Description

The monument comprises the remains of a ring-ditch house and pit alignments of prehistoric date represented by cropmarks visible on oblique aerial photographs.

The monument occupies a NE-facing slope from approximately 50-90m OD. The ring ditch lies at around 75m OD on the NW part of the area. It has a diameter of approximately 12-15m and is defined by a ditch some 2-3m wide with no evidence for an entrance break. Some 40m W of the ring ditch is the N end of a N-S running pit alignment which runs across and up the slope to the S. This is made up of substantial pits

up to 3m in diameter.

Abutting on the E is a second pit alignment which runs E-W sharply downslope. This passes within approximately 30m of the ring-ditch to its N. The alignment runs for a distance of at least 400m, possibly branching into two at its E end. The site forms part of a much larger buried prehistoric landscape of settlement and field systems focussed on The Chesters fort which lies 200m to the NW.

The area to be scheduled encompasses the visible features and an area around them in which traces of associated activity may be expected to survive. It is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 510m ENE-WSW by 260m as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to add to our understanding of prehistoric domestic activity and agricultural practice. The ring ditch may be expected to contain evidence relating to domestic organisation and house construction while the pit alignments form parts of a system of landscape division which provides a rare insight into prehistoric farming practice. The significance of the site is greatly enhanced by its association with the wider prehistoric landscape centred on The Chesters fort.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NT 57 NW 46, 48, and 50.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland