Hayknowes

NY 1757 6572 NY16NE 124

Air photography (RCAHMSAP 1984 and 1988) has recorded the cropmarks of a rectangular ditched enclosure about 250m NE of Hayknowes steading (NY16NE 62). The enclosure, which is crossed by a field-boundary from N to S, measures about 80m from E to W by 70m transversely within a ditch 2m in breadth. There is an entrance midway along the E side.

The ditched boundary (NY16NW 123) that approaches the enclosure from the SE, appears to intersect the perimeter midway along the W side, and departs to the E from the NE corner. This arrangement suggests that the enclosure was at least a visible earthwork at the time the boundary-ditch was dug.

Information from RCAHMS (SPH), 20 February 1996.

Listed as (rectilinear) settlement and cup-marked stone.

RCAHMS 1997.

NY16NE 124 1759 6572

NY16NE 24 and NY 176 657 As an element of doctoral research, concerned partly with the early settlement of Dumfriesshire, geophysical prospection, small-scale excavation and preliminary environmental analysis were undertaken at two cropmark enclosures at Hayknowes Farm, Annan. These may be classified as a large circular bivallate enclosure (enclosure 1), and a smaller rectilinear enclosure (enclosure 2). Before excavation, resistivity survey at both sites indicated the presence of internal structures which were not visible on the aerial photographs.

At enclosure 2 two trenches were excavated, positioned at the front and back of the cropmark enclosure. The ploughsoil was removed by mechanical means after which the archaeological levels were excavated by hand. Trench I effectively revealed the entrance. The two butt ends of the enclosure ditch were located, behind which two single phase gatepost construction slots were discovered. Trench II was positioned to the rear of the enclosure to determine the relationship between the enclosure ditch and the field boundary to which it was apparently linked. Four phases of activity were present. The earliest (phase I) saw the excavation of two possibly contemporary gullies. Phase II saw the construction of the field boundary ditch which cut the two earlier gullies. Phase III commenced with the infilling of the E portion of the field boundary ditch and later the construction of the enclosure ditch and associated rampart. The enclosure utilised the N portion of the field boundary in its construction. The final phase (IV) saw the recutting of the W section of the field boundary which reduced the size of this feature dramatically.

Excavations at enclosure 1 were confined to the entrance and a small portion of the interior. Trench I exposed the butt ends of the inner and outer enclosure ditches. Behind the inner ditch terminals, c 2.5-3m to the E, the remains of a single phase gateway were encountered, consisting of two gateposts between which a trackway had been laid. A novel feature of this construction was a small, linear stone-packed trench running from the N gatepost for c 1.8m, possibly designed to secure the gate, which would have been of a sliding nature rather than hinged to the S gatepost. Within the interior of the site, Trench III revealed the presence of a single phase hut circle. This consisted of a stone-packed ring-groove, c 11m in diameter, with internal roof supports. The structure had opposing entrance-ways and a small annexe which was interpreted as an animal pen.

A core was taken from a localised peat deposit found directly adjacent to the bivallate enclosure, and is presently undergoing preliminary analysis.

The dating of the two enclosures is problematical due to a lack of diagnostic finds. Finds include a small carnelian bead, fragments of quern stones and one fragment of pottery from the bivallate enclosure; dates are awaited.

Sponsors: Mouswald Trust, Manchester University.

R A Gregory 1996.

NY16NE 124 1759 6572

NY16NE 24 and NY 176 657 Resisitivity survey.

Sponsors: Mouswald Trust, Manchester University.

R A Gregory 1996.

An interpretative transcription, or mapping, of information on oblique aerial photographs was produced on 1 October 2012.