Earthwork record MAB43839 - DURN HILL HILLFORT

Remains of tri-vallate hillfort, suggested in the 1960s to be incomplete although this theory has been contradicted recent (2014) work which shows the fort enclosed by palisades with a short section of rampart and ditch at the entrance.

Remains of tri-vallate hillfort, suggested in the 1960s to be incomplete although this theory has been contradicted recent (2014) work which shows the fort enclosed by palisades with a short section of rampart and ditch at the entrance. The innermost and outermost lines of defence are marked by shallow trenches. The inner trench is circa 0.50 m wide by 0.1 m deep, which can be traced throughout its entire circuit as can the outer line which is a smaller trench. In the southwest angle of the trench is an entrance circa 4 m wide. The medial line of defence, obviously unfinished, consists of a ditch, circa 3 m wide by 0.8 m deep, with an upcast bank 0.6 m high by circa 4 m broad on its outer lip covering the southwest angle. This bank is of gathered stones of the white quartz known as Durn marble. In the centre of this stretch is a causeway. The remainder of this line can be traced round the summit of the hill as a slight scarp except on the northwest segment. A break in the southwest angle of the inner trench can be faintly discerned and is probably the entrance. Within the southwest angle of the fort are vague footings of circular structures, possibly hut-circles. In 2014, University of Aberdeen excavated trenches across the 'marker' ditches. The trenches revealed that the ditches were palisade slots encircling the summit. A trench across the inner line of defence identified charred material within the foundation trench, subsequently radiocarbon dated to the Earlier Iron Age (760-410 cal BC). This work suggests that far from being incomplete, Durn Hill is in fact an 'exceptionally well preserved' hill fort and potentially early in the sequence of such sites. The palisades enclose an area of circa 3.6 ha.

Author unknown, 1884, T BANFF FC, 44-5, 44-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1945.

Aug 9 1977 , AAS/77/11/RD/25-8, AAS/77/11/RD/25-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13745.

Aug 13 1987 , AAS(A)/87/01/S1/11-4, AAS(A)/87/01/S1/11-4 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13747.

Jul 12 2010 , AAS/10/3/DG2002, AAS/10/3/DG2002 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13115.

Jul 18 2000 , AAS/00/10/CT68, AAS/00/10/CT68 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB17432.

Oct 10 1980 , AAS/80/08/S8/10-19, AAS/80/08/S8/10-19 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13746.

Record last edited

Apr 9 2026 11:06AM