Peace Knowe
Fort (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Peace Knowe
Classification Fort (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 49312
Site Number NT07SW 7
NGR NT 0306 7407
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/49312
- Council West Lothian
- Parish Linlithgow
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District West Lothian
- Former County West Lothian
NT07SW 7 0306 7407
(NT 0306 7407) Fort (NR)
OS 6" map (1970)
Erosion has merged the ramparts and ditches which formed defences of this fort, on the summit of Peace Knowe; they now form terraces.
The overall dimensions are 200' E-W x 150' N-S. All the ramparts, particularly those forming the outer defences, show roughly squared stones in their structure. In 1929, the low mound, noted on plan, together with surrounding rampart and ditch, were considered to be part of the fort. However, in 1952, the inner mound was recognised as natural, surrounded by a plantation-bank with a slight quarry trench.
RCAHMS 1929, visited 1924; MS, visited 1952
A multivallate fort, generally as described, comprising triple ramparts on the S and W and double ramparts on the E. The entrance lies on the W and the inner mound and surrounding bank have probably been correctly classified as recent features.
Revised at 25".
Visited by OS (JLD) 4 December 1952 and (DWR) 19 March 1974.
Field Visit (8 November 1952)
This site was included within the RCAHMS Marginal Land Survey (1950-1962), an unpublished rescue project. Site descriptions, organised by county, are available to view online - see the searchable PDF in 'Digital Items'. These vary from short notes, to lengthy and full descriptions. Contemporary plane-table surveys and inked drawings, where available, can be viewed online in most cases - see 'Digital Images'. The original typecripts, notebooks and drawings can also be viewed in the RCAHMS search room.
Information from RCAHMS (GFG) 19 July 2013.
Note (30 October 2015 - 1 June 2016)
This small fort is situated to the NW of Ochiltree Mill, occupying a hillock with a steep escarpment along its NNE flank. Elsewhere a belt of ramparts has been constructed, though they are largely reduced to scarps, three on the E and S, fading into two on the SW, and only the inner continuing N from a gap on the W to die just short of the lip of the escarpment. RCAHMS investigators in 1924 suspected this was an entrance and make no mention of the gap on the W, which their plan shows opening into a shallow hollow in the interior. The only other feature within the interior, which measures about 50m from ESE to WNW along the lip of the escarpment by 30m transversely (0.13ha) is a natural mound enclosed by a slight ditch with an external bank; occupying the whole of the E end of the fort, this feature is probably no more than a plantation ring.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 01 June 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC3690
