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Ha' Hillock
Human Remains (Period Unassigned), Motte (Medieval), Quern(S)
Site Name Ha' Hillock
Classification Human Remains (Period Unassigned), Motte (Medieval), Quern(S)
Alternative Name(s) Auchenbadie; Auchinbadie; Ha' Hill
Canmore ID 18388
Site Number NJ65NE 6
NGR NJ 6895 5837
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/18388
- Council Aberdeenshire
- Parish Alvah
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Banff And Buchan
- Former County Banffshire
NJ65NE 6 6895 5837.
(NJ 6895 5837) Ha' Hillock (NR) (Human Remains found)
OS 6" map, Banffshire, 2nd ed., (1904)
The 'Ha' Hill' is an artificial oval mound of sand and gravel, 240' (73.2m) long by 60' (18.3m) broad and 10' to 12' (3-3.7m) high, set on a natural knoll.
A section cut on the east side revealed a dark streak about 1ft thick containing blackish earth sometimes mixed with portions of wood, small twigs, and in one case a hazel nut. In other parts of the streak and above it, were seen gravel and small burnt stones and occasionally minute pieces of charred wood. Other finds near the centre of the mound consisted of two bones, one of which is supposed to be that of a horse, three quern stones, and portions of bone with bits of sandstone and charred wood.
J Stuart 1859.
The remains of an ancient seat of justice.
Name Book 1867.
'Ha Hill' was a circular earthern fort, surmounted by a strong wooden stockade.
Yeats 1883.
Ha' Hillock is an artificial mound built on the edge of a steep natural bank, its west and south sides being formed by natural slopes. It measures about 50.0m EW by 30.0m NS and it is c. 40m high on the east side and 2.7m high on the north. There is a slight bank along the top of the natural slopes on the west side and traces of a broad shallow ditch on the north and east sides of the mound.
Revised at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 21 September 1964.
Ha' Hillock - a motte as described above.
Revised at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (NKB) 12 January 1968.
(Location cited as NJ 6895 5837: classified as Site of Regional Significance). Motte at altitude of 30m, with W and S sides being formed by natural slopes. There is a slight bank along the top of the slope on the W side, and traces of a broad, shallow ditch on the N and E sides of the mound. A section was cut on the E side (not known by whom - ?Yeats) revealing a dark layer c. 35cm thick containing blackish earth with wood, twigs and a hazelnut shell. Bones, three quernstones, sandstone and charred wood were found, but it is uncertain whether these came from the cut section or not.
Air photography: AAS/86/03/S4/12, flown 11 August 1986.
NMRS, MS/712/35.
