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Cumstoun

Earthwork (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Cumstoun

Classification Earthwork (Period Unassigned)

Alternative Name(s) Compston Castle; Castle Hill; Cumstoun House Policies

Canmore ID 64049

Site Number NX65SE 13

NGR NX 6841 5340

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/64049

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Dumfries And Galloway
  • Parish Twynholm
  • Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
  • Former District Stewartry
  • Former County Kirkcudbrightshire

Archaeology Notes

NX65SE 13 6841 5340

(NX 6841 5340) Castle (NR) (Site of) Castle Hill.

OS 6" map (1910)

For (present) Cumstoun House and associated buildings, see NX65SE 116.00.

Location formerly entered in error as NX 6941 5340.

The surveyor notices a drystone wall round the top. It is traditionally the site of the predecessor of Compston Castle (Kirkcud. 49 SW 1). Remains of a building with lime-mortared walls have been found within living memory.

Name Book 1849

An irregular four-sided earthwork with a natural slope of 40 to 50 feet on the south has been formed by a trench cut on its west and north sides. The west ditch is 25 feet wide and 11 feet deep and apparently had a counter scarp mound. An oblong hollow, 60 by 34 feet occupies the south part of the area. It had sunken steadily for seven years in 1893 and in 1911 was 4 feet deep, the sides well defined except on the south. The position of this earthwork above its steep bank suggests a mote-hill, but its elevation north and west is low. The modern oblong stone edging at the extreme south is known as the Poet's Seat, in memory of the poet Montgomery once resident at Cumstoun.

F R Coles 1893; RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911.

As described above. There is now no evidence of a counter scarp mound to the ditch. A small fragment of stone edging was found at the SE edges of the earthwork, this is probably the 'Poet's Seat' mentioned. No other traces were found of drystone walling.

Revised at 25".

Visited by OS (WDJ) 2 February 1965.

This feature is probably to be equated with the Earthwork [NAT] that is noted on the OS (GIS) MasrerMap at NX 68329 53405.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 24 July 2009.

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