Earthwork record MAB45400 - CASTLE ROCK, AUCHMITHIE

Remains of a promontory fort shown on the OS maps from the 1st edition map onwards.

Remains of a promontory fort shown on the OS maps from the 1st edition map onwards. One of six promontory forts along the coast between Arbroath and Lunan Bay, it is a square-sided, sub-triangular projection into the sea, with 30.4 m high precipitous sides and a projecting finger of rock at the east end. It is fortified by means of a three curved banks with medial ditches, broken by a central entrance causeway 2.0 m wide. The fort was diminutive, the level enceinte being circa 30.4 m square but it has been considerably eroded on the north, and to a lesser extent on the east. It is not sea-girt and so was protected by the cliffs and its defences, the latter being surveyed in 1958 by the OS. The inner ditch was 5.0 m high, its bank only represented by slight traces. The middle bank was 1.7 m high and 3.7 m broad, the outer ditch was 4.5 m wide and its bank was1.0 m high. This was slight and considerably mutilated, especially to the north of the causeway, where only the counterscarp was visible. Gardner suspected the existence of a third, outer, defensive line now ploughed flat. There appears to be no support for this suggestion, the defences being the same as described by Christison circa 1900. The site was excavated, circa 1967-1974, by Mr D A Gardner and the Arbroath Antiquary Club, with assistance from the High School and Academy at Arbroath. It was excavated using a grid of squares (circa 1.5 m x 1.5 m) on an east-west axis, separated by baulks circa 1 m wide which were sometimes removed to investigate a wider area. A total of 52 of these grid squares were excavated. At least four occupation horizons were discovered, but the site was difficult to interpret due to factors such as erosion and stone-robbing and the thinness of the deposits themselves. Horizon A was a raised path of angular sandstone fragments. It overlay horizon B, a small patch of cobbling of small rounded stones, confined to one of the grid squares. It was not possible to definitely separate this from horizon D. Horizon C was also small, an area of floor of large, flat, water-worn and varied stones which curved around the inner bank, suggesting that the floor post-dates it. Horizon D lies below C and it was the most extensive layer, circa 15-60 cm below the turf level. It mostly consisted of a crude pebble 'mosaic' floor of small stones, intermittently sealed by a shallow greasy and dark layer, possibly the destruction layer of a building, the whole being pressed into a pre-dug, sub-circular depression, 14.60 m north-south by 9.75 m east-west. Various postholes and hearths were associated with this floor and small patches of the pebbles occurred at higher levels, possibly connected with a gateway in the defences. The remains are possibly of a single circular structure with a porch or a series of windbreaks, or lean-to shelters. The interim report of 1970 mentioned 'clay walls', which have been discounted by the time of the preparation of the final report. Within the finger of land at the east a circular cobbled floor, 2.44 m in diameter and differing in materials used in horizon D, was discovered. The defences were not greatly investigated, the ditches examined appeared to be modified natural features and possible evidence for a palisade were noted. WWII gun emplacements were placed on or near the promontory, but they were not discovered by excavation. All of the finds from the excavation are in Arbroath Signal Tower Museum. The earliest in date is a fragment of a cup and ring marked stone, probably re-used as building materials. It is 450 mm x 250 mm x 140 mm, water-worn, of sandstone and bears five linked cups, one surrounded by a ring which has been truncated by the break in the stone. It was discovered circa 15 cm below the turf. There are three fragments of quern-stones, two rubbers from saddle-querns and part of the lower stone of a rotary quern, also probably re-used as building materials. A piece of burnt and vitrified clay and thirty-seven fragments of daub, several pieces of worked sandstone, including discs similar to those excavated at West Mains of Ethie and Hurly Hawkin, and a shale disc fragment were also discovered. Metal working is hinted at by the finding of a piece of lead slag. More recent finds included medieval and post-medieval pottery, clay pipes, a piece of lead shot and 19th-20th century coins. The finds, although difficult to stratify, point to occupation within the early centuries AD, with losses by casual visitors in subsequent ages.

AN/3848, AN/3848 (Photograph). SAB27513.

AND/824/1, AND/824/1 (Photograph). SAB28212.

AND/824/2, AND/824/2 (Photograph). SAB27514.

AND/824/3, AND/824/3 (Photograph). SAB28213.

AND/824/4, AND/824/4 (Photograph). SAB28214.

AND/824/5, AND/824/5 (Photograph). SAB27515.

AND/824/6, AND/824/6 (Photograph). SAB28215.

AND/824/7/PO, AND/824/7/PO (Photograph). SAB28144.

B/34794, B/34794 (Photograph). SAB28216.

B/34795, B/34795 (Photograph). SAB28217.

B/34796, B/34796 (Photograph). SAB28218.

B/34797, B/34797 (Photograph). SAB28219.

B/34798, B/34798 (Photograph). SAB28220.

B/34799, B/34799 (Photograph). SAB27516.

B/34800, B/34800 (Photograph). SAB28221.

B/34801, B/34801 (Photograph). SAB28222.

B/34802, B/34802 (Photograph). SAB28223.

B/34803, B/34803 (Photograph). SAB28224.

B/34804, B/34804 (Photograph). SAB28225.

B/34805, B/34805 (Photograph). SAB27517.

B/34817, B/34817 (Photograph). SAB28226.

DC/14897, DC/14897 (Photograph). SAB28227.

DC/14898, DC/14898 (Photograph). SAB27518.

DC/14899, DC/14899 (Photograph). SAB28228.

DC/14900, DC/14900 (Photograph). SAB28229.

DC/14901, DC/14901 (Photograph). SAB28233.

DC/14902, DC/14902 (Photograph). SAB27519.

DC/14902/C, DC/14902/C (Photograph). SAB28145.

DC/14903, DC/14903 (Photograph). SAB28234.

DC/14904, DC/14904 (Photograph). SAB28235.

DC/14905, DC/14905 (Photograph). SAB27520.

DC/14906, DC/14906 (Photograph). SAB28236.

DC/14907, DC/14907 (Photograph). SAB28237.

DC/14908, DC/14908 (Photograph). SAB28238.

DC/14909, DC/14909 (Photograph). SAB28239.

DC/14910, DC/14910 (Photograph). SAB27521.

DC/14911, DC/14911 (Photograph). SAB28240.

DC/14912, DC/14912 (Photograph). SAB28241.

DC/14913, DC/14913 (Photograph). SAB27522.

DC/14914, DC/14914 (Photograph). SAB28242.

DC/14915, DC/14915 (Photograph). SAB28243.

DC/14915/C, DC/14915/C (Photograph). SAB27523.

DC/14916, DC/14916 (Photograph). SAB27524.

DC/14917, DC/14917 (Photograph). SAB28244.

DC/14918, DC/14918 (Photograph). SAB28245.

DC/14919, DC/14919 (Photograph). SAB27525.

DC/14920, DC/14920 (Photograph). SAB28246.

DC/14921, DC/14921 (Photograph). SAB28247.

DC/14922, DC/14922 (Photograph). SAB28248.

DC/14923, DC/14923 (Photograph). SAB27526.

DC/14924, DC/14924 (Photograph). SAB28249.

DC/14925, DC/14925 (Photograph). SAB28250.

DC/14926, DC/14926 (Photograph). SAB28251.

DC/14927, DC/14927 (Photograph). SAB28252.

DC/14928, DC/14928 (Photograph). SAB27527.

MS/453, MS/453 (Photograph). SAB28002.

MS/618, MS/618 (Photograph). SAB28253.

MS/618/1, MS/618/1 (Photograph). SAB27528.

MS/618/2, MS/618/2 (Photograph). SAB28254.

MS/618/3, MS/618/3 (Photograph). SAB27529.

MS/618/4, MS/618/4 (Photograph). SAB28255.

MS/618/5, MS/618/5 (Photograph). SAB27530.

MS/618/6, MS/618/6 (Photograph). SAB28256.

MS/618/7, MS/618/7 (Photograph). SAB28257.

MS/618/8, MS/618/8 (Photograph). SAB28258.

SCAPE, 03/2009, COASTAL ZONE ASSESSMENT SURVEY PART 2, p.36 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4802.

Christison, D, 1900, Proc Soc Antiq Scot 34, 60 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8982.

Coutts, H, 1970, [Untitled], 30 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11120.

Gardner, D A, 1970, AUCHMITHIE. DES 1970, 2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11312.

Wilson, E M, 1981, Proc Soc Antiq Scot 110, 114 (Bibliographic reference). SAB10312.

Sherriff, J R, 1984, [Untitled], 2, Ang 4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB9825.

RALSTON, I, 1987, THE ARBROATH ANTIQUARY CLUB'S EXCAVATIONS AT CASTLE ROCK PROMONTORY FORT, AUCHMITHIE. IN PSAS 116 (1986), 101-115, 101-115 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3088.

Record last edited

Mar 28 2024 12:01PM