is integral to the cultivation, as it marks the upper extent. If so, the boundary may represent a division between systems based upon the Bowmont Water to the W and the Atton Burn to the E.

Information from RJ Mercer (University of Edinburgh) 24 March 1987

RCAHMS MS 2598. No. 6/048