Woodhead

On the recommendation of the Committee for Rescue Archaeology set up by the Scottish Ancient Monuments Board a grant was made to the Commission in 1976 to allow it to carry out an extensive aerial survey programme. Climatic conditions during the period June-August were exceptionally favourable in much of eastern Scotland and more than 600 monuments were recorded, the majority being identified by means of crop-markings, a large number of which were new discoveries. The most interesting sites included Dark Age or Medieval timber halls on Deeside (NO 737967 [NO79NW 18], 733959 [NO79NW 16]) and west of Brechin (NO 509585 [NO55NW 40]); new Roman temporary camps at Ford, Midlothian (NT 384638 [NT36SE 18]) and Millside Wood [sic], Roxburghshire (NT 690270); double pit-alignments at Kinnell and Kinalty, Angus (NO 605494 [NO64NW 27], 356512 [NO35SE 32]); and a number of small, square-ditched enclosures, possibly barrows of the later Iron Age, in the Lunan valley, Angus (NO 626491 [NO64NW 95], 618494 [NO64NW 41] and 687509 [NO65SE 18]). A summary list of all these sites has been compiled and the prints will shortly be available for inspection in the National Monuments Record of Scotland.

RCAHMS (DES 1976, 84)

Woodhead, Temporary Camps NT 384 638 NT36SE 18 & 36

Air photography has revealed 'a complex of temporary structures' to the SE of Woodhead farm. It comprises a small camp of about 1.5ha set on the crest of a narrow promontory, with a polygonal outer work enclosing a further 6ha on the N and W. There are 'Strathcathro type' entrances in the NE and SW sides of the small camp and on the W side of the outer work. Several lengths of ditch have also been recorded to the E and NE of the smaller camp.

RCAHMS 1988

(Maxwell 1980, 34, 38, 45-6; 1983, 177-81)

The two cropmark camps at Woodhead lie about 1km to the north-west of the three camps at Pathhead, on a ridge above the Tyne Water. Both were recorded in 1976 by Maxwell from the air, with camp II irregular in form and acting as a possible additional enclosure surrounding camp I. This smaller camp measures 140m from northeast to south-west by 111m transversely, enclosing 1.5ha (3.8 acres). Entrance gaps with Stracathro-type gates are visible in its south-west and north-east sides. Excavations in 1983 revealed that the ditch on the north-west side was V-shaped, 2.1m wide and 1m deep. There were traces of turf, which may represent the remains of a rampart. The oblique traverse on the south-west gate was much shallower at 0.5m wide and 0.6m deep, and the external clavicula on the north-east side was V-shaped, 2.1m wide and 1m deep (Maxwell 1983: 177–8).

A larger polygonal enclosure (camp II) appears to enclose camp I. Of this enclosure, the whole of the northwest side (217m) plus parts of the adjacent north-east (at least 272m) and west sides (at least 198m) are known, with a probable Stracathro-type gate on the west side. The maximum distance between the known west and northeast sides is 472m, and it would have enclosed at least 8ha (19.8 acres) and possibly some 12ha (29.6 acres). A series of linear cropmarks, are visible in the fields, with one apparently extending the oblique traverse of the north-east gate of camp I. Maxwell postulated that the two camps at Woodhead may represent a compound for timber logging, perhaps connected with the construction of the Flavian fort at Elginhaugh, lying 7km to the north (1981: 44–5; 1983: 180–1; see above, Chapter 2.2).

R H Jones.