Monaughty

This project is part of the Forestry Commission’s management strategy as described under Duffs Hill, Aberdeenshire. The following features were recorded during fieldwork.

NJ 1461 5844, NJ 1453 5851, NJ 1455 5863, NJ 1478 5868, NJ 1491 5861 and NJ 1476 5850 (polygon) Monaughty A cairn field with fairly well defined edges. It is located on the top of a ridge and is cut by a modern track and an early modern linear boundary bank. Some cairns appear to be linked to form short linear features. A substantial collection of stones with a hollow looking centre, located to the S of the ridge, may be the remains of a c6–7m diameter roundhouse (NJ 1462 5849). A massive round boulder appears to mark the NE corner of the cairn field and a large earthfast boulder marks its E limit.

NJ 1150 5897, NJ 1157 5903, NJ 1163 5906, NJ 1170 5897 and NJ 1156 5894 (polygon) Clover A small collection of dykes and linear features which probably predate the 19th-century cottage noted below. An area of former land use to the N is reflected by the concave line of the forestry march just NW of these features. The features may have been enclosures associated with the dykes in the wood. The dykes are composed of both stones and

stones with turf, suggesting the possibility of different periods of construction.

NJ 1157 5903, NJ 1163 5905, NJ 1164 5899 and NJ 1159 5898 (polygon) Clover A 19th-century farmstead (as depicted on the 1st Edition OS map). The farmstead is in an enclosure defined by a beech hedge. A possible clearance pile lies just outside the enclosures SW corner, and a possible structure, measuring c3 x 4m externally, is located centrally along and just outside the E side of the enclosure. This feature is not shown on the 1st Edition OS map.

NJ 1218 5915 Monaughty A single clearance cairn is located on a shelf overlooking a burn.

NJ 1037 5628 and NJ 1043 5624 Bognie Two embanked slate quarries. The quarries are sub-divided, presumably for purposes of working, though one sub-circular feature may have been structural. Neither of the quarries is shown on the 1st or 2nd Edition OS maps and they presumably predate the 19th century. Further smaller quarry pits are visible along the slope.

Archive: Forestry Commission, Aberdeenshire and SMR, Moray and Aberdeenshire Council

Funder: Moray and Aberdeenshire Forestry Commission

Colin Shepherd

(Source: DES)