Building record MAB39453 - BANNOCK HILL

Remains of farmstead comprising two buildings set 108m apart (second at NO6033 7583) within an area which contains about 21 stone clearance heaps and two areas of rig and furrow.

Remains of farmstead comprising two buildings set 108m apart (second at NO6033 7583) within an area which contains about 21 stone clearance heaps and two areas of rig and furrow. The rigs are orientated, respectively, southeast to northwest and northeast to southwest. The ridges are low and relatively broad, 4m wide by 0.1m high. The clearance cairns occur both amongst the rig and furrow remnants and beyond. They are substantial features, typically 3.5m wide by 0.4m high, with large stone protruding. Of the structures, one is situated on a small terrace and lies on an east-west basis. It measures 20m long by 5m wide, within low, heather-clad earth banks, 0.3m high and spreading to 2m wide. The building is rounded on plan at both ends and is wider at the west end, tapering gradually to south. The floor is slightly dished or concave in this wider half of the building. There is a slight external ditch, probably drainage, to the west and north sides. The dimensions, tapering plan, rounded ends and dished floor area of this structure are considered to be typical features of a Pitcarmick-type building. Both structures are poorly defined and cannot be easily identified. Slight remains of two dykes, 1m wide by 0.15m high were also traced though identification of these is tentative. Nothing appears on the OS 1st or 2nd edition maps. Field survey was undertaken in 2016 ahead of proposed wind farm The site was visited during rapid walkover carried out by D Hall in March 2021 ahead of proposed woodland creation scheme. The Pitcarmick-type building at NO 60328 75823 sits in the lee of the steeper slope of the southwest facing slope of Bannock Hill, and there is the suggestion that a terrace has been cut into the slope to allow for the siting of this building. It is defined by low banks 0.40 m high and 3.2 m wide and is 21.6 m long and 5.6 m wide. The most visible area of cultivation rig is covered by heavy heather growth and lies to the south of the building, where visible it is 0.20 m high and 2.10 m wide and runs on a north-south alignment. The second Pitcarmick-type building lies 118 m to the southwest (at NO 60234 75819) and is built on a visible slightly elevated piece of ground. It is defined by banks 0.40 m high and 2 m wide and is 18.4 m long and 3.2 m wide. The interior of the building is slightly scooped to a depth of 0.40 m. Six clearance cairns are visible to the north and south of this building in areas that have been burnt or that have less heather growth: they stand up to 0.40 m high with a maximum diameter of up to 1 m. Given the deep heather growth at the time of survey it was not possible to identify any further surviving cairns recorded in the previous survey of 1994.

O'SULLIVAN, J, 1994, DES ; MATTHEW'S TOP, FORESTRY SURVEY, 28 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1377.

FARMSTEAD

O'SULLIVAN, J, 1994, FORESTRY SURVEY: MATTHEW'S TOP, KINCARDINE AND DEESIDE DISTRICT, 12-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1371.

HALL, D, 2021, RAPID WALKOVER SURVEY, FASQUE ESTATE, Walkover report (Bibliographic reference). SAB5954.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2022, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 22 (2021), p.14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8314.

RCAHMS, n.d., S KINC LIST, No252 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1512.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 2:21PM