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Spears Hill
Coastal Battery (First World War), Cropmark (First World War)
Site Name Spears Hill
Classification Coastal Battery (First World War), Cropmark (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) Scotscraig Mains; Tay Defences, Tayport, Spiershill Fort
Canmore ID 33093
Site Number NO42NE 40
NGR NO 45247 28765
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/33093
- Council Fife
- Parish Ferry-port-on-craig
- Former Region Fife
- Former District North East Fife
- Former County Fife
A large-scale map dated 1916 on a War Department file (The National Archives WO 78/4417) shows a summary of the landward defences of Dundee (on the Angus side) and the Tay Railway Bridge (on the Fife side). The map also shows a defensive post to the west of tayport, labelled 'Spiershill Fort'. It is not clear what form this position took.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 3 September 2013.
NO42NE 40 NO 45247 28765
This monument comprises an enclosed settlement of prehistoric date, visible as cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs. It lies in arable farmland at around 60m OD and comprises the SE and SW sides of an enclosure some 50m NW-SE by about 55m NE-SW. Its ditch is approximately 3m wide. Cropmarks inside the enclosure indicate the remains of former domestic structures, including a ring ditch some 7m in diameter, probably the remains of a former timber roundhouse.
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 30 September 1997.
Aerial Photographic Transcription (19 July 1990 - 2 May 1991)
An aerial transcription was produced from oblique aerial photographs. Information from Historic Environment Scotland (BM) 31 March 2017.
Note (6 September 2013)
The location of this cropmark enclosure is also the site of Spiershill fort dating to the First World War (see NO42NE 179).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 6 September 2013.
Change Of Classification (22 May 2024)
The First World War Fort would appear to match the size and shape of the cropmark, therefore the previous classification of Enclosed Settlement is incorrect and has been removed.
Pictures of the fort are contained in an photographic album of military photographs held by McLean Museum and Art Gallery, Greenock, showing an earth bank surrounding the gun emplacement and timber blockhouse.
Information from HES 22 May 2024
