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Eyemouth, King's Mount, Fort
Artillery Fortification (16th Century)
Site Name Eyemouth, King's Mount, Fort
Classification Artillery Fortification (16th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Eyemouth Harbour; King's Mound; Eyemouth Artillery Fort; Eyemouth Fort
Canmore ID 60188
Site Number NT96SW 1
NGR NT 94320 64845
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/60188
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Eyemouth
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Berwickshire
- Former County Berwickshire
NT96SW 1 94320 64845
(NT 94320 64845) Eyemouth Fort (NR)
OS 6" map, Berwickshire, 2nd ed., (1906).
For associated Eyemouth Harbour (NT 9460 6460 to NT 9454 6411) and adjacent buildings, see NT96SW 76.00.
This fort occupies a promontory on the W side of the bay; it is said to have been erected by Protector Somerset in 1547. On the edge of the cliff, mounds still remain to a height of 5 or 6ft, but they are gradually disappearing as the cliff face crumbles. There is a quadrangular mound or bastion known as the 'King's Mound' on the landward end of the promontory. It is surronded by a deep ditch except towards the NE or interior of the fort. The ditches and ramparts on the S and W are still quite distinct (RCAHMS 1915; J Hardy 1868). It was ordered to be demolished in 1550 (A A Carr 1836).
RCAHMS 1915, visited 3 August 1908.
Eyemouth Fort: This earthwork comprises a series of extensive, well-preserved mounds and ditches. It remains much as described by the previous authorities; the outer scarps of the ramparts around the headland have been destroyed by cliff erosion. The so-called 'King's Mount', at NT 9425 6484, has a well-defined ditch around it as described; this was obviously the focal point of the fortification. A fragment of a coarse rubble wall is visible at the base of the N corner of the mound. It is 5m long and 1m high.
Visited by OS (JLD) 13 October 1954.
Generally as described in the previous field report.
The 'King's Mount' bastion is the best-preserved part and stands some 4.0m above its surrounding ditch. The promontory is being used as the town refuse tip. This and cliff erosion are gradually destroying the fortifications.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 9 February 1966.
This mid-16th century artillery fort exhibits two main structural phases. (See also NT96NW 14.). (NMRS No.BWD/121/1).
RCAHMS 1980, visited 1979.
A section was excavated (by G J Ewart for Inspector Ancient Monuments) across part of the first phase English defensive earthworks and details of the rampart, ditch and counterscarp were recorded along with evidence of a possible timber super-structure along the crest of the rampart.
A second trench was excavated within the defences and evidence of a demolished stone structure was found towards the S of the site.
G J Ewart 1980
Photographed by the RCAHMS in 1980.
RCAHMS AP catalogue 1980.
Field Visit (3 August 1908)
157. Fortification, Eyemouth.
Eyemouth Fort occupies a promontory on the west side of the bay at the head of which the town stands, and is said to have been erected by the Protector Somerset in 1547. On the edge of the cliff, facing seaward, mounds forming a breastwork still remain to a height of 5 or 6 feet in places, but the edge of the cliff is crumbling and the ramparts are gradually disappearing. Towards the landward end of the promontory is a quadrangular mound or bastion known as ‘The King's Mound,’ surrounded by a deep ditch except towards the north-east or interior of the fort; it shows some indefinite remains of masonry at its base. The ditches and ramparts which formed the outer defences on the south and west are still quite distinct.
See Ber. Nat. Club, 1863-68, p. 422; Carr's Coldingham, p. 142
RCAHMS 1915, visited 3rd August 1908.
Excavation (1 September 1980 - 26 September 1980)
A section was excavated (by G J Ewart for Inspector Ancient Monuments) across part of the first phase English defensive earthworks and details of the rampart, ditch and counterscarp were recorded along with evidence of a possible timber super-structure along the crest of the rampart.
A second trench was excavated within the defences and evidence of a demolished stone structure was found towards the S of the site.
Sponsor: Inspector Ancient Monuments
G J Ewart 1980
Kirkdale Archaeology
Excavation (1982)
NT 943 6*19 The third season of excavation on those elements of the fort most immediately under threat from coastal erosion, concentrated on the S bastion of the outer defensive line (built 1557), and on an area immediately within the inner defences (built 1547). Excavation on the former provided detail of its construction and showed that the 1557 earthworks and defensive ditch had been deliberately destroyed after the final abandonment of the site. The bastion was also found to overlie a much earlier defensive ditch, as yet undated.
The second area of excavation revealed part of a large, complex stone building - possibly stables, firmly dated to the 1557 - 1560 period of occupation on the site.
Sponsor: SDD (AM)
G J Ewart 1982
Kirkdale Archaeology
Excavation (1985)
NT 943 649 After limited excavation on the N 'French' bastion, new evidence was found for the overall construction of the earthwork as well as locating one of the upper gun positions.
D H Caldwell & G J Ewart 1985
Sponsors: Russell Trust, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Kirkdale Archaeology
Excavation (1985)
NT 943 649 During the second season of this rescue excavation evidence of two stone buildings (probably barracks) was found towards the S of the site. Both structures featured associated low earthworks, all of which had been demolished in antiquity. They date from the secondary, French occupation of the site and were found to overlie elements of an earlier timber building. The timber structure is probably associated with the primary construction of the fort by the English army in 1547.
Sponsor: SDD (AM)
G J Ewart 1981
Kirkdale Archaeology
Excavation (14 August 1987 - 9 October 1987)
NT 943 648 A seventh season of excavation on this important Trace Italienne fortification concentrated on the French line of defence (1557-1559) and in particular on the main entrance. A slot for a bridge support was discovered at the front of the gateway complex and behind that, the foundation trench for a stone archway. There were also remains of a cobbled surface running through the thickness of the rampart although the entire structure had been massively slighted.
It is now clear however, that a substantial part of the French rampart is composed of bedrock which rises above the natural boulder clay along the line adopted for the defences.
Sponsors: The National Museums of Scotland, The Russell Trust, the British Academy, Historic Buildings and Monuments
Excavation (1 August 1988 - 19 August 1988)
NT 943 648 The eighth season of excavation concentrated on two areas of the north French bastion {c 1557) where large sections of the original stone cladding of both the east face of the upstanding earthwork and the east side of the main defensive ditch, were exposed. New details of the drainage of the bastion and its construction were also found during the three week survey.
G J Ewart & D H Caldwell
Sponsors: National Museums of Scotland, The Russell Trust,
The British Academy, SDD HBM
Kirkdale Archaeology
Field Visit (20 November 2014)
ShoreUPDATE 2014
As described. There is ongoing erosion of the cliffs of the promontory, which has exposed sections through the banks and ditches of the fort's defences. Other issues include a lack of interpretation and access problems caused by long grasses covering the earthworks and much of the interior of the fort. Eyemouth Fort is the subject of a SCHARP ShoreDIG project with the local community to further investigate the site and its condition and to improve access and interpretation of the site.
Visited by Scotland's Coastal Heritage at Risk (SCHARP) 2014
Field Visit (2014)
This fort occupies a high promontory above the town of Eyemouth. It was built in 1547 for Protector Somerset by Sir Richard Lee, who later designed the fortifications at Berwick-on-Tweed. It was re-fortified by the French in 1557, when a long curtain wall and a ditch with bastions at either end were built. The cliff edge in this area is very unstable and there is evidence of recent substantial landslip and of coastal erosion. The fortifications on the coast edge are affected and there are numerous exposures showing the stony deposits which form the ramparts. While it is unlikely that this site can be protected against further losses, a programme of monitoring, both on the promontory and among eroded deposits on the beach below may be productive. The site is visible on AP's (B227 3122-4 11/5/49, B755 654-5 25/5/74).
Visited by Scotland's Coastal Heritage at Risk (SCHARP)
Sbc Note
Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
