East Mealour
Plantation Dyke (Period Unassigned)
Site Name East Mealour
Classification Plantation Dyke (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 290148
Site Number NN64SE 91
NGR NN 6820 4157
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/290148
- Council Perth And Kinross
- Parish Kenmore (Perth And Kinross)
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Perth And Kinross
- Former County Perthshire
NN64SE 91 6820 4157
A dilapidated, roughly-coursed rubble wall, measuring 0.6m in thickness and at least 1.1m in height, encircles the summit of East Mealour. On the S arc there are several crudely-constructed buttresses against the outer face, and a short distance to the W of them there is a weep hole or drain through the base of the wall. The area enclosed amounts to some 14 hectares; most of the trees have been felled, though a few isolated conifers remain.
The construction of a dyke around 'Easter Mailer of Lawers', and its subsequent planting, is recorded in the Breadalbane Estate accounts for 1789 (J Harrison 2003, RCAHMS MS 1155/6, pp 215-6). The enclosure is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Perthshire 1867, sheet lviii), which shows trees across all but the most northerly portion of the interior. The 2nd edition of that map (Perthshire 1900, sheet lviii SE) also shows the dyke, and its depiction of the trees appears to suggest that there was considerable thinning of the wood in the three decades between the two editions.
(BL00 1252)
Visited by RCAHMS (ATW) 15 November 2000
Field Walking (12 June 2019)
GUARD Archaeology Limited undertook an archaeological desk-based assessment and walkover survey, conducted on 12th June 2019, of an area proposed for woodland creation at Duallin Farm in Perth and Kinross. The aims of the study were to assess evidence for the past human use of the area, its archaeological sensitivity, and the potential impact of any development upon the archaeological resource.
The cultural heritage assessment has found that the Site sits within an archaeological landscape that has been used for settlement and ritual purposes since prehistoric times. Within the Site itself are six cup marked or cup and ring marked stones. A further nine cup marked or cup and ring marked stones, one prehistoric hut circle (CHS 56) and a nationally significant stone circle are located within the 1 km buffer.
There are 16 post-medieval sites of local or lesser cultural heritage significance within the area proposed for woodland creation. These consist of agricultural remains, townships, small-scale industrial features, individual structures a trackway and a wall.
Cartographic evidence and aerial and satellite imagery indicate that the Site has been agricultural land and upland rough grazing since at least the mid eighteenth century. Given that prehistoric remains are known within the Site, there is good potential for the survival of hitherto unrecorded sub-surface archaeological remains within the area proposed for woodland creation. Consequently, Perth and Kinross Council may require the implementation of a programme of archaeological evaluation works to establish the presence or absence in those areas of the Site that will be subject to ground-breaking work.
A brief assessment of potential indirect effects upon the designated cultural heritage sites located within the 1 km buffer found that there would be no significant indirect effect upon the settings of Old Lawers Village, Settlement and Burial Ground Scheduled Monument, Lawers Toll House (CHS 31), Lawers Bridge (CHS 32), Lawers Smithy, Lawers Mill, or Lawers Burn, Peat Stores, Huts and Trackways, and Cup-marked Stones Scheduled Monument.
Information from: Karolina Saxerbo Sjoberg (Guard Archaeology) 14th June 2019
OASIS ID: guardarc1-355540
