Dervaird

150m SE of Dervaird farmhouse, S of the A75 and immediately W of a small stream, is a turf-covered mound up to 0.8m in height and measuring 14.5m E-W by 12m N-S. Although no stone is visible, the mound is hollowed on the S, giving the classic shape of a burnt mound.

Visited by J Murray, May 1987

Excavated 1987 by CEU in advance of roadworks. Timber-lined cooking-pit revealed.

C Russell-White and J Barber 1987

A rescue excavation of this burnt mound was undertaken in advance of its destruction by work on the Glenluce By-pass of the A75. Excavation revealed that the horseshoe shaped mound (appoximately 10m by 12m by 1m high overall) consisted of heat shattered stones in a dark, charcoal rich matrix. Between the 'horns' of the mound a pit, some 2m by 1m, had been cut into the boulder clay. This was partly slab-lined and on its floor lay a large tangentially split oak plant. This was approximately 1m wide and 17cm thick at one end tapering to 0.10m wide and 2cm thick at the other.

J Barber 1987

NX 4040 6540 to NX 2099 5766, NX 4131 6454 to NX 4236

6274, and NX 4525 6342 to NX 4605 6653 AOC Archaeology

Group undertook a walkover survey along the proposed route of

the Barclye to Palnure Pipeline between 10 April–21 June 2007.

The condition and extent of several previously identified sites

was assessed and several new sites were identified and recorded.

These included a previously unidentified cairn at NX 31852

62708 and a cup-marked stone at NX 29533 61314. Several

dry stone structures and farmsteads were identified along the

route of an old military road between NX 37970 64760 and NX

3535 6330. Several earthworks were also identified including a

bank at Nether Barr (NX 41767 63728 to NX 41817 63773)

and a possible industrial earthwork at Bardrochwood (NX 45975

65432). Two milestones, shown on the modern Ordnance

Survey map but not recorded in RCAHMS. were located at NX

33812 62869 and NX 25296 59264 and date to the early

19th century. A bridge pier related to the dismantled Portpatrick

Line was noted at NX 37781 64161. Other features identified

included: a dry stone circular feature at NX 26482 59920 near

Knock Orr; a brick-built structure at NX 38743 64114 near

Hazel Green; two modern grave markers at NX 4020 6475

near Newton Stewart and a fishing pond (possible) at NX 41888

63617 near Nether Barr.

We subsequently undertook an archaeological inspection

after topsoil stripping during the construction of the new water

pipeline. A rubble spread was visible along part of the Shennanton

to Ardachie pipeline corridor. Whinstone filled rubble drains and

a gully drain were recorded on part of the Glenluce to Ladyburn

section.

Archive to be deposited with RCAHMS.

Funder: Scottish Water Solutions

Vicky Oleksy and Alan Hunter Blair - AOC Archaeology Group