Burnswark Hill
Field Boundary(S) (Period Unknown), Scooped Settlement(S) (Iron Age)
Site Name Burnswark Hill
Classification Field Boundary(S) (Period Unknown), Scooped Settlement(S) (Iron Age)
Alternative Name(s) Burnswark, North Settlement
Canmore ID 85702
Site Number NY17NE 2.13
NGR NY 1876 7910
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/85702
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Hoddom
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Annandale And Eskdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
Field Visit (29 March 1994)
NY17NE 2.13 1876 7910
The remains of this unusual settlement, which comprises a series of conjoined enclosures, are situated on the N flank of Burnswark Hill, immediately E of the more northerly Roman temporary camp (NY17NE 2.04). The enclosures are oval or subsquare on plan, measuring up to 28m across within grass-grown banks, and the interiors have been scooped into the natural slope. Two hut-circles are visible within one of the enclosures (at NY 1877 7911), whilst in another (at NY 1876 7909) there is a well-defined circular house-platform.
The settlement is bordered on the N and E by the footings of several stone walls and a number of substantial grass-grown stony banks. One of these banks descends the slope from the settlement to join on to a similar bank, probably the old head-dyke, which underlies the modern wall that currently seperates arable ground from rough pasture at the base of the hill.
Visited by RCAHMS (JRS), 29 March 1994.
Burnswark, North. Listed as settlement (probable).
RCAHMS 1997.