Dippen Hill

NR73NE 1 797 368.

NR 797 368. About twenty scooped platforms occur on the south and south-east slopes of the hill. Ten platforms cut into the hillside cover an area quarter of a mile square between 30m and 100m asl. Diameters vary from 8m to 10.5m.

A narrow trench cut on one platform revealed a hard gritty floor. A post-hole, 25cms deep, and two socket holes each 8cms deep were cut into it.

E B Rennie 1974a; 1974c; M Daniels 1974.

Centred at NR 797 368, along the east and south-east slopes of Cnoc na Dippen in an area of heather and scrub, some fifteen circular or oval platforms, scooped into the hill-slope, can be identified. They vary in size from 7.5m by 6.5m to 10.0m by 8.5m; the longer axis of the oval platforms is in each case parallel to the contour. In a number of instances a 'gap' between the back and front scarps, at the change of slope, probably indicates the entrance. The back and front scarps achieve a maximum height of 0.8m. In a few examples some stone, possibly of a revetment, is visible in the front scarp.

The date and purpose of these platforms remains uncertain. In their size, shape and disposition they strongly resemble early hut platforms similar to the 'unenclosed' settlements of Peebleshire. The trial excavations of E B Rennie and M Daniels (1974) revealing 'a hard gritty floor... a post hole... and two socket holes' tend to corroborate this classification.

There appear to be a number of lynchets associated with the platforms, and there is a possibility that some of the natural terracing of the hillslope, noticeably at NR 797 370, may have been accentuated by cultivation.

Conversely in a number of the platforms the back scarp is unusually sharp inferring a more recent construction. This possibility is further supported by the apparent breaching of a medieval or post-medieval field bank by one of the scooped platforms at NR 7979 3665. The margins of this platform, however, are ill-defined compared with the others, and it may in fact be the result of surface quarrying. They may be charcoal- burning platforms, but there is a marked absence of black earth which one might expect.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (JB) 16 March 1978.

There are 19 Platforms within an area of 1 hectare. They are all apparently earth banked. They are graded in size - viz 1 of 10m, 2 of 9.1m, 5 of 8.2m, 5 of 7.3m, 4 of 6.4m, and 1 of 5.5m. They all lie between the 50m contour and the 120m contour. 1 quadrant of Platform 12 was excavated in July. It had a diameter of 9.1m, and lay at 80m OD under a heather cover. On excavation there was no evidence of burning to make charcoal but an extremely hard floor with charcoal patches was uncovered. Post holes were found above the lip at the front and sides but no post holes were centrally placed in the floor. However the charcoal patches were in the position, where roof-support post holes would have been expected. There was a probable palisade ledge below the front lip forming a 'stepped' construction.

No finds were collected but charcoal was taken from the floor and will be sent for dating.

E Rennie 1988.