Mote Hill
Fort (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Mote Hill
Classification Fort (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) The Round, Clarebrand
Canmore ID 64562
Site Number NX76NE 11
NGR NX 7706 6619
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/64562
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Crossmichael
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Stewartry
- Former County Kirkcudbrightshire
NX76NE 11 7706 6619.
(NX 7706 6619) Mote (NR)
OS 6" map (1958)
'The Round'. A fort (R W Feachem 1956) though little trace of fortification was visible in 1911 when the site was thickly planted with trees. From north round towards the SW there are two distinct terraces separated by a slight glacis 14' broad with a fall of about 5'. The upper terrace measured where most distinct 24' broad, and the lower one at the same place 19' broad. There are no signs of trenches or ramparts associated with them. On the south side the ridges and furrows of old cultivation are quite distinct.
RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911; F R Coles 1892
About eight years ago this area was cleared of trees and an attempt was made to level the fort. All that now remains are two concentric terraces on the north half of the fort, maximum height 1.5 metres; elsewhere only slight traces of the defences exist. There are traces of a possible third line of defence on the west side. The central area of the fort appears to have measured about 67.0m N to S by 46.0m transversely. No trace of an entrance could be found.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (RD) 29 July 1968
Mote Hill fort is visible on vertical air photograph, (OS 68/185/120, flown 1968).
Information from RCAHMS (DE) August 1996
Field Visit (14 August 1951)
This site was included within the RCAHMS Marginal Land Survey (1950-1962), an unpublished rescue project. Site descriptions, organised by county, are available to view online - see the searchable PDF in 'Digital Items'. These vary from short notes, to lengthy and full descriptions. Contemporary plane-table surveys and inked drawings, where available, can be viewed online in most cases - see 'Digital Images'. The original typecripts, notebooks and drawings can also be viewed in the RCAHMS search room.
Information from RCAHMS (GFG) 19 July 2013.
Note (20 December 2013 - 4 August 2016)
This fort, which has been heavily degraded by ploughing, tree planting and latterly about 1960 by deliberate demolition, is situated on a low rounded hill. Oval on plan, its interior probably measures about 67m from N to S by at least 46m transversely (0.24ha), though the defences have been reduced to little more than scarps 1.5m in maximum height on the N, and these are barely visible around the S half of the circuit. Nevertheless, the defences comprised at least two ramparts with a medial ditch, while the observation of possible traces of a third rampart on the W by the OS in 1968 suggests that there was probably an outer ditch too. The interior is featureless and the position of the entrance is unknown.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 04 August 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC0289
