Drummy

NJ40SE 17 475 039

See also NJ40SE 16, NJ40SE 18, NJ40SE 51.

30ft to the W of Blue Cairn are traces of a 30ft hut circle, and to the E, in Drummy Wood, are other cairns.

A Ogston 1931.

The 30ft 'hut circle' is a hollowed clearance heap, one of many in the now cleared Drummy Wood, which together with field walls and occasional lynchets, make up an extensive ancient field system centred at NJ 470 039, associated with a scattered settlement of 15 hut circles, at approx. 600ft OD.

The huts are defined by turf-covered, stony walls, and most have an entrance in the E. They measure between 9.0m and 13.5m in diameter, although two (at NJ 4745 0431 and 4752 0373) are bigger measuring 17.0m and 15.5m in diameter respectively. The field system is overlaid to the N, W and S of Blue Cairn (NJ40SE 16) by later cultivation denoted by larger fields, rig and furrow, with a few possibly associated large clearance heaps.

Settlement surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (A A) 20 November 1968.

(Location cited as NJ 475 039 and referenced as GRC/AAS NJ40SE 15). Drummy Wood. This group of monuments is situated in rough grassland on a gentle NE-facing slope at an altitude of between 150 and 190m OD. Clearance-heaps, field-walls and occasional lynchets make up an extensive ancient field-system which is associated with a settlement of 15 hut-circles. These are defined by turf-covered stone walls and most have an entrance in the E. Two of them (at NJ 4745 0431 and NJ 4752 0373) are 'quite large' (measuring 17m and 15.5m in diameter); the rest measure between 9m and 13.5m in diameter.

At NJ 4681 0387 there are a number of upright stones protruding from a small stony mound of about 4m diameter and uncertain purpose; this is possibly a disturbed clearance-heap.

The field-system is overlaid to the N, W and S of the Blue Cairn (NJ40SE 16) by cultivation remains of later date. These comprise larger fields and areas of ridge-and-furrow cultivation with a few larger clearance-heaps, which may be associated.

NMRS, MS/712/36, visited by GRC (IBMR) 6 June 1983.

NJ 472 037 Remains of large ?kerb cairn.

Sponsor: Cromar History Group.

P Craig 1997

Hut-circles noted on OS 1:10,000 map (1972) at NJ 4749 0369 and NJ 4752 0371 scheduled under site-name Newton of Drummy.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 8 November 1999.

(Location cited as NJ 4751 0372 and referenced as GRC/AAS NJ40SE 75). The remains of two hut-circles, a field-system and a kiln have been recorded in an area of forestry on a gentle S-facing slope at an altitude of 170m OD. They form part of the larger complex (GRC/AAS NJ40SE 15) to the N and W.

[These are presumably the two HGut Circles [NR] that are noted on the 1972 edition of the OS 1:10,000 map: the kiln has not been previously noted].

NMRS, MS/712/93.

NJ 477 036 This previously unrecorded low round cairn lies within an extensive Bronze Age settlement. It attracted attention because of several monoliths lying dormant in the turf surrounding the cairn (cairn diameter c 6m, monolith circle diameter c 10m). Cromar History Group carried out a first season of excavation during the spring and summer of 2000, with the objectives of determining if the cairn was cultural and if the monoliths had been placed in deliberate association with the cairn.

The Group was satisfied that the cairn was cultural and that there was sufficient evidence regarding the monoliths to make further investigation worthwhile. It had been intended to continue during 2001 but foot-and-mouth disease has forced a delay into 2002.

The data structure report will be lodged with Aberdeenshire SMR and the NMRS.

N Healey and K C Cooper 2001