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Mains Castle
Earthwork (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Mains Castle
Classification Earthwork (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 44917
Site Number NS65NW 30
NGR NS 6279 5591
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/44917
- Council South Lanarkshire
- Parish East Kilbride (South Lanarkshire)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District East Kilbride
- Former County Lanarkshire
NS65NW 30 6279 5591
See also NS65NW 15.
NS 6279 5591. S of Mains Castle is a mound, 19.0m by 20.0m and 1.5m high, on top of which is a small mound, 7.5m in diameter and 0.8m high. Near the base of the larger mound is a slight berm some 1.5m wide. This feature appears to be merely ornamental, though it may possibly be a siegework.
Visited by OS (J L D) 10 June 1959.
Defined by Ure (1793) as an island for retreat of waterfowl, there is evidence in favour of its earlier use as a motte, possibly earlier than that described on NS65NW 29. The lake, 'Crawford's Hole' has long been drained, but the low-lying ground is naturally marshy and very well suited as the location of an early moated site. The cross-section of an encircling ditch, about 4m wide, was noted in a fresh, mechanically-excavated drain in 1970; this evidence was removed by ploughing about 1972.
It is shown as a 'moat' (depicted by two concentric ovals) on Forrest's map (information from 'Map of Lanarkshire' by W Forrest 1816).
D Ure 1793; T C Welsh nd.
Listed as a motte.
E Talbot 1975.
Unlikely to be a motte in this situation, or a moated site. Probable crannog, left standing proud after loch was drained. The owner of Mains Castle (M Rowan) mentioned finds of green-glazed pot from the site.
Visited by P A Yeoman and Dr W S Hanson, 15 May 1987
An archaeological evaluation was carried out on this site, located in a drained loch, in advance of the creation of a proposed heritage park. This mound had previously been identified variously as a crannog, motte, siegework and ornamental island (supra). The mound is circular, measuring c. 19m across and 1.5m high. The site was surveyed and contour plans produced. Five trenches were excavated at strategic points to identify the detail of construction, nature and date of the mound. These indicated that the mound was a single phase construction of redeposited material. Traces of a drystone structure, comprising two parallel alignments of angular stories c. 0. 15m apart, were identified on the summit of the mound; their date and function could not be determined from the excavated sample.
This work suggested that the mound was artificial and, on the basis of pottery finds recovered from the body of the mound, was probably constructed not before the 16th century. Palaeoenvironmental assessment suggested that the mound was located in an artificial loch; this observation is borne out bv 18th-century documentary evidence, The mound is considered most likely to have been an ornamental feature associated with Mains Castle.
The curatorial role of Strathclyde Regional Council's archaeological service during this project is gratefully acknowledged.
Sponsor: East Kilbride Development Corporation.
East Kilbride News, 9 March 1994; CFA 1994q.
NMRS REFERENCE
NS65NW 15 Mains Castle
