Castle Hill
Earthwork (Period Unassigned), Motte (Medieval)(Possible)
Site Name Castle Hill
Classification Earthwork (Period Unassigned), Motte (Medieval)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Upper Meft; Rapenache Manor
Canmore ID 16566
Site Number NJ26SE 5
NGR NJ 2736 6340
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/16566
- Council Moray
- Parish Urquhart
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Moray
- Former County Morayshire
NJ26SE 5 2736 6340
Along the face of Castle Hill (NJ 2735 6437) is "a deep gash or trench, evidently artificial."
J Morrison 1873.
At NJ 2736 6340, curving around the NW side of Castle Hill, a rounded natural rise commanding a wide view, is an earthwork consisting of a ditch about 35 metres long and decreasing from about 14.0m in width in the S to about 7.0m in the N, and averaging 1.5m deep. There are traces of a possible causeway across it towards the N end. It fades out on the W slope of the hill, and appears to have been truncated in the N by surface quarrying. There is no sign of it continuing around the S and E flanks. The hill has been ploughed and afforested and is otherwise featureless.
The purpose of the ditch is obscure. It is undoubtedly of early date, and is placed in a position to afford a good defence for the summit.
Its lack of continuation is probably due to it being uncompleted, although it is possible that it has been ploughed out.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (A A) 26 January 1972.
