The Castles
Hut Circle (Prehistoric), Linear Earthwork (Period Unassigned)
Site Name The Castles
Classification Hut Circle (Prehistoric), Linear Earthwork (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 59081
Site Number NT81NW 56
NGR NT 83151 18669
NGR Description From NT 8309 1862 to NT 8331 1881
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/59081
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Morebattle
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Roxburgh
- Former County Roxburghshire
NT81NW 56 from 8309 1862 to 8331 1881
(NT 8309 1862 to NT 8331 1881) Earthwork (NR)
OS 6" map, (1962).
About 400 yds SSE of The Castles (NT81NW 11), a linear earthwork crosses the col that joins Crock Law to Swindon Shank. Starting on the slope that falls to the Calroust Burn it runs NE for 100 yds to where there is a gap 11 yds wide through which runs a modern stone dyke. Beyond this gap it runs for a further 9 yds and is then interrupted by a second gap 13 yds wide. On the farther side of this second gap it continues for 150 yds to terminate on the hillside above the Alder Burn. Through the gaps pass the tracks of an old road; the fact that a damaged fragment of the bank survives in the gap to the NE of the stone dyke indicates that this gap, at least, was broken through the bank by traffic, and was not provided in the original construction of the work.
RCAHMS 1956, visited 1938.
As described above.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 22 August 1960.
This linear earthwork now survives only between NT 8310 1862 and NT 8318 1867; the remainder has been destroyed by ploughing and afforestation. A Cross ridge dyke.
Revised at 1:10 000.
Visited by OS (TRG) 30 August 1976.
A linear earthwork crosses the saddle between Crock Law and Swindon Shank some 365m to the SSE of The Castles fort (NT81NW 11) and 100m SSE of the enclosed settlement (NT81NW 13). From oblique aerial photographs (D Harding, University of Edinburgh) it is apparent that the earthwork marks the S limit of an area of cord rig (NT81NW 63) which is perhaps associated with the settlement. For much of its course, the earthwork lies in a forest ride. At the SW end the earthwork commences above the steep hillside falling away to the Calroust Burn and runs NE for 60m over a moderate slope levelling off towards the crest of the saddle. After a gap of 11m, through which runs a modern stone dyke, the bank resumes on a more northernly alignment, for 24m. Beyond this second gap the earthwork resumes its alignment over a moderate slope for 104m terminating above the steep slope overlooking the Alder Burn to the NE. The braided course of the old road along Swindon Shank crosses the earthwork through both the gaps leaving a small stretch of bank isolated immediately NE of the modern dyke. There is no evidence that either gap is therefore original to the earthwork which may simply have served as a boundary-bank.
Information from RJ Mercer (University of Edinburgh) 1 April 1985
RCAHMS MS 2598. No. 34/462
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
