Description

The monument comprises the remains of a hilltop enclosure, with several probable phases of use. The monument was originally scheduled in 1963, but the area covered by the designation was not properly defined. The current rescheduling rectifies this.

The enclosure occupies the summit of Moyle Hill and commands extensive views of the surrounding countryside. The enclosure is defined by a tumbled stone rampart, which skirts the shoulder of the hill. Three possible entrances pierce this rampart, in the S, E and NE. The enclosed summit area is very uneven with abundant natural rock outcrops and traces of a palimpsest of low turf or stone walls. At the SW end of the enclosure, a natural knoll has been fortified with a further rampart which partially overlies that encompassing the hill summit. This apparent "citadel" is similar in form to sites known to date from the early historic period.

The precise date, character and function of this monument is uncertain as it has never been investigated. In its general structure, the main rampart resembles features elsewhere known to be of Iron Age date, but the nature of the enclosed area would be unusual for a conventional Iron Age hillfort. It is likely that the remains on Moyle Hill represent a number of different phases of human activity on the hilltop, possibly spanning the prehistoric, early historic, medieval and early modern periods.

The area to be scheduled is irregular in shape, measuring a maximum of 210m E-W by 330m N-S, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation

Source: Historic Environment Scotland