Description

The monument comprises a fort or defended settlement of the Iron Age and a farmstead and cultivation remains of the pre-improvement period. The wall of the fort is much spread, and although it may have been robbed it is likely that it was never of any great size. The fort is pear-shaped and has an entrance on the SSE. There is an outer rampart on the NE, S and SW; on the E it has been removed by a later enclosure. There are no visible features in the interior but remains of houses and other structures will survive below the topsoil.

The fort is about 2000 years old. To the E lies the second part of the monument, a farmstead of the pre-improvement period some 200 to 500 years old. A rectangular house stance lies on the E side of a circular enclosure 23m in diameter defined by a low stony bank. An irregular shaped enclosure 12m to the NW overlies the defences of the fort. The two enclosures are linked by walls, forming a third, four sided enclosure between them. There are clear traces of rig-and-furrow cultivation to the E and to the W. As the complete field system does not survive, only a sample of these remains is proposed for scheduling. An area measuring 200m NW-SE by 135m transversely is proposed for scheduling, to include the fort, the farmstead and some of the rig and furrow.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is well preserved. An upstanding Iron Age hillfort or defended settlement is rare in this part of Scotland; the majority of the surviving examples have been ploughed flat or destroyed. This example is therefore of particular interest. It is of national importance to the themes of Iron Age settlement and defence. The pre-improvement farmstead is also well preserve and is of particular interest because part of its field system survives. Important information on the way of life and system of agriculture of the inhabitants before the agricultural improvements will survive on the site.

It is of national importance to the theme of pre-improvement settlement and agriculture. Taken with the three other sites of the period which survive to the S and SW, it is of national importance to the theme of the organisation of the landscape before the period of agricultural improvements. It is of particular interest because it is of a different form to the other sites; comparison would be valuable.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NT 86 NE 4.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland