Description

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

The monument lies in arable farmland at around 60m OD. Two ring ditch houses lie on the E part of the site, each measuring about 10m-15m in diameter. Ring ditches such as these have been shown by excavation to represent the remains of former timber roundhouses of later prehistoric date. To the NW of these is a souterrain measuring about 10m in length by 2m wide. Souterrains were semi-underground cellars attached to above ground settlements during the Iron Age. They are generally thought to have been used for storage.

Some 30m to the W of the souterrain are a number of roughly circular dark cropmarks, probably the remains of further ring ditch houses, again measuring up to about 10m-15m in diameter. In addition to these features are numerous other, less well-defined cropmarks indicating the former presence of a dense and extensive prehistoric settlement.

The area to be scheduled encompasses the cropmarks and an area around them in which traces of associated activity may be expected to survive. It is irregular in plan with maximum dimensions of 230m WNW-ESE by 90m 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 contribute to our understanding of prehistoric settlement and economy.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NO 53 NW 26.

Aerial Photographs used:

1. RCAHMS (1983) AN/6729 NO53NW26.

2. RCAHMS (1983) AN/6731 NO53NW26.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland