Earthwork record MAB43099 - BURGHEAD FORT

Multi-phased Fort.

Multi-phased Fort. Once consisted of three ramparts with ditches cutting off headland of Burghead on which lay a bisected, walled enclosure the larger of whose 'courts' on the north-northeast lay at a lower level than the other. All three ramparts are broken by an entrance mid-way. Only mutilated fragments of the fort remain due to general construction of the village. A small stump of the innermost cross rampart survives in the 'Doorie Hill', the upper and lower wards of the fort also survive, the north rampart of the lower being the best preserved. At least 25 to 30 Pictish Class I stones with bulls incised on them were found during the destruction of the fort for the building of the harbour and village. Only six of these stones are known to have survived (see NJ16NW0005). An early to mid 19th century coastguard lookout (NJ16NW0114) stands on the west end of the east-west rampart of the fort. Excavations in 1892 by H. Young cut two sections through the rampart in the upper fort, one at the location of an investigation by the Elgin Literary and Scientific Association some 30 years previously, where Young concluded that the foundation of the rampart had been layers of oak laid on sand. There were some facing stones but the centre was of rolled pebbles. The second trench near the point of the promontory, recorded ruins of freestone and concluded that this section of the rampart had not been robbed for building stone. Young also recorded a paved roadway through the fort. In a small trench in the lower fort Young recorded the foundations stones of buildings. Excavation within the upper fort was carried out by A. Small in 1969, and recorded the inner wall face of the rampart surviving up to 3 m high, of finely dressed and coursed sandstone flags. A watching brief was carried out in 1977 by George Haggarty during digging for a pipeline at the northern extent of the site (NJ 109 692 to NJ 116 690). All the finds from the trench leading to the area suggested late Victorian land reclamation. Archaeological watching briefs carried out in 2000, as part of a research project for The Moray Council and Burghead Headland Trust, during changes to access to houses on the headland and over the emplacement of 6 interpretation boards. These recorded no archaeological features. A single nail, thought to be of recent date, was recovered from the site of Board 2. A programme of archaeological work was undertaken by CFA in 2002 (comprising excavations February and April, and a watching brief on construction works April and July) in advance of proposed construction of an interpretation centre within the coastguard lookout. The work showed that the Lookout had been built on top of extant rampart material with little disturbance of the rampart beneath. The rampart here was stone built of dump construction with no evidence for timber lacing. Sealed below the ramparts were well preserved organic deposits of two old land surfaces separated by windblown sands. A watching brief was carried out by CFA in October 2002 during works to provide an electricity cable trench to the new interpretation centre. It ran on the west side of the garden wall of the coastguard station: no archaeological features or artefacts were uncovered. A project was undertaken in 2003 to identify and date elements of the landward triple rampart system. The total excavation of the garden of 22 Church Street proved negative. In contrast, partial examination of the gardens of The Brae, 35 Grant Street, provided evidence for the cut of one substantial ditch below modern soil build up. Standing walls limited the exposure of the ditch. A narrow trench was also machine cut along the length of the footpath east of the enclosure holding the Burghead Well. Whilst showing undulations in the subsoil, there were no clear surviving signs of a ditch here. However, it was noted that slight traces of two banks and ditches could still be seen on the surface trending obliquely across St Aethan's graveyard. A watching brief in the north part of the village between March and May 2005 during mains renewal, recorded one possible archaeological deposit, a possible extension to the eastern rampart of the fort. A watching brief carried out on works at the visitor centre in 2011 and 2012. No archaeological features or finds were recorded from two structural boreholes adjacent to the Visitor Centre in 2011. The main phase of work in 2012 revealed a small stretch of wall of unknown function, a small section of the rampart wall, and a small amount of animal bone within the collapsed rampart material. The area had been disturbed during construction of the coastguard housing and laying an area previously excavated in 1966. A monitoring of service trenches recorded a deposit of black-grey silt containing some animal and fish bone, and from the same area recovered a possible worked stone, possibly Victorian. The animal bones are most likely post-medieval to modern in date. Geophysical survey was carried out in October 2013 on the upper and lower citadel of the fort, aimed at identifying any features relating to its occupation. The results suggest extensive disturbance of the fort in modern times. A watching brief carried out by S. Farrell in August 2016 on groundworks for creation of three parking bays, recorded no archaeological features or artefacts. Excavations were carried out by Aberdeen University within the upper fort between 2015 and 2017 as part of the Northern Picts project. Eight evaluation trenches in the gardens of the Coastguard Station in 2015 recorded pre 19th century features in only two trenches, comprising a potential floor layer and an animal bone midden. Extension of these trenches in 2016-17 identified almost a metre of deposits in places above the early medieval ground surfaces. These deposits included build up from 19th century landscaping and remnants of post-medieval structures suggesting extensive reworking of the headland in the modern period. Nonetheless a series of buildings and structural evidence were revealed in the sand subsoil below the later soil build-up. Small scale sampling of deposits of the lower and upper citadel ramparts was undertaken by University of Aberdeen in 2018, alongside deposit mapping of the deposits of the lower citadel. Trench 3 identified in situ charred timbers and planks from the upper citadel rampart and trench 1 contained midden deposits abutting the rampart. The excavations also revealed the elaborate nature of the defences with ramparts at least 7-8 m wide m up to 6 m high, and made of quarried sandstone with timber-lacing of plank and beam construction. Further excavation in the upper and lower citadels was carried out by University of Aberdeen in April 2019. This demonstrated that extensive in situ deposits survive. Trench 11 revealed a full section of the seaward rampart, showing the extensive resources required for its construction given the number of horizontal and transverse beams used. Trenches 13, 14 and probably 18 revealed traces of buildings within the ramparts. A watching brief was carried out by S. Farrell in July 2019 during works for extension of existing parking bays on the east side of the coastguard station. No archaeological features or artefacts were identified. The Citadel Project 2020-2022 comprised a programme of research-led excavation and scientific analysis, aimed at mitigating further loss of archaeological deposits through coastal erosion. Two trenches dug in 2022 investigated two areas close to the ramparts, in the lower and upper citadels. Trench 25, Lower Citadel, revealed a number of structures including an oval structure at least 12 m by 6 m defined by an enclosing stone footing and containing two substantial hearths. Finds from this trench included a possible nalbinding needle, two bone pins and a number of iron objects. Trench 26 , Upper Citadel, recorded the seaward rampart surviving to circa 5m in length at the northwest side of the trench, although to the southwest the rampart had been lost to erosion. The wall survived up to 2.6 m high, with a base of two courses of unshaped boulders laid directly on sand, followed by 8-10 courses of quarried sandstone slabs, after which came the first surviving courses of longitudinal timber. The contemporary ground surface in the fort appears to have been well above the base of the rampart. In the interior a metal working area with two hearths. Finds from this trench included fragments of iron sheet metal, iron nails. several lithics which could be strikealights and a possible whetstone.

Period Notes
1560+/-110 (N 327) which equals 244 AD - 662 AD at 2 sigma, 1340+/-105(N 328) which equals 440 AD - 961 AD at 2 sigma,1560+/-115 (N 329) which equals 230 AD - 673 AD at 2 sigma, 1690 +/-40 (UB 2208) which equals 249 AD - 426 AD at 2 sigma, 1085 +/-40 (UB 2083) which equals 885 AD - 1023 AD at 2 sigma.

Bulls print, Bulls print (Ground Photograph). SAB32054.

NOBLE, G, , BURGHEAD: ASSESSING THE UPPER CITADEL OF THE FORT IN RELATION TO COASTAL EROSION AND EVALUATIVE EXCAVATION OF THE INTERIOR, project proposal (Bibliographic reference). SAB3014.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 20/01/97 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , SCOTTISH NOTES AND QUERIES, 10 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1839.

THE SCOTSMAN, 0000, THE SCOTSMAN, 05/03/02 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1819.

STUART, J, 1822, OBSERVATIONS UPON THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS OT THE PROGRESS OF THE ROMAN ARMS IN SCOTLAND IN ARCHAEOLOGICA SCOTIA, 2, PP289-313, pp309-310 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4862.

McDONALD, J, 1861, PSAS 4(1860-1) 321-69, 321-69 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1185.

YOUNG, HW, 1890, THE ANCIENT BATH AT BURGHEAD WITH REMARKS ON ITS ORIGIN. PSAS 24(1890) 147-157, 379 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2132.

YOUNG, HW, 1891, PSAS 25(1890-1) 425-7, 435-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2134.

YOUNG, HW, 1893, PSAS 27(1892-3) 86-91, 86-91 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2135.

CRAWFORD, OGS, 1949, TOPOGRAPHY OF ROMAN SCOTLAND, 124-6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB245.

COTTON, MA, 1954, ARCH JOURNAL III, 56-7,93 (Bibliographic reference). SAB259.

COLES, J. M., 1960, SCOTTISH LATE BRONZE METALWORK; PSAS 101 p.16-134, 79 (Bibliographic reference). SAB234.

FEACHEM, RW, 1963, PREHISTORIC SCOTLAND, 138-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB503.

SMALL, AS, 1966, DES,34, 34 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1838.

YAMASUKI, F, 1968, RADIOCARBON 10,333-45, 333-45 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2133.

MACKIE, E, 1969, ANTIQUITY 43,15-26, 169,17,24 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1186.

SMALL, AS, 1969, SCOTTISH ARCH FORUM 1,61-68, 61-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1793.

HOGG, AHA, 1976, HILLFORTS (Bibliographic reference). SAB728.

RALSTON, IBM, 1976, NOTES ON SMALL'S SECTION, TYPESCRIPT (Bibliographic reference). SAB1551.

Author unknown, 1977, RESCUE NEWS,SPRING, 1,7-10 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1550.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 1978, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, 1977, p.24 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5573.

EDWARDS, KJ, 1978, PSAS 109(1977-78) 202-210, 202-210 (Bibliographic reference). SAB442.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1979, EARLY GRAMPIAN, ILL (Bibliographic reference). SAB1636.

RALSTON, IBM, 1983, BAR 118, 162 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1527.

KEILLAR, I, 1986, POPULAR ARCHAEOLOGY,VOL 7,2-9, No3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB963.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1988, THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY SUMMER CONFERENCE 1988: ABERDEEN AND NORTH EAST SCOTLAND, 27 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1744.

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1993, THE PICTS IN MORAY. IN SELLAR, W.D.H. MORAY: PROVINCE AND PEOPLE (Bibliographic reference). SAB1731.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 142 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

CFA ARCHAEOLOGY, 2000, BURGHEAD HEADLAND PROJECT DESIGN ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION AND SITE WORKS (Bibliographic reference). SAB8029.

ALEXANDER, D., 2001, BURGHEAD HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION (Bibliographic reference). SAB2190.

CFA ARCHAEOLOGY, 2002, BURGHEAD FORT, MORAY: ELECTRICITY CABLE TRENCH - ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB8028.

JOHNSON, M., 2002, BURGHEAD FORT: EXCAVATIONS, COASTGUARD LOOKOUT (Bibliographic reference). SAB913.

EXCAVATION

JOHNSON, M, 2002, BURGHEAD FORT: EXCAVATIONS, COASTGUARD LOOKOUT (2) (Bibliographic reference). SAB914.

EXCAVATION

RALSTON, I, 2005, DES VOL5, 2004, p.86 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3045.

FARRELL, S, 2006, DES VOL 6, 2005, BURGHEAD WATER MAINS, P. 94, p.94 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2520.

RALSTON, I. B. M., 2006, EXCAVATIONS WITHIN BURGHEAD FORT, SEP 2003 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1606.

Interim report

FARRELL, S, 2012, NTERIM REPORT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF OF WORKS AT BURGHEAD VISITOR CENTRE, BURGHEAD, MORAY, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB2531.

NOBLE, G, 2013, BETWEEN PREHISTORY AND HISTORY: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DETECTION OF SOCIAL CHANGE AMONG THE PICTS. IN ANTIQUITY, 87, NO.338, 1136-50, Antiq, 87, 1136-50 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1336.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2013, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 13, 2012, p.122 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5487.

FARRELL, S, 2013, FINAL REPORT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF OF WORKS AT BURGHEAD VISITOR CENTRE, BURGHEAD, MORAY, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB2546.

FARRELL, S, 2016, REPORT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF OF WORKS AT BURGHEAD FORT, BURGHEAD, MORAY, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB4099.

NOBLE, G, 2018, BURGHEAD 2018: DATING THE ENCLOSING ELEMENTS AND CHARACTERIZING THE SURVIVAL AND USE OF THE LOWER CITADEL: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB3007.

CLERK, C, 2019, BURGHEAD, MORAY: A HISTORY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL THOUGHT (Bibliographic reference). SAB8242.

NOBLE, G, 2019, EXCAVATIONS AT BURGHEAD: ASSESSING THE UPPER CITADEL IN RELATION TO COASTAL EROSION AND EVALUATIVE EXC OF THE INTERIOR: DSR, Exc report (Bibliographic reference). SAB3011.

FARRELL, S, 2019, REPORT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF OF WORKS AT BURGHEAD FORT, BURGHEAD, MORAY, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB4159.

NOBLE, G, 2022, THE CITADEL PROJECT: INVESTIGATIONS AT BURGHEAD 2022: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB3035.

Apr 1 2002 , AAS/GR/02/CT01-06, AAS/GR/02/CT01-06 (Ground Photograph). SAB33166.

Aug 1 1946 , 5 R, 5 R (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30171.

Aug 2 2004 , AAS-GR-04-08-001 - 005, AAS-GR-04-08-001 - 005 (Ground Photograph). SAB35724.

Feb 1 2002 , AAS/GR/02/CT44-47, AAS/GR/02/CT44-47 (Ground Photograph). SAB33167.

Jan 1 1966 , AAS/GR/66/CT1-9, AAS/GR/66/CT1-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB32422.

Jan 1 1976 , AAS/GR/76/CT209-241, AAS/GR/76/CT209-241 (Ground Photograph). SAB32461.

Jan 1 1976 , AK 3-33, AK 3-33 (Ground Photograph). SAB33268.

Jan 1 1977 , AAS/GR/77/CT153-172, AAS/GR/77/CT153-172 (Ground Photograph). SAB32513.

Jan 1 1982 , AAS/GR/82/CT64,68,72, AAS/GR/82/CT64,68,72 (Ground Photograph). SAB33201.

Jan 1 1986 , AAS/GR/86/CT284-287, AAS/GR/86/CT284-287 (Ground Photograph). SAB32691.

Jan 1 1995 , AAS/GR/95/CT88, AAS/GR/95/CT88 (Ground Photograph). SAB32948.

Jan 1 1998 , AAS/GR/98/CT446-455, AAS/GR/98/CT446-455 (Ground Photograph). SAB33121.

Jul 5 1989 , AAS/89/03/CT17-18,20-21, AAS/89/03/CT17-18,20-21 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB32143.

Jul 5 1989 , AAS/89/03/CT46-8,52-3, AAS/89/03/CT46-8,52-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31639.

Jul 5 1989 , AAS/89/03/CT55,58-9,64-6, AAS/89/03/CT55,58-9,64-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB32059.

Jul 25 1964 , AKG 82, AKG 82 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30179.

Jul 28 1945 , D 81, D 81 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30174.

Jun 1 1977 , AAS/77/11/SQ/6-10, AAS/77/11/SQ/6-10 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30182.

Jun 1 1977 , MO 1449, MO 1449 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30183.

Jun 1 1997 , AAS/GR/97/CT348-354, AAS/GR/97/CT348-354 (Ground Photograph). SAB33051.

Jun 18 1983 , AAS/83/03/S1/6, AAS/83/03/S1/6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30180.

Jun 18 1983 , Untitled Source (Ground Photograph). SAB30181.

Jun 18 1983 , Untitled Source (Ground Photograph). SAB30184.

Mar 8 1989 , IQ 20-23, IQ 20-23 (Ground Photograph). SAB33644.

Mar 10 2005 , DSCN0754 - 0775, DSCN0754 - 0775 (Ground Photograph). SAB34881.

Author unknown, n.d., TIMES, 20/12/76 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1926.

Oct 9 1997 , AAS/97/12/CT227,233, AAS/97/12/CT227,233 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31365.

Oct 9 1997 , AAS/97/12/G27/12, AAS/97/12/G27/12 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31364.

Sep 27 2004 , DG594-8, DG594-8 (Ground Photograph). SAB30755.

Record last edited

Jun 9 2025 12:07PM