Scheduled Maintenance
Please be advised that this website will undergo scheduled maintenance on the following dates: •
Tuesday 3rd December 11:00-15:00
During these times, some services may be temporarily unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Pulcree
Castle (Medieval), Earthwork (Medieval)
Site Name Pulcree
Classification Castle (Medieval), Earthwork (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Water Of Fleet
Canmore ID 63660
Site Number NX55NE 4
NGR NX 5933 5835
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/63660
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Anwoth
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Stewartry
- Former County Kirkcudbrightshire
NX55NE 4 5933 5835
(NX 5933 5837) Mote (NR)
OS 6" map (1957)
This motte is situated on the end of a high bank rising some 35' above the W margin of the Water of Fleet. It has been constructed out of a slight eminence by excavating a ditch round it on 3 sides and by levelling the summit, which is roughly rectangular with rounded corners, NE side measuring 69', SE 60' and NW 66'. The natural rise of the ground is from the SE and here the ditch is 8-9' deep - the crests of scarp and counterscarp being almost level and 35' across the top, 12' across the bottom. As the ditch passes round towards the opposite side it gradually declines following the natural gradient, till at the N angle it is 18' deep. At the W angle, where the ground falls rapidly away there is no counterscarp to the trench but it reappears where the end of the eminence has been cut through towards the NW.
F R Coles 1893; RCAHMS 1914, visited 1912; I F MacLeod 1969.
Generally as described. The counterscarp and ditch have been partially destroyed in the N by an old quarry.
Re-surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (DWR), 2 March 1972
Field Visit (8 March 1994)
This earthwork occupies the N end of a tree-and bracken-covered sandy ridge overlooking the W bank of the River Fleet. Its central platform is subrectangular on plan, measuring 23m from NE to SW by 21.6m transversely, and is defended on the NW, SW and SE by a broad ditch (about 12m across on the SSE and 2.5m deep) with a short stretch of counterscarp bank visible on the N; there was no need for a ditch on the NE as the ridge drops steeply to the river. No trace of an inner line of defence could be seen, but this was probably provided by a timber palisade. Although previously described as a motte, this site is perhaps best described as an earthwork castle.
(Cree94 50)
Visited by RCAHMS (PJD), 8 March 1994.
