Building record MAB33992 - ATTON

Remains of a township comprising at least 12 sub-rectangular buildings and huts, and enclosures, all linked by a head-dyke.

Remains of a township comprising at least 12 sub-rectangular buildings and huts, and enclosures, all linked by a head-dyke. Recorded by RCAHMS Glen Clova Survey in 1999. The head dyke is now reduced to a grass-grown bank. The buildings range in size from 4.7m to 11m in length and up to 4.2m in breadth within walls reduced to footings. One of the buildings has two compartments and two have outshots. The huts measure from 3.6m to 5.7m in length and up to 2.4m wide within walls reduced to footings. Further recording was carried out by walkover survey in 2021 ahead of proposed woodland creation (NO37SW0151): MM10a (NO3254773182) is a sub rectangular structure of mimed slabs and stones, measuring 7m by 3.2m with a later addition at the northeast end. Linked to this building is MM10b is an irregular ephemeral structure defined by very large stones with smaller stones filling the gaps and measuring 4m by 2m. This structure is also linked to MM10c, a structure with substantial stone walls, measuring circa 6m by 3m internally. MM10d is a subcircular feature built of earthen banks with a stone core. MM10e comprises the footings of a building measuring 7m by circa 3.5m, with substantial earthen banks up to 1m high spread to 1.5m, and an entrance on the southwest side. MM10f is a sub-rectangular building, with substantial stone walls surviving up to 0.9m high at the southeast end, the rest predominantly of two courses. Of two compartments, it measures 11m by 3.2m externally, and has rounded corners, with an entrance on the southwest side. MM10g is a roughly square enclosure, circa 11m by 13m, with low earthen banks less than 0.2m high and circa 0.5m wide. Also a curvilinear earthen bank. MM10h comprises a low earthen bank running north-northeast to south-southwest, possibly part of the same field system as MM10n. MM10i is a low building measuring 6m by 3m, the walls spread to 1m, and with at entrance at the northeast end where there appears to be a slight external enclosing wall. MM10j is a small curvilinear enclosed space 4m across, with banks up to 0.5m high and containing substantial stones. MM10k comprises a sub-rectangular building measuring 7m by 4m, the walls lined by very large stones with gaps filled by turf and smaller stones. It has two compartments but no clear entrance. MM10l is a sub-rectangular drystone building measuring 10m by 4m externally, with two compartments and a curvilinear section at the northwest end. MM10n, upslope from MM10l, is a sub-rectangular building measuring 5m by 3m, excavated into the northeast facing hillside, with rounded corners. MM10n comprises a roughly square enclosure with low earthen banks, measuring circa 15m by 13m. To the southeast (outwith the 2021 survey area) aerial photographic coverage also indicates another building at NO 31592 73135.

MOTT MACDONALD, 2021, GLEN CLOVA WOODLAND CREATION SCHEME: HISTORIC ENVIROMMENT DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT AND WALKOVER SURVEY, Site MM10 (Bibliographic reference). SAB7541.

Record last edited

Jul 11 2022 12:05PM