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Carmel Bank
Motte (Medieval), Natural Feature (Period Unknown)
Site Name Carmel Bank
Classification Motte (Medieval), Natural Feature (Period Unknown)
Alternative Name(s) 'The Mote'
Canmore ID 41908
Site Number NS33NE 5
NGR NS 3863 3795
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/41908
- Council East Ayrshire
- Parish Kilmaurs (Kilmarnock And Loudoun)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Kilmarnock And Loudoun
- Former County Ayrshire
NS33NE 5 3863 3795
(NS 3863 3795) Motte (NR)
OS 6" map (1969)
The house of Carmel Bank was formerly called 'The Mote'. A tumulus, almost certainly the mote, still remains near the bank of the Carmel. The surrounding ditch is still traceable, but there are no vestiges of buildings.
Statistical Account (OSA) 1793
At NS 3863 3795 is a large natural mound which projects from the escarpment close to the S bank of the Carmel Water. Although mainly natural, it would appear to have been artificially scarped, but it has been considerably ploughed over. It has a maximum height of some 3.5m on the N. On the SE side of the mound are traces of a silted up ditch, about 12.0m broad and 0.3m deep; this can be faintly traced continuing round the S side. The flat summit now measures some 28.0m by 14.0m and is roughly triangular on plan. There is little doubt that this is the feature referred to in the OSA, it may have been a motte (c/f NS33NE 7).
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (JLD) 3 October 1962
This turfed hillock is almost certainly not a motte, and there is no surface evidence of its having been scarped or adapted to form an earthwork defence. It is overlooked on the E, and is only slightly higher than the surrounding ground around the S.
The remains of the suggested ditch round the S side cannot be entirely dismissed, but the shallow and irregular depression coincides with a land fold on the SW, and it is particularly unconvincing on the SE where it fades naturally at an E-W scarp.
Visited by OS (JRL) 27 May 1982.
