Mowhaugh

NT82SW 13 from 81677 20829 to 81667 20767

See also NT82SW 14 and NT82SW 36.

Peel (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map, Roxburghshire, (1923).

(NT 8167 2079) Enclosure (NR)

OS 6" map, (1962).

This feature, noted as a scooped enclosure by the RCAHMS is now recognised as a scooped settlement (R W Feachem 1963). It consists of an oval enclosure, 153' N-S by 100' internally, quarried out of the hillside. The enclosure wall was probably revetted with boulders, but all the stones have been robbed and the rubble core is not more than 2' high, spread to a maximum thickness of 15'. On the NE arc there are slight traces of a ditch, intended to divert water from the slopes above. The entrance is not clearly defined, but was probably situated at the N apex. Two scooped courts, linked by a narrow entrance in the dividing wall, occupy the greater paret of the lower half of the interior; while the upper half consists of two horizontal terraces, one of which is subdivided into three seperate "floors", some or all of them stances for timber-framed buildings, and a courtyard. It has not yet been established whether settlements of this class belong to the prehistoric period, or to the early part of our era. (R W Feachem 1963). The OS map (of 1923) marks this enclosure as 'Peel, site of', and the Peel of Mow is mentioned in the Retours. However, the authorities given in the ONB (Ordnance Survey Name Book 1859) are of very questionable value, and in the absence of any positive structural evidence it would be unsafe to accept the identification. (See also NT82SW 33.)

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1947.

As described.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 17 August 1960.

No change. RCAHMS plan revised.

Visited by OS (RD) 14 June 1968.

No change.

Visited by OS (TRG) 12 August 1976.

Above the modern settlement of Mowhaugh, there is a scooped settlement levelled into the moderately steep W-facing slope at the base of the steep gradient rising to the summit of Mow Law. It is situated at the S end of, and above an area of contour cultivation (NT82SW 36) and some 60m lower than the settlement (NT82SW 14) crowning Mow Law. On the 1923 edition of the OS 6-inch map, the enclosure is annotated as 'Peel, site of' on the strength of an entry in the Object Name Book of the Ordnance Survey (1859). Howver, as the NMRS record card states, this identification is unsafe.

The settlement measures 48m from N to S by 29m within an enclosing bank spread up to 4.5m in thickness where it approaches the steep back scarp but which otherwise measures no more than 3.5m in width. The bank, which stands up to 0.6m in height, is of rubble construction and there are no facing stones visible. There is a ditch measuring up to 4m in width on the uphill side of the settlement. Although there are gaps in both the N and S angles of the bank as the slope evens out, these are not convincing as original breaks or entrances.

In the interior there is a large courtyard (1), measuring 19m from N to S by 18m against the W bank of the enclosure. A second level area (2) measuring 16m from NE to SW by 10m, to the N, is approached through a constriction at the N end of the yard.

To the S of the main yard area (1), there are two small crescentic platforms possibly representing house-stances. One, house-stance (3), is D-shaped with a maximum diameter of 6m; the SW end is closed off by a bank. The second house-stance (4) is represented by little more than a crescentic scarp levelled into the slope behind; the chord across this area measures 5m in length. A further two level terraces, containing possible house stances, are situated above the yard areas. At the N end of the lower terrace on the tongue of ground between the yard areas there is a slightly sunken area (5) measuring 7m from N to S by 5m. To the S, between the E side of the yard and the natural slope of the hillside, there is a second slightly scooped area (6) measuring 8m in diameter. It is separated from a large level area (7) to the S by an E to W running bank spread up to 2m in width. This level area (7) measures 19m from E to W by 16m. A small circular structure (8) measuring 3.8m in diameter within a low bank spread up to 2m in width and open on the SE angle, occupies the W end of this area.

On the highest terrace, definable only in the NE part of the enclosure, there are a further two possible house-stances (9 and 10), levelled into the hillside; the first of which (9) measures 8m in diameter. It is paired with the much slighter subrectangular ledge (10) to the N which measures 7m from N to S by up to 3m.

Information from RJ Mercer (University of Edinburgh) 22 March 1987

RCAHMS MS 2598. No. 24/288