Hill Of Tarvit
Enclosed Settlement (Prehistoric), Settlement (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Hill Of Tarvit
Classification Enclosed Settlement (Prehistoric), Settlement (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Wemyss Hall Hill
Canmore ID 31505
Site Number NO31SE 24
NGR NO 37508 12080
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/31505
![Inked plan [2]: homestead at Wemyss Hall Hill.](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/l/DP00158204.jpg)
![Inked plan [1]: homestead at Wemyss Hall Hill.](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/l/DP00158202.jpg)
![Inked plan [2]: homestead at Wemyss Hall Hill.](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/s/DP00158204.jpg)
![Inked plan [1]: homestead at Wemyss Hall Hill.](http://i.rcahms.gov.uk/canmore/s/DP00158202.jpg)
- Council Fife
- Parish Cupar
- Former Region Fife
- Former District North East Fife
- Former County Fife
NO31SE 24 3750 1208
(NO 3750 1208) Homestead (NR)
OS 6" map, (1971)
Homestead: On the W end of the summit of Wemyss Hall Hill, (Hill of Tarvit), 40 yards WNW of OS triangulation station (692ft OD), there are the slight remains of an enclosure, containing a single oval hut. The enclosure measures internally 100ft E-W by 80ft transversely and has been surrounded by a bank, about 6ft thick, which is now in the last stages of decay. On the N and S sides, where it is best preserved, the bank is not more than 1ft high, and elsewhere it is only recognisable either by a crest line or by a slight difference in the growth of vegetation upon it. A single boulder at the SE corner may be the laster survivor of an external stone facing. Of the two gaps which exist in the bank, that on the NE is almost certainly original since it is in a direct line with the hut entrance, while the other in the S side may be either original or intrusive. The hut measures 48ft by 40ft within a ruined boulder-faced earthen wall 5ft thick. The entrance on the NE side is 5ft wide and the floor has been slightly excavated below the level of the surrounding courtyard. The work closely corresponds on plan to the homestead at Scotstarvit Covert (NO31SE 29), a mile to the SW.
Information from RCAHMS MS, visited 1952; RCAHMS 1957.
Generally as described above. The maximum height of the banks, both of the enclosure and hut is 0.3m.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (R D L) 27 May 1964.
No change to previous field report.
Visited by OS (B S) 19 September 1978.
Field Visit (23 April 1952)
This site was included within the RCAHMS Marginal Land Survey (1950-1962), an unpublished rescue project. Site descriptions, organised by county, are available to view online - see the searchable PDF in 'Digital Items'. These vary from short notes, to lengthy and full descriptions. Contemporary plane-table surveys and inked drawings, where available, can be viewed online in most cases - see 'Digital Images'. The original typecripts, notebooks and drawings can also be viewed in the RCAHMS search room.
Information from RCAHMS (GFG) 19 July 2013.
Reference (1957)
This site is noted in the ‘List of monuments discovered during the survey of marginal land (1951-5)’ (RCAHMS 1957, xiv-xviii).
Information from RCAHMS (GFG), 24 October 2012.
Reference (February 2013)
On the west end of the summit of Tarvit Hill there are the slight remains of an enclosure, containing a single oval house. The enclosure most likely dates to the last millennium BC.
The enclosure is between 32m and 26m across and has been surrounded by a bank, up to 2m thick. On the north and south sides, where it is best preserved, the bank is not more than 0.3m high, and elsewhere it is only recognisable either by a crest line or by a slight difference in the growth of vegetation upon it. There are two distinct breaks in the bank, the one in the north-east is probably original since it is in a direct line with the house entrance, while the other in the south side may be intrusive. The house measures 15m across, has an entrance on the north-east side and the interior has been lowered.
There is the potential that some of the landforms (breaks of slope) to the immediate north of the distinct enclosure may constitute outer earthworks to the core site. This enclosure could encompass an area 120m by 60m with the well-defined site on the western side of the larger enclosure. The validity of the larger enclosure could not be confidently determined through the survey.
Information from NTS
