Kilmurdie
Cist (Medieval)(Possible), Fort (Iron Age)
Site Name Kilmurdie
Classification Cist (Medieval)(Possible), Fort (Iron Age)
Canmore ID 56740
Site Number NT58SW 11
NGR NT 53927 83545
NGR Description Centre
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/56740
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Dirleton
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County East Lothian
NT58SW 11 NT 53931 83552
(Name: NT 5388 8351) Cists found (NAT)
OS 6" map (1968)
Kilmurdie: A pasture field traditionally said to be the spot where the army of Edward I camped while besieging Dirleton Castle in 1298. Several 'stone coffins', bones etc have been dug up in this field from time to time. Judging from the name and these remains, there was probably a church (chapel) in this locality, but there is no tradition to this effect extant.
Name Book 1853
NT 5394 8355. Cropmarks of a multi-ditched enclosure are visible on air photographs.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
These crop marks enclose a low knoll. At present the field is under crop. No information was obtained regarding the traditions associated with this field.
Visited by OS (JP) 9 July 1975
Aerial photographs of this site have been taken by the RCAHMS, who list it as a fort.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
Note (29 December 2015 - 20 October 2016)
This fort is situated on a low hillock and while its existence as an earthwork is perhaps recorded in the tradition of an encampment here of Edward I (Name Book, Haddingtonshire, No.25, p 29, 74), it had probably been ploughed down before the 19th century. Cropmarks however reveal that it is roughly sub-rectangular on plan, measuring about 130m from NNE to SSW and tapering from about 74m transversely on the SSW to 50m on the NNE (0.78ha) within for most of the circuit four ditches, a fifth being present at the SSW end. Making some allowance for the presence of an inner rampart, the interior extends to about 0.58ha. The defences, however, which form a belt between 33m and 43m in depth, are evidently complex, and of the four entrances that are visible, on the NE, SE, SW and WNW respectively, those on the NE and WNW appear to have been blocked on the line of the second ditch, and the NE entrance on the line of the third ditch too. Indeed the simple character of the unblocked innermost causeways at these entrances, with directly opposed ditch terminals, contrasts with the elaboration of the outer entrances, and though the sequence of construction is unknown strongly suggests that innermost and outer lines were not conceived as a single scheme. At the NE entrance a spur of the innermost ditch doglegs outwards from the S terminal, but at the blocked gap in the second ditch the N terminal appears originally to have overlapped the southern externally. Similar elaborations are visible elsewhere, with overlaps created by realigning one side of the second and third ditches at the SE entrance, the third ditch to oppose an inturned terminal of the fourth ditch at the SW entrance, and the second and third ditches at the WNW entrance. At both the SE and WNW entrances the causeways across the ditches have also been staggered to create oblique approaches, the former exposing the visitor's left side, and the latter the right side. Heavy wear is apparent at the NW entrance, splaying out into the interior immediately within the innermost ditch. A shallow fold in the E flank of the hillock appears as a relatively dark area of cropmarks, possibly containing deeper sediments, but no structures are visible within the interior.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 20 October 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC3900
Note (6 June 2023)
The location, classification and period of this site have been reviewed and changed from CIST(S) (PERIOD UNASSIGNED), FORT (PREHISTORIC).
