Dreghorn
Building(S) (20th Century), Firing Range(S) (20th Century), Quarry (19th Century), Trench(S) (First World War), Trench(S) (20th Century)
Site Name Dreghorn
Classification Building(S) (20th Century), Firing Range(S) (20th Century), Quarry (19th Century), Trench(S) (First World War), Trench(S) (20th Century)
Canmore ID 277390
Site Number NT26NW 472
NGR NT 22707 67680
NGR Description NT 22707 67680 (centre)
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/277390
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT26NW 472 22707 67680 (centre)
The Castlelaw and Dreghorn Training Area (CDTA) is situated at the NE end of the Pentland Hills, its northern end comprising a series of hills and deeply-incised burn-gullies separated from the Edinburgh City bypass (A720) by a narrow corridor of relatively flat farmland. The area has been used for military training since about the First World War, and an RAF vertical aerial photograph taken in 1947 (CPE/Scot/UK 277, 5266) shows in detail the form and extent of systems of practice-trenches, rifle ranges and associated structures. The rifle ranges, which occupied the flat ground S of Dreghorn Mains (NT26NW 359), were decommissioned in about 1985; the target butts, firing-lines and associated buildings were demolished, and the area was reinstated as pasture. Stretches of practice-trenches are still visible, and the continued use of area for military training is reflected in the numerous locations where turf has been removed to create shallow fox-holes or bivouacs .
There were three rifle ranges in the training area, respectively measuring 200, 300, and 500 yards in length, with firing-lines at 100yd intervals and the butts at the SSW ends. In addition, there was a pistol-firing range (NT 2294 6764) immediately to the E. The two shorter rifle ranges and the pistol range were each accompanied by a building at the NNE end (CDTA05 265-67), one of which, built in a disused quarry (CDTA05 185), is visible as a grass-grown heap of rubble (CDTA05 265).
Only short stretches of the systems of practice-trenches are now visible, preserved in rough pasture or woodland. The 1947 RAF photograph reveals that at that time the practice trenches were mainly concentrated in three areas, to the E, SE and S respectively of Chucklie Knowe. The area 100m E of Chucklie Knowe (NT 2291 6774) typifies a front-line design (British Trench Warfare 1917-1918, published by General Staff at the British War Office). It comprises a supervisor trench on the N, which is linked to a 'trench and traverse' line with angled and straight communication trenches leading S. Further S still are what appear to be angled sapper's trenches leading into a short stretch of 'trench and traverse'. The area of trenches about 200m SE of Chucklie Knowe (NT 2293 6750) defines a roughly rectangular area and has a different style of trench on each side. These include 'trench and traverse', 'tenaille' and 'curved without traverses'. The trench-system 300m S of Chucklie Knowe (NT 2264 6737) also includes these three types of trench, together with two forms of communication trenches, known as 'zigzag' and 'island traverse'.
In addition to the three main concentrations, small-scale trenching is visible at several locations throughout the training area. These include a length of trench lying immediately N of Chucklie Knowe (NT 2265 6774) and a well-preserved section of trench in woodland at the NE corner of the training area (NT 2298 6800).
(CDTA05 133, 185, 265-7)
Visited by RCAHMS (AGCH) 23 June 2005
