White Law

NT82SW 3 From 82524 21561 to NT 82501 21482

(NT 82501 21492) Settlement (NR)

OS 6" map, (1962).

This small settlement occupies a slight natural hollow on the end of the spur that projects NW from White Law. It consists of a nearly circular enclosure, measuring from 165' to 185' in external diameter, within which can be seen the remains of seven or eight hut circles. A few tumbled stones on the SW suggest that the enclosure wall was originally boulder-faced, but it is now reduced to a turf-covered bank, 5' to 10' thick at the base and not more than 2' high. There are two entrances, each 10' wide, one on the E and the other on the W side. The huts were probably also built of stone, but they are now defined only by low banks or by a slight hollowing of their floors. Their overall diameters range from 28' to 38'. A small subrectangular structure is attached to the outer side of the enclosure wall on the SSW.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1947.

This settlement is as described.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 17 August 1960.

No change to previous information.

Revised at 1:10 000.

Visited by OS (TRG) 12 August 1976.

A settlement is situated in a slight natural hollow below the NW end of the level summit of the spur on the NW of White Law. There is a moderate slope falling away on the NE and a moderately steep slope on the SW with a steep drop on the N.

The settlement is almost circular, measuring 61m by 54m in overall diameter to the base of the enclosing bank. The bank, which seems to be of turf, is spread up to 4m in width and stands to about 0.6m in height. There are two entrances; one on the E and a second on the WNW. Each is about 4m wide. The terminal of a shallow external quarry ditch, up to 5m in width, lies on the S side of the E entrance and can be traced round the S half of the enclosure to about 10m S of the W entrance where it continues NW away from the enclosure. Except for a solitary quarry scoop on the N half of the circuit, there is no evidence for its continuation around the enclosure. Instead material for the bank may have been gained by stripping the N half of the enclosure, creating the slight scarp that cuts across the interior.

Within, there are ten circular, or subcircular, house-stances. Immediately N of the NW entrance there is a pair of conjoined house-stances (1) and (2), the larger and more complete of which (1) measures about 9m in diameter within a low 1.5m wide bank. It is levelled into the enclosing bank on the N side. The entrance, on the W side, lies at the base of the bank and leads into the second house-stance (2). This house, which is probably earlier, lies immediately N of the W entrance passage and is defined by a low bank on the S side and the enclosure bank on the N. It measures 6m from N to S by 7m internally although the E side has probably been truncated by house-stance (1). Again there seems to be an entrance on the W side leading directly onto the gate.

House-stance (3), lying about 1m to the SE of house-stance (1) measures 8m in diameter within low banks up to 2.4m in width. There are opposed entrances on the E and W sides. Within there a slight scarp raising the SW section of the house from the remainder of the floor area. A shallow groove is detectable outwith the bank on the N side but is not traceable on the S side. Instead the slight scarp cutting across the interior of enclosure changes direction to respect the house.

House-stance (4) lies immediately S of the W entrance and measures 8m in diameter within a low bank up to 2.2m in width. The house-stance is not circular as the entrance, which faces onto the main gate to the NW, is accentuated.

House-stance (5) lies 2m to the E. It measures 8m from NW to SE by 7m within a low bank up to 1.7m in width. The SE end is levelled into the side of the low scarp cutting across the enclosure from the E entrance. Above the scarp are the remains of three conjoined houses.

House-stance (6) is a small circular structure measuring 5m in diameter within a low 1.6m wide wall. It would seem to post-date house-stance (7) as it interrupts the S arc of the latters bank. The entrance is on the NW side and the wall on the N side of the entrance is seen to splay to 2m in width. House-stance (7) measures 8m in diameter within a low bank spread up to 2.2m in width except to the W of the entrance, on the NNE side of the house, where it splays to 2.6m. A further break in the bank, on the SW side leads into house-stance (8) which measures 9m in diameter within a low bank averaging 1.6m in width. The bank thickens to 2.4m on the SW side. The entrance arrangement suggests that house-stance (8), like house-stance (6) post-dates house-stance (7). There are no further house-stances within this raised area of the settlement, but within the SW angle of, and apparently overlain by, the enclosure bank are two raised platforms (9) and (10).

Platform (9) measures 10m from NW to SE by up to 6m. The SE side of the platform is apparently overlain by platform (10) which measures 12m from NW to SE by 4m. The enclosure bank is seen to thicken to about 6m as it crosses this platform.

Vertical aerial photographs (RAF 106 G/Scot/UK 121 frames 4256-7: 20 June 1946) suggest that there may be an area of cord rig on the moderate slope on the NE of the settlement, although this was not observed on the ground.

Information from RJ Mercer (University of Edinburgh) 23 March 1987

RCAHMS MS 2598. No. 18/205