Kemp's Castle

NT41NW 4 4383 1652 to 438 165.

(Centred: NT. 4383 1653) Fort (NR).

OS 6" map (1924)

Settlements, Kemp's Castle. These structures are situated on a broad ridge a quarter of a mile SE, of Harden Cottage and at a height of 1140 ft OD. Immediately NW of them the ground falls steeply to heather-covered moorland, but in the other directions the slope is gentle.

One settlement, which is marked "Fort" on the OS map, is oval on plan, measuring 160 ft from NNW to SSE by 130 ft transversely. It is formed by an earthen bank, standing to a maximum height of 3 f. 6 in., in which a few boulders appear and which is accompanied by an intermittent external quarry-ditch. The entrance, which is on the E., has been wasted by cultivation. Within, there are at least five hut-circles each defined by a single narrow trench; three measure 19 ft and one 24 ft in diameter, while the other, which is oval, measures 42 ft by 32 ft.

A few yards to the SW there are four more hut-circles of the same type as those described above; three of them are 30 ft. and the fourth 42 f. in diameter. They appear to lie within an oval enclosure measuring about 300 ft. from NE to SW. by about 240 ft transversely, the

outline of which can be faintly seen on National Survey air-photographs (106G/Scot/UK 141, 4107-8) and has been shown by an interrupted line. (RCAHMS 1956, fig.502)

The smaller settlement closely resembles the homestead on Fundhope Rig (No. 682).

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1949

The huts in the site at Kemp's Castle are discussed under the heading of 'Early Iron Age Settlements and Homesteads'

RCAHMS 1956

These remains centred at NT 4381 1653 are generally as described by RCAHMS. The oval enclosure to the SW of the main earthwork is defined by a bank 0.5m high on its NW side but for the remainder of its course is very vague. Only one of the extreme south/south-westerly pair of hut circles shown by RCAHMS was found and even that was doubtful. The faint outline of the internal ditch of the main work can be traced on the N. side.

Resurveyed at 1/10,560.

Visited by OS (RDL) 12 July 1962

As previously described. The two southernmost hut-circles within the poorly-defined enclosure were not located.

Re-surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 23 April 1965