Description

The monument comprises the remains of Druchtag Mote Hill, a medieval earthwork castle, surviving as a well-preserved earthwork, in the care of Historic Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. It is located by the side of the unclassified road from Mochrum to Barrachan in the South Machars of Galloway. The reason for this rescheduling is that no adequate documentation can be traced from the time of the original scheduling in 1921.

Druchtag is one of a fairly large number of earthwork castles erected by vassals of the Lords of Galloway sometime in the 12th or early 13th century. Druchtag is a well-preserved motte, of classic truncated cone form, built on the top of a shallow ridge. The mound, which has a 22m diameter flat top, stands 6.5m high and is surrounded by a partially silted ditch 10m wide and now of 2m maximum depth. A modern field wall and hedge now follows the top edge of the ditch for most of its perimeter. On the west side the ground falls steeply away, and the ditch here is now only represented by a 3m wide terrace. The level top has a stony content and although there are a number of minor depressions, suggestive of antiquarian excavation, no traces of any structures are evident. There are no upstanding remains of an approach, or of a bailey. The monument has no documented history. It came into state care in 1931.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described, together with an area within which associated remains are likely to survive. The subcircular area proposed for scheduling is larger than that of the property in the care of Historic Scotland, and measures a maximum of 78m E-W by 80m N-S, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as the well-preserved remains of a medieval earthwork castle. It has the potential to inform an understanding of the introduction of castellated architecture to Galloway during the period of the Europeanisation of lordly land holding systems. Moreover it has the potential to provide important information about defensive and domestic architecture, within the context of its function as a centre of lordly power and local administration. The national importance of the monument is further underlined by its status as a property in the care of Historic Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NX34NW5.

References:

MacKie E W 1975, SCOTLAND: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL GUIDE: FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE TWELFTH CENTURY, London, 63.

Piggott S and Simpson W D 1970, ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO ANCIENT MONUMENTS, Vol. 6, Scotland, Edinburgh, 104, 6th edit.

RCAHMS 1912, FOURTH REPORT AND INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS IN GALLOWAY, 1, COUNTY OF WIGTOWN, Edinburgh, HMSO, 78-9, No. 200.

Radford C A R 1951, ?Castle Loch, Mochrum?, TRANS DUMFRIESSHIRE GALLOWAY NATUR HIST ANTIQ SOC, 3rd, 28, 1949-50, 51.

Stell G P 1986, EXPLORING SCOTLAND'S HERITAGE: DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY, Exploring Scotland's heritage series, Edinburgh, 114, No. 43.

Stell G 1996, EXPLORING SCOTLAND'S HERITAGE: DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY, Exploring Scotland's heritage Series, Edinburgh, 124-5, 2nd ed.
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Druchtag Motte
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Source: Historic Environment Scotland