Barr Hill, Kilbarchan
Enclosure (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Barr Hill, Kilbarchan
Classification Enclosure (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 43217
Site Number NS46SW 2
NGR NS 4094 6365
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/43217
- Council Renfrewshire
- Parish Kilbarchan
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Renfrew
- Former County Renfrewshire
NS46SW 2 4094 6365.
(NS 4094 6365) Enclosure (NR) (site of)
OS 1:10000 map (1973)
Camp (NR)
OS 6" map (1911)
Quarrying has removed all trace of the semi-circular 'fort' or 'camp' which occupied the top of Bar Hill (323ft OD). In 1856, it is described as defended on the north by perpendicular cliffs, and on the other sides, approached by a long, steep ascent, there was a semicircular rampart of loose stones, about 3ft high, enclosing about half an acre.
F Newall 1964; R D McKenzie 1902; Name Book 1856; NSA 1845 (R Douglas)
No remains of this enclosure can now be seen, extensive quarrying having been carried out on the site. The foreman at the quarry knew of no finds which may have come to light during quarrying.
Visited by OS (JHO) 27 February 1951
Field Visit (7 July 1954)
Fort, Barr Hill (Site)
This structure was situated at a height of 312 feet O. D. on the summit of Barr Hill, half a mile NE of Kilbarchan. The whole summit of the hill, including the area once occupied by the fort, has been removed by quarrying, but same particulars of the dimensions and structure the fort can be obtained from the O. S map and from the Statistical Account (xv (1795), 489 footnote). The fort was D-shaped on plan, and measured about 250 feet in length along the chord, which was formed by the edge of the cliff, by about 160 feet breadth. The arc consisted of a stone wall outside which was a ditch.
NS 408 637
OS map xl NE (Camp)
Visited by RCAHMS (RWF) 7 July 1954
Note (6 August 2014 - 23 May 2016)
What was probably a fort on the summit of Barr Hill has been destroyed by quarrying. D-shaped on plan, the 1st editions of the OS 6-inch and 25-inch maps (Renfrewshire 1863, sheet 11.3) depict it with a hachured rampart, backing onto the cliff-edge that marked the N margin of the summit. As shown, the interior measured about 70m from E to W along the chord formed by the cliff-edge by 45m transversely (0.25ha). The minister writing in the Statistical Account supplies the information that the rampart was composed of loose stones (Stat Acct, xv, 1795, 489n), while one of his successors noted that it was 0.9m high (NSA, 7, Renfrewshire, 367-8). By 1895 the interior had been planted with trees (Renfrewshire 1897, sheet 11.3), the plantation boundary running concentrically immediately within the line of the rampart, which was now shown with only the inner scarp facing into the interior; this new depiction misled Richard Feachem into believing that this was the remains of a ditch in front of the rampart. None of the depictions show an entrance.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 23 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC1401
