Ancient Monuments

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Sixpence Strip,enclosure south east of

A Scheduled Monument in Haddington and Lammermuir, East Lothian

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.9958 / 55°59'44"N

Longitude: -2.7988 / 2°47'55"W

OS Eastings: 350270

OS Northings: 678376

OS Grid: NT502783

Mapcode National: GBR 2R.V74R

Mapcode Global: WH7TQ.ZKDF

Entry Name: Sixpence Strip,enclosure SE of

Scheduled Date: 1 November 1993

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM5823

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: enclosure (domestic or defensive)

Location: Athelstaneford

County: East Lothian

Electoral Ward: Haddington and Lammermuir

Traditional County: East Lothian

Description

The monument comprises the remains of an enclosed settlement of prehistoric date represented by cropmarks visible on oblique aerial photographs.

The monument occupies an area of level farmland at around 45m OD on the periphery of the rich prehistoric landscape centred on the Chesters fort some 300m to the E. The enclosure is defined by a broad penannular ditch some 4m wide and is some 60m in overall diameter. A break in the ditch on the W part of the circuit appears to represent the remains of an entrance some 7m wide. Concentric with this outer ditch is an inner palisade set some 4m back from the inner lip of the ditch.

This appears to have a much narrower entrance gap adjacent to that of the outer ditch. Its regularity of spacing from the outer ditch suggests that the two form components of a contemporary enclosure system. In the N part of the inner enclosure lies a dense circular cropmark which appears to represent the remains of an internal building some 8-10m in diameter. Other less well-defined cropmarks within the interior may represent the remains of associated occupation deposits.

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 130m E-W by 100m as marked in red on the accompanying map. The modern fence running through the site is excluded from scheduling.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to our understanding of prehistoric house and enclosure construction. The visible cropmarks suggest that the structures will be sufficiently well-preserved to permit the definition of detailed constructional methods as well as the recovery of material relating to the nature of the occupation and site economy. The significance of the monument is enhanced by its association with the extensive prehistoric landscape centred on the Chesters forts.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NT 57 NW 30.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Other nearby scheduled monuments

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