River Meig, Balnault

Woodland and earthbanks (NOSAS survey site Nos 735 – 738) - centred on NH 3477 5530 Situated 500m to the west of Balnault, on a NW facing slope between the road and the river. The enclosure 735 is to the east of the woodland. The two earth banks are roughly parallel to the road and appear to enclose the woodland, but in fact they converge at the east end. 736 appears on 1st edition OS. The lower ground is rough and waterlogged in places.

735 Enclosure - centred on NH 3500 5544 This linear enclosure is between the settlement of Balnault and the woodland. It is roughly 250m x 50-80m on the valley floor is prone to flooding. The enclosure is bounded on its S and W side by a dog-legged stone wall (E end NH 35139 55433, SW corner NH 34859 55360. The E and N sections of this wall at either end are wasted and prone to flooding, the middle section is very substantial, consistently 1m in height and 2m thick at its base.

736 Earth bank - NH 34847 55358 (E end) to NH 34679 55250 (W end), but it continues SW in a much wasted condition. This earthbank is roughly 200m in length and parallel to the road. It is generally 0.3-0.5m in height and has 1.5m spread. To the east the continuing line is taken up by the S wall of enclosure 735.

737 Earth bank - NH 34838 55355 (E end) to NH 34666 55279 (W end) Situated to the north of 736 from which it diverges at the east end. It appears to be of earlier date to 736 as it has the same alignment as 735 at the E end and is generally smaller and more wasted than 736. It is 180m in length and generally 0.3m in height and with 1-1.5m spread. It bisects an area of woodland that has possibly been culturally modified, 738.

738 Woodland - centred on NH 3477 5530 This discrete linear area of woodland measures roughly 170m x 40m is bounded on its S side by the earth bank 736 and the road, on the west side by the remains of a much wasted earth and stone wall and is bisected by a further earth wall, 737. The woodland is predominantly birch, with some coppiced hazel at the west end.

727 Enclosure - centred on NH 34664 55293 This possible enclosure is rectangular and situated to the north of the woodland 738 at its west end. It is on a N-S axis, measures 28m x 6m and is bounded by an extremely wasted stone wall.