Description

The monument comprises an unenclosed settlement of prehistoric date, visible as a series of cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs.

The monument lies in arable farmland on the slopes of Coin Hill. It comprises at least four ring-ditch houses, defined by circular ditches measuring up to 22m in internal diameter. At least two of these have dark cropmarks within their interiors, in one case a disc some 13m in diameter and in another a crescent-shaped cropmark, indicating the survival of internal deposits.

At least one of the ring-ditches has a curving cropmark extending from the interior out through a broad gap in the ditch, which measures about 10m in length and represents a souterrain; a type of semi-subterranean structure associated with later prehistoric settlement in the lowlands of eastern Scotland.

There are a number of other cropmarks in the same field, consisting of pits, lengths of ditch, and less well-defined markings indicating the remains of associated structures. Taken together, these features represent the remains of a substantial later prehistoric settlement.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 290m between its N- and S-most points and 310m between its E- and W-most points, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric settlement and economy.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 13 NE 56.

Aerial Photographs used:

RCAHMS (1984) A64818 NO13NE56.

RCAHMS (1990) B44116 NO13NE56.

RCAHMS (1990) B44114 NO13NE56.

RCAHMS (1992) B79609 NO13NE56.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland