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Inchtuthil
Barrow(S) (Prehistoric)
Site Name Inchtuthil
Classification Barrow(S) (Prehistoric)
Alternative Name(s) Inchtuthil Plateau
Canmore ID 28599
Site Number NO13NW 7
NGR NO 127 396
NGR Description NO 1279 3968 and NO 1274 3968
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/28599
- Council Perth And Kinross
- Parish Caputh
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Perth And Kinross
- Former County Perthshire
NO13NW 7 1279 3968 and 1274 3968
NO13NW 7.01 NO 1279 3968 The Women's Knowe Barrow
NO13NW 7.02 NO 1274 3968 Barrow
For ring-ditch at NO 1245 3958, see NO13NW 5.11.
NO 1279 3968 and NO 1274 3968 - 'Tumuli'. The former, and larger, is a tree-covered, turfed-over stony mound, 2.0m maximum height with a slight berm round its base. This mound, known as 'Women's Knowe' or 'Gallows Knowe', was excavated by Abercromby in 1901, when he showed that the berm in reality hid a small ditch which surrounded the tumulus. It had a capping of water-worn stones with some 'Gourdie' stones below the turf in which some glass, brick and pottery were found. When the hard gravel of the natural surface was reached, a long cist with a skeleton was found. The latter partially overlies the counter scarp of the ditch of Inchtuthil fortress (NO13NW 5.00). It is a much smaller turf-covered stony mound, 1.0 max height. It was also excavated in 1901 and established as a tumulus although nothing was found. Abercromby (1902) dated both 'tumuli' to the post-Roman period.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 2 April 1969
The remains of two barrows of post-Roman date are situated close to the E side of the Roman legionary fortress (NO13NW 5.00). The larger (NO13NW 7.01) is known as the Women's Knowe and lies outside the defences while the smaller (NO13NW 7.02) is situated some 45m to the W, where it overlies the counterscarp bank of the fortress ditch.
Pennant (1776) states that low and ditched circular 'tumuli' were 'very frequent over the face of this (Inchtuthil) plain' and also mentions the discovery of many bones 'neither lodged in stone chests nor deposited in urns' in some of them. There may have been some confusion, however, as Roy's account only mentions five additional 'tumuli' and his plan of 1755 (Roy 1793) places them within the interior of the native fort (NO13NW 6). The same five features are also depicted on Pennant's plan.
To date, aerial photography has only revealed one other ring-ditch (NO13NW 5.11); this is situated within the area of the fortress, and 350m WSW of NO13NW 7.01.
Visited by RCAHMS (JRS) 4 April 1989.
W Roy 1793; T Pennant 1776.
