Description

The monument is an enclosed prehistoric settlement, or fort, dating from the Bronze Age (2200-800BC) to Iron Age (800BC-400AD). It is D-shaped in plan with three lines of defence defined by ditches. These appear as broad dark lines visible as cropmarks on oblique aerial photographs. The fort occupies higher ground above the Machany Water.

The enclosed settlement, or fort, measures 102m northwest-southeast and 64m east-west with two concentric ditches to the west and one to the southeast. The outermost ditch is 118m long with a central gap 5m wide. The second ditch is 105m long with a central gap 3m wide. Together these gaps form the main entrance. Both ditches are a maximum 7.5m wide. The ditch to the southeast is 37m long by a maximum of 4.5m wide with a possible central entrance 2m wide.

The scheduled area is irregular. 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. The above ground elements of all current post and wire fencing are specifically excluded.

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 of the past as a fort dating from the Bronze Age to Iron Age. It adds to our understanding of prehistoric society in Earn Valley and eastern Scotland more widely and the function, use and development of forts and other enclosed settlements at this time.

b.  The monument retains structural and other physical attributes which make a significant contribution to our understanding of the past. The plan of the monument is clear and understandable through the cropmark evidence and excavation has shown that there are buried archaeological deposits survive in situ The monument can significantly add to our understanding of domestic settlement, agriculture and economy during the Bronze and Iron Age.

d.  The monument is a particularly good example of a D-shaped fort with multiple lines of defence dating from the Bronze Age to Iron Age. It is therefore an important representative of this monument type.

e.  The monument has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding of the past. Its enclosure ditches have provided material for radiocarbon dating. The dates obtained can be compared with similar monuments, contributing to a better understanding of the chronological development of settlement during this period of Scottish prehistory. Additionally, environmental material surviving within these buried features, could also provide information on diet, agricultural practice and local ecology.

f.  The monument makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the prehistoric landscape by providing evidence of settlement patterns; distribution and size of individual settlements; land use and the 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 oblique aerial photographs and survives as buried deposits below the ploughsoil. The monument is an enclosed prehistoric settlement, or fort, dating from the Bronze Age (2200-800BC) to Iron Age (800BC-400AD). It is D-shaped in plan with three lines of defence defined by ditches; two concentric to the west and one to the southeast. There is an entrance to the west and a possible entrance to the southeast. D-shaped forts often incorporate the landscape into their defences, backing onto breaks of slope, escarpments and/or drops to water courses.

Excavations at this monument have defined the character of the inner enclosure; identified internal features and provided radiocarbon dates. The inner ditch was found to be 2m wide and 4m deep with steep sides. Post holes were identified along the inner edge of this ditch. Though not excavated, initial cleaning of the outer ditch surface also revealed post holes suggesting both ditches were combined with a wooden palisade or fence. The ditches may also have been associated with earth banks. In the top fill of the inner ditch a square platform of flat stones was uncovered from which a charcoal sample was taken for radiocarbon dating from which a date of around 1220-1380BC was returned. The excavations did not, however, conclude what the purpose of this structure was. Excavations inside the fort identified multiple features including the remains of a possible round house and a burnt timber post, radiocarbon dated to around 200-300BC (Barclay and Tolan, 1990). Together these dates appear to suggest a Bronze Age origin with later Iron Age use or re-use.

Excavations of a similar monument, Dun Knock (scheduled monument SM9434) in Dunning, Perth and Kinross, have also shown prolonged periods of occupation or reoccupation. Finds included pottery, metal working debris including a crucible and stone tools, an oil shale bangle and saddle querns (Poller 2008, 2015). Further afield excavations at the later Iron Age fort, Whittinghame Tower, enclosure 250m SW of (scheduled monument SM6067), East Lothian have provided evidence of crops such as hulled barley, oats, emmer wheat and artefacts such as a copper and blue enamel stud, stone tools, decorated stone, a saddle quern and pottery (Haselgrove et al. 2009).

The monument retains structural and physical attributes such as well-preserved archaeological features and stratified layers of archaeological deposits, that can significantly add to our understanding of domestic settlement, agriculture and economy during the Bronze and Iron Age. There is good potential for the survival of occupation and abandonment debris, artefacts and environmental remains such as charcoal or pollen. This monument has the potential to add to our understanding of settlement, land-use and environment, diet, and social status of the occupants, as well as the structure of contemporary society and economy. It has the potential to provide information about the function and date of the features and their relationship to each other. Study of the monument's form and construction techniques compared with other enclosures would also enhance our understanding of the development sequence of this site.

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

The monument is sits within a meander of the Machany Water, enclosing an area of flat ground with an escarpment to the east. The steep drop and surrounding burn would have provided the fort with ample natural defences. There is a clear view over flat land to the north and two earlier monuments: North Mains Strathallan, barrow (Canmore ID 26005) to the north-northwest and North Mains, Strathallan, henge (Canmore ID 26006) 408m to the north and beyond them to the River Earn. Whilst these are not contemporary, they may have been prominent landmarks in the past.

Forts and enclosed settlements are found throughout Scotland, however, this monument is a particularly good example of a D-shaped fort. In Perth and Kinross there are five other scheduled examples of prehistoric D-shaped forts. Fort, 80m SE of 65 Lumsden Crescent, Almondbank (scheduled monument SM2641); Cecilmount, fort 250m SSW of (scheduled monument SM7584); Logierait, fort, souterrains, roundhouses, pits and enclosure (scheduled monument SM9525); Thorn, fort 70m NE of (scheduled monument SM9367) and Craigmill Cottage, fort 230m SSE of, (scheduled monument SM7731) which lies just 1.6km to the northeast on the River Earn and, if contemporary, may have been visible from this monument.

There is potential to study these sites together to better understand their functions within the local communities, settlement hierarchy and possible chronological development in the area. The monument has the potential to enhance and broaden our understanding of prehistoric society and community as well as social organisation, land division and land use.

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 ID 26000 (accessed on 09/02/2021).

Local Authority HER/SMR Reference MPK1353 (accessed on 09/02/2021) [Available at: http://www.pkht.org.uk/resources/her/].

Barclay, G.B and Tolan, M. (1990) Trial excavation of a terrace-edge enclosure at North Mains, Strathallan, Perthshire. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 120, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh, pp.45-53. (accessed on 09/02/2021) [Available at: http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/psas/issue/view/252].

Haselgrove et al. (2009) The Traprain Law Environs Project, Fieldwork and Excavations 2000-2004. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Poller, T. (2008) Dunknock Hillfort Excavations 2008. Data Structure Report: University of Glasgow (accessed on 23/03/2021) [Available at: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/research/archaeologyresearch/currentresearch/serf/reportarchive/].

Poller, T. (2015b) Dun Knock Excavations 2015 Unpublished SERF Report: University of Glasgow (accessed on 23/03/2021) [Available at: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/research/archaeologyresearch/currentresearch/serf/reportarchive/].

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/26000/

HER/SMR Reference

MPK1353
http://www.pkht.org.uk/resources/her/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland