Soutra Hill
Barrow (Prehistoric)
Site Name Soutra Hill
Classification Barrow (Prehistoric)
Alternative Name(s) Soutra Edge
Canmore ID 54551
Site Number NT45NE 9
NGR NT 4594 5907
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/54551
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Fala And Soutra (Ettrick And Lauderdale)
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Ettrick And Lauderdale
- Former County Midlothian
NT45NE 9 4594 5907
See also NT45NE 11.
On the summit of Soutra Hill is a denuded cairn overgrown with grass, measuring 27' in diameter and reduced to 1' in height.
RCAHMS 1929
NT 4594 5907. Surmounted by an OS triangulation pillar are the remains of a cairn 9.0m in diameter and 0.3m high (see also NT45NE 11).
Visited by OS (BS) 31 July 1975
Field Visit (14 August 1913)
Cairn, Soutra Hill.
On the summit of Soutra Hill, at an elevation of 1209 feet above sea-level, and about ½ mile east-south-east of Soutra Mains, is a denuded stone cairn overgrown with grass, measuring 27 feet in diameter and reduced to 1 foot in height.
RCAHMS 1929, visited 14 August 1913.
OS map: xv S.E. (unnoted).
Note (1988)
Soutra Hill NT 4594 5907 NT 45 NE 9
The OS triangulation pillar on the summit of Soutra Hill stands on a flat-topped barrow measuring 8.5m in diameter by 0.4m in height.
RCAHMS 1988
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 (15 April 2016)
Visibility: Standing structure or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
