Building record MAB20580 - WEST HATTON

Consumption dyke, measuring 3.4m wide and 1.1m high at the north end, of uncoursed medium to large boulders, with large boulders on the top.

Consumption dyke, measuring 3.4m wide and 1.1m high at the north end, of uncoursed medium to large boulders, with large boulders on the top. Unfortunately it is not known exactly when this particular dyke was built. Map evidence is unhelpful in determining when this dyke was built. The 1866-69 and 1901-3 Ordnance Survey maps both show a single field boundary in this location. Consumption Dykes are often conspicuous on the Ordnance Survey maps with their width being shown. This could be a mistake but it may also be that this dyke post dates the 1901 map. Although consumption dykes are not entirely unique to the north east of Scotland they are not found in any substantial numbers elsewhere in the world. They are dykes which result from the very rocky nature of the ground in the north east of Scotland and are associated with the period of agricultural improvements from the 18th century. Part of this movement involved clearing new ground of stones to create new fields. The excessive number of rocks and boulders in Aberdeen made this particularly arduous. The cleared rocks could be put to a number of different uses: if it was economical they could be sold off and shipped elsewhere. Many of the boulders and stones cleared in the north east were made into paving slabs in London. But where there were too many or where the distance to move them to the coast for transportation was too high they were often formed into consumption dykes. These dykes 'consumed' the stones cleared from the land. Technically these dykes may be defined as ones which are broader than they are tall. Historically they have also been known as Aberdeenshire Dykes and Consuming Dykes. They perform two functions: firstly to delineate a field boundary as all dykes do and secondly to use up the excess of stones. In some cases they also perform a third aesthetic function. In certain cases they have paths laid out along the top of them and are very much monuments to the taste of the estate landowner who had them created.

BABTIE GROUP, 2004, ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED STUDY & WALKOVER SURVEY. VOL 1: TEXT, VOL 2 GAZETTEER, Site 99; photo (Bibliographic reference). SAB3745.

Record last edited

Jun 2 2025 2:10PM