Description

The monument is situated in a clearing in the Deil's Jingle forest. It is an enclosed settlement of the Iron Age, one of a series of such sites in Eskdale. It is subcircular, measuring 49m E-W and 40m N-S internally. It is surrounded by a bank some 4.6m broad and up to 1.2m high, and an external ditch 4m broad and 1m deep. An entrance, marked by a gap in the bank and a causeway in the ditch, lies at the SW. The Deil's Jingle earthwork joins the enclosure at the north and leaves it again at the south-east. Though there are surface traces it is probably that the remnants of houses survive in the interior. An area 85m in diameter is proposed for scheduling.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is nationally important to the themes of Iron Age settlement, defence and economy. Further, this monument, the other enclosures of the period and the fort at Castle O'er are all linked by an extensive earthwork system. This monument seems to be one part of a complex system of land division and use operated from a centre at the fort and from subcentres, such as this monument. The study of the monuments and earthworks together would considerably increase our understanding of the organisation of the Iron Age farming system and the social and economic structures within which it operated.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS record the site as NY29SE 4.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland