Description

The monument comprises a fort of prehistoric date, visible as cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs.

The monument lies in pasture, on a terrace edge overlooking the River Tay, between 70-90m O.D. It is bounded to the N, W and SW by trees, which obscure the course of the works in these areas. The monument is defined by at least three distinct phases of enclosure; the outermost works enclosing an area measuring at least 110m NW-SE by 80m transversely.

These works, which form the eastern and south-eastern circumference of the fort, comprise a pair of broad parallel ditches measuring c. 3-4m wide and about 8m apart. Within the SE circuit of the fort, three entrance breaks are visible in the inner ditch, while the outer ditch appears to terminate some 30m to the S of the northern field boundary.

Set a few metres inside the inner ditch of the outer works are a pair of parallel palisade trenches, c. 5-7m apart. These trenches run concentrically to the outer ditches and at least one entrance-break through the twin palisades matches that of the outer work, suggesting some degree of contemporaneity between both sets of enclosures. A third palisade trench appears to be present within the interior.

A further two broad ditches, c. 5m wide and set c. 8-10m apart, are present as discontinuous segments orientated NNE-SSW within the area defined by the palisades and outer ditches. The relationship between these ditches and the palisade enclosure and outer works is unclear on the basis of aerial photography.

Forts of this type are characteristic of the late Bronze Age and Iron Age and date to the first millennium BC.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is irregular in shape, measuring 180m NW-SE by 150m transversely, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to an understanding of prehistoric defended settlement and economy. Its importance is increased by its proximity to other monuments of potentially contemporary date.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NN 95 SW 66.

Aerial photographs used:

RCAHMS (1995) C55053 NN95SW 66.

RCAHMS (1995) C55054 NN95SW 66.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland