Pricing Change
New pricing for orders of material from this site will come into place shortly. Charges for supply of digital images, digitisation on demand, prints and licensing will be altered.
Upcoming Maintenance
Please be advised that this website will undergo scheduled maintenance on the following dates:
Thursday, 9 January: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday, 23 January: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Thursday, 30 January: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
During these times, some functionality such as image purchasing may be temporarily unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Purvis Hill
Cultivation Terrace(S) (Medieval)
Site Name Purvis Hill
Classification Cultivation Terrace(S) (Medieval)
Canmore ID 53110
Site Number NT33NE 2
NGR NT 3540 3740
NGR Description Centred NT 3540 3740
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/53110
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Innerleithen
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Tweeddale
- Former County Peebles-shire
NT33NE 2 centred 3540 3740.
(Centred NT 3540 3740) Cultivation Terraces (NR)
OS 6" map (1964)
A striking group of cultivation terraces occupies the steep hill-face just below Purvishill Tower. In 1853, twelve terraces were noted (R Chambers 1855); today nine appear above the road, which itself presumably runs along a tenth. The group, which faces S, is about 200 yds long and extends from the flood-plain of the Tweed (450' O D) to about 680' O D. The treads vary in breadth from 20' to 100', and the risers are up to 10' high.
Evidence obtained from a section exposed in a quarry has been interpreted as indicating that the treads of the terraces were formed by excavation and not by banking up, while large stones are said to have been found in front of some of the terraces. (R Eckford 1928)
RCAHMS 1967, visited 1961
These well-preserved cultivation terraces are as described.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 23 June 1961 and (BS) 2 September 1974.
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
