Field Visit

Date 16 May 1957

Event ID 924944

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/924944

RCAHMS Marginal Land Survey

Vitrified Fort, Machany

This fort is situated in a small plantation on the summit of a low, flat-topped ridge, a quarter of a mile N of Machany. The ridge, which is aligned E and W, attains a maximum height of just over 200 ft OD, and there is easy access to the site from all directions except from the N where the northern flank of the ridge falls fairly steeply to the Machany Water. The defences consist of a single stone wall which encloses an oval-shaped area measuring 170 ft from WNW to ESE by 115 ft transversely. The wall is in a very wasted condition and is now reduced to a slight, grass-covered, stony mound, spread to an average thickness of 1 5 ft and measuring only a few inches in height. On its outer edge eight facing stones can be seen, one of which is now recumbent, while most of the others have been dislodged from their original positions by stone-robbing. No trace is visible of any inner facing stones. Within the thickness of the wall, particularly on the NE and SE, several lumps of vitrified stone are exposed amongst what remains of the original core. There are two gaps, situated at the SSE and WSW angles, and measuring 15 ft and 10 ft in width respectively, either of which may represent an original entrance. The interior is featureless and there is no visible trace of the "Chapel" recorded on the OS map.

NN 902 158

Visited BY RCAHMS (AM) 16 May 1957