Earthwork record MAB43958 - HILL OF CHRIST'S KIRK
Please read our guidance about the use of Aberdeenshire Historic Environment Record data.
Summary
Remains of unfinished fort.
Protected Status/Designation
- Scheduled Monument 11394: Hill of Christ's Kirk fort
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 6017 2743 (171m by 149m) Centred at - Polygon: Unknown Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ62NW |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Kennethmont |
Type and Period (5)
- RIDGE AND FURROW (Late Upper Palaeolithic to Medieval - 40000 BC to 1560 AD)
- FORT (Late Upper Palaeolithic to Medieval - 40000 BC to 1560 AD)
- DITCH (Late Upper Palaeolithic to Medieval - 40000 BC to 1560 AD)
- HOMESTEAD? (Late Upper Palaeolithic to Medieval - 40000 BC to 1560 AD)
- Rig And Furrow (Late Upper Palaeolithic to Medieval - 40000 BC to 1560 AD)
Full Description
Remains of unfinished fort. Sub-circular, well-defined ditch enclosing the hilltop with a gap in the west probably denoting an entrance. It is in turn surrounded by the scant remains of two oval marker trenches circa 10 m apart, with the remains of another outside these apparent in the west only. It may be that the innermost trench is of a different period than the other works because of its shape and much sharper definition. It possibly represents a palisade-homestead which was about to be succeeded by a fort. An area of rig and furrow lies across part of the outer trenches. An excavation was carried out in 2017 by Gordon Noble and Oskar Sveinbjarnarson as part of the Northern Pict project. Four trenches were excavated, one on the interior and three across the three lines of palisade. A possible floor layer of a building and a small pit or posthole were identified in the interior trench. The three palisade trenches identified palisade cuts and stone packing.
RCM, 1963, STIRLING I XXV, LIST, STIRLING 1 XXV, LIST (Bibliographic reference). SAB1552.
NOBLE, G, 2017, NORTHERN PICTS: RHYNIE ENVIRONS (Bibliographic reference). SAB3005.
ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2018, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, VOLUME 18, 2017, p.20 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6463.
Aug 22 1978 , AAS/78/9/CT3,9,15,20-1, AAS/78/9/CT3,9,15,20-1 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18804.
Aug 23 1990 , KO 19, KO 19 (Ground Photograph). SAB33827.
Feb 16 1990 , AAS/90/02/S6/3-6, AAS/90/02/S6/3-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13803.
Feb 16 1994 , AAS/94/04/G8/1-7, AAS/94/04/G8/1-7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15004.
Jan 1 1978 , CNB 1, CNB 1 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB33483.
Jan 24 2000 , AAS/00/02/CT30-1, AAS/00/02/CT30-1 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12467.
Jan 24 2000 , AAS/00/02/G3/1-2, AAS/00/02/G3/1-2 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12242.
Jul 1 1994 , AAS/94/11/G22/1-7, AAS/94/11/G22/1-7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15511.
Jul 8 1988 , AAS/88/04/CT15-16,21,24, AAS/88/04/CT15-16,21,24 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19807.
Jul 8 1988 , AAS/88/04/CT28-30,42,45, AAS/88/04/CT28-30,42,45 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19905.
Jul 8 1988 , AAS/88/04/S9/19-29, AAS/88/04/S9/19-29 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13802.
Jul 16 1992 , AAS/92/04/G1/6-8, AAS/92/04/G1/6-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13858.
Jul 20 1984 , AAS/84/07-08/R19(1)/10-1, AAS/84/07-08/R19(1)/10-1 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13800.
Jul 25 1984 , AAS/84/08-10/R20/1-3, AAS/84/08-10/R20/1-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13801.
Jul 25 1991 , NJ 30-33, NJ 30-33 (Ground Photograph). SAB33478.
Jun 25 1996 , AAS/96/04/CT34, AAS/96/04/CT34 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16396.
Jun 25 1996 , AAS/96/04/G14/2-7, AAS/96/04/G14/2-7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16395.
Jun 29 1988 , HL 18-27,30, HL 18-27,30 (Ground Photograph). SAB13799.
Mar 3 1994 , AAS/94/06/G15/1-6, AAS/94/06/G15/1-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15057.
Mar 9 1998 , AAS/98/03/CT, AAS/98/03/CT (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16933.
Mar 9 1998 , AAS/98/03/G4/6,7, AAS/98/03/G4/6,7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16932.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HES Scheduled Monument Number: 11394;
- NMR Card Number: NJ62NW16;
- NRHE Numlink: 18141;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ62NW0016;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM11394 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/18141 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (24)
- --- SAB12242 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 24 2000 . AAS/00/02/G3/1-2. Black & White. AAS/00/02/G3/1-2.
- --- SAB12467 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 24 2000 . AAS/00/02/CT30-1. Colour Transparency. AAS/00/02/CT30-1.
- --- SAB13799 Ground Photograph: Jun 29 1988 . HL 18-27,30. Black & White. HL 18-27,30.
- --- SAB13800 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 20 1984 . AAS/84/07-08/R19(1)/10-1. Black & White. AAS/84/07-08/R19(1)/10-1.
- --- SAB13801 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 25 1984 . AAS/84/08-10/R20/1-3. Black & White. AAS/84/08-10/R20/1-3.
- --- SAB13802 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 8 1988 . AAS/88/04/S9/19-29. Black & White. AAS/88/04/S9/19-29.
- --- SAB13803 Air-oblique Photograph: Feb 16 1990 . AAS/90/02/S6/3-6. Black & White. AAS/90/02/S6/3-6.
- --- SAB13858 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 16 1992 . AAS/92/04/G1/6-8. Black & White. AAS/92/04/G1/6-8.
- --- SAB15004 Air-oblique Photograph: Feb 16 1994 . AAS/94/04/G8/1-7. Black & White. AAS/94/04/G8/1-7.
- --- SAB15057 Air-oblique Photograph: Mar 3 1994 . AAS/94/06/G15/1-6. Black & White. AAS/94/06/G15/1-6.
- --- SAB15511 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 1 1994 . AAS/94/11/G22/1-7. Black & White. AAS/94/11/G22/1-7.
- --- SAB1552 Bibliographic reference: RCM. 1963. STIRLING I XXV, LIST. STIRLING 1 XXV, LIST.
- --- SAB16395 Air-oblique Photograph: Jun 25 1996 . AAS/96/04/G14/2-7. Black & White. AAS/96/04/G14/2-7.
- --- SAB16396 Air-oblique Photograph: Jun 25 1996 . AAS/96/04/CT34. Colour Transparency. AAS/96/04/CT34.
- --- SAB16932 Air-oblique Photograph: Mar 9 1998 . AAS/98/03/G4/6,7. Black & White. AAS/98/03/G4/6,7.
- --- SAB16933 Air-oblique Photograph: Mar 9 1998 . AAS/98/03/CT. Colour Transparency. AAS/98/03/CT.
- --- SAB18804 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 22 1978 . AAS/78/9/CT3,9,15,20-1. Colour Transparency. AAS/78/9/CT3,9,15,20-1.
- --- SAB19807 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 8 1988 . AAS/88/04/CT15-16,21,24. Colour Transparency. AAS/88/04/CT15-16,21,24.
- --- SAB19905 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 8 1988 . AAS/88/04/CT28-30,42,45. Colour Transparency. AAS/88/04/CT28-30,42,45.
- --- SAB3005 Bibliographic reference: NOBLE, G. 2017. NORTHERN PICTS: RHYNIE ENVIRONS.
- --- SAB33478 Ground Photograph: Jul 25 1991 . NJ 30-33. Black & White. NJ 30-33.
- --- SAB33483 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 1 1978 . CNB 1. Colour Negative. CNB 1.
- --- SAB33827 Ground Photograph: Aug 23 1990 . KO 19. Black & White. KO 19.
- --- SAB6463 Bibliographic reference: ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND. 2018. DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, VOLUME 18, 2017. Y. p.20.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Record last edited
Apr 9 2026 11:40AM
