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Latitude: 55.9577 / 55°57'27"N
Longitude: -2.523 / 2°31'22"W
OS Eastings: 367441
OS Northings: 673981
OS Grid: NT674739
Mapcode National: GBR ND4Z.0VY
Mapcode Global: WH8W6.6JT2
Entry Name: Bell Craig,promontory fort,Spott
Scheduled Date: 15 October 1993
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM5768
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill and promontory fort)
Location: Spott
County: East Lothian
Electoral Ward: Dunbar and East Linton
Traditional County: East Lothian
The monument comprises the remains of a promontory fort of
prehistoric date represented by cropmarks visible on oblique aerial photographs.
The monument occupies a steep-sided inland promontory formed by the junction of two dry stream beds, at around 150m OD. The fort is defined by three parallel ditches which seal off the landward approach to the promontory from the W. The outermost ditch is fairly faint and appears to be approximately 3m wide. Some 15-20m from this is a second ditch some 6m wide. The innermost ditch is also some 6m
wide and lies approximately 10m beyond the second ditch.
The enclosed area of the fort is fairly level and is bisected by the edge of an arable field in such a way that the area immediately behind the defences lies under arable, while the remainder is rough, unploughed ground. The enclosed area measures approximately 60m N-S by 50m.
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 180m NW-SE by 110m as marked in red on the accompanying map.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance because of its potential to add to our understanding of prehistoric defensive settlement in the prehistoric period. The unploughed area of the interior may be expected to provide unusually detailed evidence for the occupation of this type of monument.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as NT 67 SE 14.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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