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Soutra Edge
Beacon Stance (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Soutra Edge
Classification Beacon Stance (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Soutra Hill
Canmore ID 54534
Site Number NT45NE 11
NGR NT 4594 5907
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/54534
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Fala And Soutra (Ettrick And Lauderdale)
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Ettrick And Lauderdale
- Former County Midlothian
NT45NE 11 4594 5907
See also NT45NE 9.
The beacon on Soutra Edge was one of a chain set up by Act of Parliament in 1455 to warn of the approach of English invaders. It was last lit in 1887 at Queen Victoria's Jubilee.
J Hunter 1892
This feature was not located but it is possibly the cairn (NT45NE 9, at NT 4594 5907). Local enquiries, however, failed to confirm the latter as the site of the beacon.
Visited by OS (BS) 31 July 1975.
Excavation (1 November 2010 - 14 June 2011)
NT 4594 5907 Due to the presence of several previously recorded prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval archaeological features, a programme of work was carried out, 1 November 2010–14 June 2011, prior to the extension of the quarry. The trial trench evaluation and subsequent excavation amounted to 15,337m², representing over 12% of the proposed extension area. Several archaeological features were encountered during the evaluation, including a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age cairn, an undated posthole circle, an early modern sheepfold and plough marks, and a modern causeway track. Flints and prehistoric pottery were recovered from a hand excavated trench across the stone matrix of the cairn.
Further excavation of the cairn, posthole circle, sheepfold and a select area of plough marks was subsequently undertaken. The complete excavation of the cairn recovered a large fragment of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age beaker pottery and a cremation burial. All 14 postholes forming the posthole circle were fully investigated but no artefacts or additional archaeological features were encountered. Further investigation of the cultivation marks uncovered a possible field boundary, while excavation in the sheepfold encountered no artefacts or dating evidence.
An additional watching brief on the area around the cairn and posthole circle identified two undated, discontinuous rubble spreads towards the S side of the area. These were roughly aligned with a modern causeway to the SW, recorded during the evaluation, and may be the ephemeral remains of a relict trackway.
Archive: RCAHMS (intended)
Funder: Skene Group Ltd
GUARD Archaeology Ltd, 2011
Information also reported in Oasis (guardarc1-132001) 17 June 2013
Sbc Note (21 March 2016)
Visibility: This was the site of an archaeological monument, which may no longer be visible.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
Previously also listed under duplicate site NT96SW 510 -CANCELLED. HES (LCK) 11.6.2024
