Description

The monument comprises a group of later prehistoric settlements which survive as buried archaeological features visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. There are two circular enclosed settlements, both defined by palisades, two rectilinear enclosures, two roundhouses, two pit alignments and other pits. The monument is located on gently sloping farmland at around 15m above sea level. 

On the west side of the monument is an Iron Age rectilinear settlement. Its western side is not visible, but the part that is measures about 27m from north northwest to south southeast by at least 18m transversely within a ditch up to 1.5m broad. To the east of this is a circular ditched settlement, defined by a palisade trench, measuring about 25m in diameter and about 0.5m wide. Inside this settlement is a crescent-shaped cropmark, representing the remains of roundhouse about 10m in diameter. Between these two settlements is a pit alignment which is not visible on aerial imagery but was revealed to be present during excavations. A second palisaded settlement with a double palisade lies around 10m to the north of this. It is not visible on aerial photographs but has been identified through excavation. The excavation revealed that the palisade slots were around 4m apart and that the internal palisade had a diameter of around 14m. An entrance, defined by a pair of post holes, was found on the southeast side. The eastern rectilinear settlement overlaps the northern palisaded settlement and partially overlaps the southern one. This settlement measures 25m north northwest by south south-east by at least 12m transversely; the west side is not visible. A second pit alignment running roughly north-south is also present at this location again known through excavation. Two roundhouses are located around 50m to the east of the main group of settlements. The westernmost measures 11m in diameter within a ditch up to 1m in breadth with a broad gap on the south. The other measures 15m in diameter within a ditch up to 1.5m in breadth. A series of pits immediately north of the ring ditch may represent associated structures.

The scheduled area is rectangular measuring 196m east/west by 55m north/south, centred on NX 11515 57091. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The national importance of the monument is demonstrated in the following way(s) (see Designations Policy and Selection Guidance, Annex 1, para 17):

a.   The monument is of national importance because it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past. The monument is an important indicator of later prehistoric settlement and associated activity in southwest Scotland.

b.   The monument retains physical attributes which make a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past. In particular, this monument contains multiple different forms of prehistoric settlement which appear to have been occupied over an extended period of time.

d.   The monument is a particularly good example of a group of prehistoric settlements located in close proximity and is therefore an important representative of this monument type.

e.   The monument has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding or appreciation of the past and specifically, information about the changing nature of settlement, agriculture, economy and population during later Bronze and Iron Age periods.

f.   The monument makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the historic landscape by providing evidence of settlement patterns, density, and size of individual settlements; landuse and extent of human impact on the local environment over time.

Assessment of Cultural Significance

This statement of national importance has been informed by the following assessment of cultural significance:

Intrinsic characteristics (how the remains of a site or place contribute to our knowledge of the past)

This monument has been recorded as cropmarks on aerial photographs and survives as buried deposits below the ploughsoil. It comprises two circular enclosed settlements, both defined by palisades (a timber fence of closely spaced posts set into a continuous narrow trench), two rectilinear enclosures, two roundhouses and two pit alignments. The rectilinear enclosures the southern palisaded enclosure and the roundhouses are visible on aerial photographs, the other features are known through archaeological excavations (McGregor et al. 1996). This type of settlement is characteristic of the later prehistoric (Late Bronze/ Iron Age) period. The northern palisaded settlement is overlain by one of the rectilinear enclosures which suggests that it is earlier. This indicates that there may be considerable time depth to this site with a  long span of occupation. A scattering of pits, some of which may be contemporary, are also visible on aerial photographs as are later quarries which appear as dark areas adjacent to the southern palisaded settlement.

Cropmarked archaeological monuments often contain features that are not visible in aerial photographs and can have well preserved stratified layers of archaeological deposits. There is therefore potential for the survival of archaeological features and deposits, including occupation and abandonment debris, artefacts and environmental remains such as charcoal or pollen within the settlements, roundhouses, within the ditches of the enclosures and as fills in the various pits close by.

Settlements are the most common monument type that survive from the Bronze Age (c.2400 BC – 800 BC) and Iron Age (c.800 BC -AD 400). The group of settlements here are significant because of the surviving deposits indicated by the cropmarked evidence and the potential for the survival of additional buried features, and also because they form a rare grouping of enclosed settlements of differing type. Study of these monuments together could add to our knowledge of construction techniques and chronology. There is also good potential (as seen in excavated examples) for the survival of a rich assemblage of artefacts such as cattle and sheep bones, plant material such as the grains from oats and barley and pollens associated with an agricultural landscape as well as pottery fragments and tools. Excavations show occupation of this site over an extended period. Taken together these remains can help us understand much more about population, settlement, agriculture and economy in the area during the late Bronze and Iron Age periods.

Contextual characteristics (how a site or place relates to its surroundings and/or to our existing knowledge of the past)

Settlements are the most common monument type dating from the later prehistoric period. However, it is unusual to have a concentration of enclosed and unenclosed settlement of different types within a single location. The monument comprises two types of enclosed settlement and related activity which are found in southwest Scotland during the Late Bronze and Iron Age periods. It is located in an area that is rich in prehistoric settlement remains such as Fox Plantation, prehistoric enclosure (Canmore ID 61230: 190m east), Palisaded enclosure, 1010m SE of Mark Cottage (scheduled monument SM7408, Canmore ID 79040: 230m south) and unenclosed settlement, 1180m SE of Mark (scheduled monument SM7409, Canmore ID 61222: 290m southeast). This is a particularly interesting complex of monuments which demonstrates a sequence of use involving different forms of enclosed settlement, the remains of contemporary activity seen in the pit alignments and groups of dispersed pits as well as much later re-use in the form of quarrying.

The monument is located on gently sloping ground within the fertile basin to the north of Luce Bay at around 15m above sea level. It is likely positioned to take advantage of fertile soils in this area. It is a good representative example of its class and a component of the wider contemporary settlement and agricultural landscapes, occupying low lying ground around Loch Ryan and Luce Bay. It therefore has the potential to help us understand more of the nature, development and the spatial relationships of prehistoric settlement and activity in southwest Scotland.

Associative characteristics (how a site or place relates to people, events, and/or historic and social movements)

There are no known associative characteristics that contribute to the site's national importance.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland http://www.canmore.org.uk reference number CANMORE IDs 79031, 79032, 79033, 79034 and 375324 (accessed on 28/09/2023).

McGregor, G, Donnelly M C, Glendinning B, Johnstone L H and Taylor K (1996). Excavations at Fox Plantation. Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) unpublished data structure report. Glasgow

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments, 1997. Eastern Dumfriesshire: an archaeological landscape. Edinburgh. RCAHMS

Wilson D R (2000). Air Photo Interpretation for Archaeologists. Tempus, Stroud.

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/375324/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/79033/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/79031/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/79034/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/79032/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland