Earthwork record MAB43726 - BRUCE'S CAMP

Remains of a multivallate hill fort, circa 2.7 ha in extent.

Remains of a multivallate hill fort, circa 2.7 ha in extent. There is a complete but weak rampart of tumbled stones 2.65 m by 0.95 m, with fragmentary remains of a similar rampart outside it. The outer rampart is traceable only on the south and west sides, but the fort has been mutilated by tree clearance and planting. Disturbance of the inner bank has revealed some vitrified granites. There is an entrance to the nnorthwest. Around the inner perimeter are a number of small 'cells' or guard-houses either built into or against the inner face. The fort is traditionally said to have been the encampment of Bruce, prior to the Battle of Old Meldrum. It is now partly under forestry but the northern third is in an open area partially covered with bracken and birch. An evaluation was carried out in 2006 by M. Cook as part of the Kintore Landscape Project. Five trenches were placed across the defences in various locations, and vitrified stone was identified in all of them. Vitrification was most severe at the main entrance and was only found within the core of the rampart. The inner rampart survived up to four courses, circa 1 m high. The gate in the inner rampart was at least 5 m wide. There were some indications of timber lacing at the main entranceway in the east. The outer rampart had been extensively robbed but at the entrance was at least 5 m wide and appeared to consist of an inner and outer face with an earthen fill. No evidence for vitrification was found in the outer rampart. Within the interior of the fort were walls, postholes and pits (including a possible cremation pit) as well as cobbling and one revetted terrace some 11 m long. The excavations of the ramparts and interior of the fort provided two radiocarbon dates from the Iron Age. While the excavation areas were too small to make sense of the remains they probably represented prehistoric settlement. The trenches revealed that the interior had been affected by both rig and furrow and extensive bracken colonisation. The cup-marked stone previously identified by the RCAHMS was cleared of tumbled tree stumps and a small trench dug around its base, and two further cups were identified on its northwest side and a possible third on the west side.

Period Notes
C-14 dates from 2006 excavation: Burnt layer at the ramparts gave 2 dates, SUERC-12306 2280+/-35 BP, calibrated to 410-340 BC and SUERC-12307 2345+/35 BP, calobrated to 540-360 BC (both dates at 2 sigma).

MELDRUM, G, 1959, DEESIDE FIELD 3, 43-4, 43-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1229.

RALSTON, IBM, 1983, BAR 118, 160 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1527.

COOK, M, 2007, DES VOL7, 2006, p.19 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3957.

evaluation

BOGDAN, N, 2008, EARLY CASTLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE (Bibliographic reference). SAB3811.

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL, 2010, A LAD O'PAIRTS: A DAY CONFERENCE IN MEMORY OF IAIN SHEPHERD, pp62-64 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8471.

COOK, M, 2013, OPEN OR ENCLOSED: SETTLEMENT PATTERNS AND HILLFORT CONSTRUCTION IN STRATHDON, 1800BC - AD1000 IN PPS 79, PP327-352 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6619.

Jan 15 1982 , AAS/82/02/S3/14-6, AAS/82/02/S3/14-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB14100.

Jul 18 2000 , AAS/00/07/CT69, AAS/00/07/CT69 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB17433.

Jul 18 2006 , AAS/06/2/CT28-30, AAS/06/2/CT28-30 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19274.

Jul 18 2006 , AAS/06/2/DG154-60, 162-5, AAS/06/2/DG154-60, 162-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18627.

Jun 23 2000 , GR/00/CT, GR/00/CT (Ground Photograph). SAB17434.

Jun 23 2000 , GR/00/CT221 - 232, GR/00/CT221 - 232 (Ground Photograph). SAB36936.

Jun 23 2006 , GR/06/CT41-58, GR/06/CT41-58 (Ground Photograph). SAB19294.

Mar 6 2002 , GR/02/CT61-82, GR/02/CT61-82 (Ground Photograph). SAB17811.

Record last edited

Apr 2 2025 3:30PM