Foster Law
Enclosed Settlement (Later Prehistoric)
Site Name Foster Law
Classification Enclosed Settlement (Later Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 56315
Site Number NT57NW 41
NGR NT 50637 78543
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/56315
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Athelstaneford
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County East Lothian
Geophysical Survey (August 2000 - January 2002)
Geomagnetic surveys have been carried out over a sample of 30 cropmark sites in the vicinity of Traprain Law, comprising Phase 1 of the Traprain Law Environs Project.
In the majority of cases (23 out of 30), the surveys have confirmed the presence on the ground of the enclosures shown on aerial photographs, often with very clear results. In a number of cases, the surveys have produced evidence of probable internal and/or external features which were not immediately visible on air photographs, while in other cases, the presence of these additional features has been confirmed. Several of the sites investigated appear to represent more than one phase of archaeological activity.
In the 7 cases where cropmark sites have not been readily identified, this appears to be due to a number of factors. In only one instance does the underlying igneous geology appear to be the main factor; while in several cases, anomalies not immediately relatable to the previous cropmarks were detected and might well prove be of archaeological significance.
The work reported here brings to a conclusion Phase 1 of the Traprain Law Environs Project.
Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsors: Historic Scotland, University of Durham, and Dickinson College, Pennsylvania.
Duncan Hale and Colin Haselgrove.
Project (2000 - 2004)
A project investigating the nature and development of later prehistoric and Roman Iron Age settlement in a 15 by 10 km block of landscape around the major fortified hilltop site at Traprain Law in East Lothian.
Note (27 September 2022)
The location, classification and period of this site have been reviewed.
Aerial Photographic Interpretation (27 September 2022)
This enclosed settlement, which has been partially excavated (Haselgrove 2009 ), has been recorded as cropmarking on oblique photographs (RCAHMSAP 1980) about 190m NNW of The Chesters Fort (NT57NW 1). It is oval in plan and defined by two ditches. Excavation demonstrated the outer to be the earlier of the two. The inner enclosure measures about 75m from E to W by about 50m transversely within a ditch about 4m broad. The outer enclosure is most visible on the W where it extends some 10m from the inner enclosure. It has been recorded only intermittently but probably measures about 85m from E to W by about 56m transversely within a ditch about 2.5m broad. Both ditches are broken by an entrance gap on the W and there may be a second entrance on the E.
Information from HES Archaeological Survey (F. Vermeij) 27 September 2022
