Guardbridge
Fort (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Guardbridge
Classification Fort (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 32939
Site Number NO41NW 40
NGR NO 44854 19300
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/32939
- Council Fife
- Parish Leuchars
- Former Region Fife
- Former District North East Fife
- Former County Fife
Note (24 April 2014)
The cropmarks of a quadruple ditched fort are visible on aerial photography located on high ground at the head of the Eden Estuary. The fort is oval in shape and is orientated N-S. It measures 80m by 35m internally and 160m by 100m externally. No internal structures are visible. The fort is bisected by a field boundary running N-S and is under cultivation to the W and is tree covered to the E. Only the western half of the fort is visible on aerial photography.
Information from RCAHMS (MM) 24 April 2014.
Note (9 July 2015 - 18 May 2016)
Overlooking the mouth of the River Eden, cropmarks have revealed the defences of a fort at the top of the escarpment above the paper mill at Guardbridge. Roughly D-shaped on plan, an arc of no fewer than four concentric ditches about 3m in breadth can be seen on the photographs, forming a belt some 25m deep blocking access from the NW and SW. The interior measures about 80m from N to S along the chord formed by the escarpment, by little more than 30m transversely (0.21ha), though when some allowance is made for the presence of the inner rampart the area reduces to about 0.18ha. There is no evidence of an entrance in the arc of defences on the W, the most likely positions being along the margins of the escarpment on the N or S.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 18 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC3168