Black Hill

NT82SW 4 from 83003 24094 to 83036 24008

(NT 8302 2405) Settlement (NR)

OS 6" map, (1962).

This settlement occupies a non-defensive position on a slight ridge NNW of Black Hill. The remains comprise a main enclosure, oval on plan, 180' N-S by 110', and an annexe attached to its N end. Both are formed by single banks, now only a few inches in height and spread to about 15' at the base; it is now impossible to say whether these banks were of simple earthwork construction or were revetted with stone. No internal or external ditches are visible. Four gaps, two in the circuit of the main enclosure and two in that of the annexe, probably represent original entrances, but there is no trace of any direct communication between the two units. Within the main enclosure are three huts defined by ditches from 3' to 5' wide with slight upcast mounds on their counter- scarps. The smaller of the two contiguous huts is circular, 26' in internal diameter; the other is oval, 32' x 27' internally. The isolated hut is also oval, measuring 34' x 30' internally. Slight indications of three smaller huts can be seen in the annexe.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 1947.

This settlement is generally as described by the RCAHMS.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 13 June 1968.

Generally as described above, except that there is now no trace of the huts in the annexe.

Revised at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (TRG) 12 August 1976.

This settlement occupies a generally non-defensive position on the ridge, at the NW end of Black Hill, between the Curr Sike and an unnamed tributary of the Elghope Burn to the SSW. The site crowns the NW end of a spur on the watershed above a moderate slope to the NW and is approached along gentle ground from the SE whilst on the E and N moderate to moderately steep slopes fall away towards the Curr Sike. However on the SW, there is a steep drop down to the unnamed burn.

The settlement has previously been described, by the RCAHMS (1956), as comprising a main enclosure, oval on plan, with an annexe attached to its N end. Both enclosures are formed by single banks, now only a few inches in height and spread to about 15 feet at the base. No internal or external ditches are visible.

Re-examination of the settlement, suggests that whilst the basic interpretation of the site as comprising a main enclosure with a subsidiary enclosure adjoining to the N holds true, a much more complicated sequence, defined by up to four, almost concentric palisade slots with a low earthwork annexe to the N, exists on the ground. A speculative sequence between the various, visible elements of enclosure may be inferred.

Phase 1

The initial enclosure, which is also the largest, is defined by a palisade slot surviving between the SW and the NE sides of the summit. After a break on the W, perhaps the entrance to the phase 3 enclosure, the palisade survives as a double slot for a distance of about 20m at which point it is truncated by the phase 2 enclosure bank (previously described as an annexe). No internal features can be associated with this phase of enclosure.

Phase 2

The phase 2 enclosure is incomplete. It comprises a broad, low bank with neither an internal or external ditch present. On the NW, there is a 2m wide gap which may represent an entrance, whilst on the NNE the bank fades out, beyond which is a stretch of palisade slot. On the SSW side of this enclosure, a further stretch of palisade slot (phase 3) overlies the bank, shortly after which it fades out. A series of indeterminate gullies and ditches lie within the phase 2 circuit and, although they cannot be reconciled with those recorded by the RCAHMS, they may well represent internal structures associated with this phase.

Phase 3

Again defined by a palisade slot, this enclosure is seen to overlie the extreme S end of the phase 2 bank on the NW. On the WNW, the palisade slot bifurcates shortly before a break in the circuit. Here, there is a break through the phase 1 palisade and the double slot of the phase 3 enclosure; a gap which is not, however, carried through the innermost palisade which must, therefore be later (phase 4). On the S of the proposed entrance the phase 3 enclosure continues as a double palisade slot returning along, and outside the E side of the innermost slot although precisely what happens in the NE is uncertain.

Phase 4

The final phase of activity on the site is represented by a further reduction in size of the enclosure with the establishment of a fourth palisade within the previous circuits. Contrary to previous phases which have a break in the W side, there is a broad, approximately 8m wide, gap on the E side. The palisade bifurcates on the N aspect of the site and is incomplete between the NE and SE. There is a suspicion that the N angle of this enclosure has been built up over the SE angle of the phase 2 enclosure.

Internal features

Within the innermost (phase 4) palisade slot, there is a ring-ditch house (1), a complex sequence comprising three probable ring-ditch houses (2) as well as two ring-groove houses (3 and 4).

Ring-ditch house 1 In the very N of the enclosure, there are the substantial remains of a ring-ditch house with an entrance to the SSE. The ring-ditch house, which measures between 13m and 14m in overall diameter, comprises a central platform measuring 8m in diameter within a ditch, 2m across at the top and narrowing to only 0.8m in width at the base. There is an entrance in the SSE. The ring-ditch house lies eccentrically within a further ditched enclosure, measuring 20m from E to W by 18m, with no apparent entrance.

A sequence of three ring-ditch houses (2) lies about 5m to the SW. The earliest and largest element in the sequence, has an overall diameter of about 14m. It comprises a central platform measuring 10m in diameter within a ring-groove measuring 1.8m wide at the top and narrowing to about 0.5m at the base. There is no sign of any entrance although the circuit is very faint in the S extent and overlain by the second stage in the W. This house, which overlies the W edge of the earlier structure, has an overall diameter of about 8m. It comprises a central platform measuring about 5.5m in diameter within a 1.5m wide ditch narrowing to about 0.4m at its base. No entrance survives but it may have lain in the E angle which is overlain by the third and most recent structure. This structure averages about 10m in overall diameter. There is a central platform measuring 6m in diameter within a 2m wide ditch narrowing to about 0.5m at its base. The ditch circuit is complete and there is no sign of an entrance. An irregular hollow lies about 5m N from this complex and 2m W of the large ring-ditch house.

A ring-groove house (3) lies immediately S of and abuts the earliest element of the complex house group (2). It comprises a continuous ring-groove measuring 8m from N to S by 9m transversely. Internally, the structure measures up to 8m across within a 0.3m wide ditch.

A second continuous ring-groove house (4) lies 2m SE of the previous structure right at the S end of the phase 4 enclosure. It measures about 9.4m across within a 0.3m wide ditch.

Information from RJ Mercer (University of Edinburgh) 24 March 1987

RCAHMS MS 2598. No. 7/064