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24 June 1911.
Saturday. Engaged all day writing up notes.
26th June 1911.
Trained to Glenluce & walked to Park Hay
Castle where I joined the architects. This
castle is an excellent example of the
Scottish castellated architecture of the end
of the 16th Century when greater refinement of
living had commenced materially to modify
the plans and details of domestic buildings.
It bears in the inscription over the doorway
the name of the proprietor who built it.
Thomas Hay of Park, that of his wife Janet
Macdowall and the date of erection 1595.
Thence we motored to Glenluce Abbey where
the only notable remains are the Chapter
-house of which the groining of the roof and some
of the bosses are fine. The style is late
and somewhat debased.
Thereafter we visited Castle Kennedy and
completed plans &c. It has been a
large mansion house more than a
castle and various features
suggest its date as near that of Park Hay.
There is little ornamentation about it but
its situation is picturesque overlooking the lochs of
the Inch with fine trees and beautiful
gardens around it. Got home at 8.0.
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27 June 1911.
Motored through Wigtown.
Standing Stone Bladnoch Village (Unnoted)
In the wall opposite the houses that form the
street of Bladnoch Village at its E. [East] end is a
standing stone, a boulder of granite about
5'.6" in height. The soil has been removed
from it to the base on the road side but in
the field it is covered for about a couple of feet
Kirkinner Cross.
Standing in the churchyard about 30' S. [South] of
the W. [West] end of the church is a wheel cross
of Celtic design. The extent of the arms is
indicated by grooves and the
angles at the points of intersection are pierced
with holes 4" in diameter. In the centre is a
flat boss measuring 5 1/2" in diameter relieved
with four small radial leaf shaped markings
which have probably formed a cross.
The head rests upon a thin flat shaft
1'.5" in breadth enriched with interlacing spirals
much worn away. The shaft has been
broken across and is now clamped on
both faces with iron bands riveted through
the stone. The whole height above ground
is 4'.2" of which 2' represents the
diameter of the head.
To the S.W. [South West] of this cross stone is set on edge
a round thin slab thinning to the edge and
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pierced at the centre with a irregular oblong
hole, wider at one end than the other which
I took to be the socket for the tenon of a cross
shaft. (See Early Christ. Mon.) [Early Christian Monuments]
Kirkinner North Balfern O.S. [Ordnance Survey] Camp
On the W. [West] end of the hill which rises to an
elevation of [--] immediately to the E [East] of North
Balfern farmhouse is an oval fort
consisting of two steep concentric scarps
with a terrace between except at the
E [East] end where crossing the crest of the hill
the simple scarps have given place to mounds
and there is an indication of a trench in
front of the outer one. On the ? NW. [North West] the inner
scarp has been reduced by the the plough
but elsewhere both scarps are well preserved
and with a steep slope have a vertical
height of [--]. The terrace which separates
them is some 20' in width and is under
cultivation as is also the interior of the
fort. The position of the entrance is not
now apparent. The anterior measures
[--]. The inner scarp appears
to have been built or revelled to some extent
and was probably surmounted by a
parapet partially vitrified as considerable
pieces of vitrified material are to be found
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in its vicinity especially towards the N [North] part of its
course, but the pieces are too few to imply
that there has been a regularly vitrified
wall as at the Doon of May unless it
has been regularly carted away which
seems improbable.
On showing pieces of vitrified stone to the
shepherd who has been for many years on
the farm he told me that there was much
of it turned up on the Turkey Hill an
eminence most suitable for a fort about 1/2
m. [mile] Southward and also on the Skait Hill
near Wigtown about 1 m. [mile] to the NW. [North West]. The
former is under a crop of wheat and so
cannot be examined and the latter is in
old pasture but I shall visit it later on.
Rock Sculpture North Balfern (unnoted)
In the field to the W. [West] of the farm road some
200 yds [yards] WNW. [West North West] of North Balfern farmhouse
is an outcrop of rock with a smooth surface
some 15' in length by [--] in breadth and
exposed for a distance of 9'.6". The N [North] end of a low
rocky ridge on which the ground is
uncultivated lies to the W. [West] and may
assist in locating it. On the exposed surface
are eleven cup and ring sculptures and
several independent cup marks. The
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largest symbol is at the ESE. [East South East] point of the
rock. It measures 16" across and is formed
of four concentric rings around a flat centre,
the continuity of which is broken by a radial
groove towards ESE. [East South East]. In contact with the
outer ring at the opposite side of the figure
from the groove is a single cup mark 3 1/2" in
diameter. Adjacent is another cup mark
surrounded by the two concentric rings measuring
9" over all with a radial groove cutting
them towards the N. [North]. In contact also with
this figure on the [--] is another cup mark with
a diameter of 3". At the NW. [North West] end of the rock
is a well preserved sculpture of three
rings surrounding a central cup mark of
3" diameter the whole measuring 13" across
(see rubbing.)
Whithorn Par. [Parish] Riffer Park O.S. [Ordnance Survey] Camp.
On the E [East] slope of the rising ground about
1/4 m. [mile] S by E [South by East] of Riffer Park is a defensive
enclosure consisting of large oval measuring
some 90' by 66' interiorly with a smaller
and earlike projection on the N [North] side. The
interior has been dug out to a depth of
5' on the upper side and about 2' on
the lower. The entrance appears to have
been into the main division from the NE [North East]
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[Opposite page - Photograph inserted]
Some 20' in front of it and passing round
the E [East] flank to the S. [South] is visible an outer mound
in which appear some large stones. The
whole construction has been under cultivation
and its features are consequently much effaced.
It is similar in character to the constructions
examined near Chippermore &c. and like them
it is not placed on the highest part of the
ground but on the slope commanded from
above,
Sorbie Par. [Parish] Claunch Rock Sculpture Unnoted
On a smooth rock surface in a grass
park about 130 yds. [yards] ENE. [East North East] of the farm house
of Claunch and some 70' N. [North] of the adjacent
field dyke are a number of cup & ring markings.
The area of rock exposed measures some 6' x 4'
and it has a slight slope towards the N. [North].
On the surface are five distinct cup and
ring marks and one which is doubtful.
The largest symbol consists of three concentric
rings around a cup mark 1 1/2" in diameter
with a radial groove crossing them
towards the W. [West] the whole figure measuring
11" in diameter. The other markings are
much smaller or have no radial groove.
The rock is divided in sections by cracks
along the strata and the figures occupy
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the space between the largest circle impinging on
a crack on both sides.
I was fortunate in finding this rock. The
schoolmaster who notified it was away on
his holidays and the young farmer who alone
knew their position was leaving home on the
morrow. The marks were entirely covered up & had not been exposed for some years. To him I am indebted for the next
group which he took me to on Broughton Mains
and for which we had a considerable search.
Whithorn Par. [Parish] Rock Sculptures Broughton Mains (Unnoted)
At the E [East] side of the third field E [East] of
the farm house of Broughton Mains
near the central line and some 80 yds. [yards] W. [West] of the
hedge is a flat outcrop of rock measuring
superficially some 17' by 11' and protruding
about 2' above the surface. The whole surface
has a gradual slope towards ENE [East North East] and
also slopes from each side towards a longitudinal cleavage
in the centre which separates the surface into
two divisions. On the N. [North] half along the line of
stratification are a number of small natural oblong
cups measuring at their surface some 6" by 3" and about 2" deep.
Between these and the outer edge of the rock
are three cup & ring markings each connected with
them. At the higher end is a figure consisting
?Central cup
of three concentric rings measuring 6 1/2' across
with a groove from it opening into the adjacent
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natural cup at its lower end. Adjacent to this, lower
on the slope of the rock is a second figure formed
of two concentric rings around a single cup
measuring over all 8 1/2". From its side run two
grooves, one directly into a natural cup 3" away,
the other turning up the slope for 11' and then entering the
same cup with which the first figure is con:
:nected and at the same end. In its course
this groove forms a curve within which is a
single small cup mark. The third figure
consists of two concentric rings (measuring 9")
(overall) and is connected with a natural
cup adjacent to it and at a lower level.
A little to the E. [East] of the last symbol are three
simple cup marks measuring 2 1/2" in diameter and
of slight depth. On the S. [South] division
of the stone occur nine markings with
concentric rings. That at the lower end
and near the cleavage consists of
[--] and shows very clearly the
indentations of the tool with which it has
been picked out and similar marks are
visible on the symbols adjacent. (Get further
information regarding latter marks from Mr. Watson).
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28th June 1911.
Took the early train to Stranraer and there
was met by the motor car hired from the hotel -
- an ancient piece of mechanism which stuck on
nearly every hill & sorely tried our nerves.
Leswalt Par. [Parish] Ior of Creagach
Though assured by numerous natives that there
was no fort here I penetrated into the wood from
which rises the monument to Sir Andrew Agnew
& there found one.
On the summit of a hill rising to a height of 350'
over sea level and about 3/4 m. [mile] to the NW. [North West] of Leswalt
village is the Tor of Creagach a prehistoric fort
from the centre of which rises the monument to
Sir William Agnew of Lochnaw. The summit
of the hill is a flat topped rock rising
steeply on the N [North] and E [East] and by an easier
gradient on the W [West] and S [South]. On the latter
sides the position has been defended by a
trench and mound each some 20' in width
and the latter now only some 2' in height
above the bottom of the trench but slightly
higher where the ground falls away on the
outside. Beyond the mound there appears
to be a level terrace some 15' in width.
On the S. [South] side other banks are visible which
appear to be those of old enclosure probably
of much later date. The interior of
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the fort measures about 170' in diameter. The
defences are almost entirely overgrown with
shrubs and bushes and consequently much
obscured.
Kirkcolm Par. [Parish] Dally Fort or The Doonan of Dally.
About 1/4 m [mile] SW. [South West] of Dally and to the N. [North] of where
the Dally burn runs into the sea is a long
narrow flat topped rock rising to a height of
20' to 30' and terminating abruptly above the
low rocks which run out on the shore. At
the W. [West] or seaward end a small portion of
the rock is disconnected by a road said
to have been cut through it by Major Ross
of Airies who employed some men of the
Sutherland Fencibles, disbanded after the
Irish Rebellion. On this promontory
a fort has been formed by digging a trench
across it at a point where it suddenly
narrows to a width of about 50' some 200'
from its termination. In rear of the trench
has been erected a mound some 25' in thick:
:ness at base and now at the highest about
5' in height, within an inner mound now
reduced to a trifling elevation, some 10' in rear of it.
The average width of the area of the fort
is about 60' and its length within the
defences about 140'. There is a break through
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the centre of the mound which is probably
secondary. (Ayr & Wig. Arch. Coll. [Ayr & Wigton Archaeological Collections] V. p [page] 68)
Fort Castle Bull or Dunwick
Situated on the coast line about 1/2 m. [mile] W. [West] by N. [North]
of Mains of Airies is a green knoll, the
site of a prehistoric fort projecting from the
face of the heughs. To landward at its N [North] point
a neck some 18' in length and 9' in breadth
connects it with the top of the heughs. From this
neck S'ward [Southward], opening onto 25' level above the shore, a natural
ravine has been hollowed out to a width
of 40', with a depth increasing from 8' at the
neck to 13' at its termination. On the line of the heugh a mound
some 20' in thickness at base crowns the
counterscarp of this trench and 8' in front of it there is an
indication of another outwork.
The summit of the knoll, irregularly circular, measures
some 75' in diameter
and shows surface indications of building
but insufficient to determine its character.
Its height above sea level is 75'. Some
15' below the summit on the NNE. [North North East] there
is a mound from which a wall appears to
run down the slope towards
a rock at the end of a small creek, while
from a platform on the SW. [South West] flanking
the inner side of the end of the ditch a
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similar wall has descended the slope in that direction to a
rock at the side of another creek
and is thence continued Southward across
the creek. The mound and platform from
which these walls descend are connected
seemingly around the seaward side of
the hillock some 20' below the summit by
a ledge which may have carried a wall as
large flat stones are visible here and there
along its course. There is no water on
the hillock but a burn flows into the sea
about 100 yds. [yards] to the Southwards.
Leswalt Par. [Parish] Fort High Auchneel Unnoted.
(See Ayr & Wig. Arch Coll. V. 69. plan)
On the shore about 1/2 m [mile] WSW. [West South West] of High Auch:
:neel farm is a small promontory fort formed
by a single trench some 18' broad and 5' deep
drawn across the neck which has a width
of about 30'. The top of the promontory within
this defence is a fairly level area some 80'
in length by 50' in breadth with a rapid fall
beyond to a point of jagged rocks rising some
20' to 30' above the sea. The flanks of the fort
are unscaleable cliffs some 50' to 60' in height.
Fort. Saltpans Bay. (5)
Across Larbrax Moor and a mile W. [West] of
the Lodge at the entrance to Lochnaw Castle
is Saltpans Bay engirt by the high heughs
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rising at some considerable distance back
from the foreshore. On a low projecting rock
which forms its Northern extremity are the
fragmentary remains of a stone built
fort which has in the past been much
quarried for stones to built the adjacent
croft and other buildings doubtless connected
with the industry which gave the bay its name.
The rock has a fairly level surface at its land:
:ward end except for a fringe of jagged points
along each side while to seaward its surface
is similarly irregular. The fort on the flat
portion appears to have been in form irregularly
shield-shaped with a concave face to
the seaward end and a projection along a
higher point of rock to the W. [West]. It seems
to have measured interiorly some 66' by 58'
but the plan of the structure owing to its
delapidation is most indefinite. The wall
which surrounded the fort has been
massive & of dry built masonry.
Fort Larbrax Kemp's Walk.
On the S. [South] side of Larbrax Bay projecting from
the face of the heughs and bounded on the
S. [South] by the deep glen of the [--] burn is
a promontory some [--] in length with steep
grassy flanks some ?60' - 70' in height and to the
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Eastward, connected by a narrow neck
some [--] ft. [feet] lower in elevation, a
pointed hillock, both of which have formed
parts of a large promontory fort. On the N. [North] the
level at the edge of the high heughs is maintained
to the top of the promontory, but passing
across the front is a broad hollow which
gradually deepening leads downward to
the glen on the S. [South]. At the N. [North], across the higher
level, two deep trenches have been dug
some 26' in width from crest of scarp to that
of counterscarp, and 7' in depth and between
them, and in front and rear, large mounds
have been erected with a slight trench be:
:fore the outer mound at the edge of the
heugh. These defences extend for a distance
of [--],
thereafter faced by the hollow the outer
mound and the trench within it have been
dispensed with. Passing round to the steep
S. [South] flank of the promontory both mounds dis:
:appear and on the level of the second a terrace
some 15' in breadth is carried along the
slope to the E. [East] at a level some 12' below
the summit. At the E. [East] end the terrace
diminishes to a mere ledge which passes
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round the end and appears to be continued over
the neck which joins the hillock and onwards
at a slightly lower level along the N. [North] side
& around the face of the heughs beyond. The
complete top of the hillock appears to have been
the site of a hut circle. The entrance to
the interior of the fort has been situated
at the point where the nature of the defences
is changed at the S. [South] termination of the triple
rampart. The gap is now 20' in width but
it has evidently been enlarged when the
interior was under cultivation. The Ramparts
are formed of soil and gravel. The interior of
the fort on the top of the promontory measures
some [--] in length by [--] in breadth. |
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29th June 1911.
Motored with MacGibbon & co. [company] to High Balfern
and got a plan & sections made of the fort
and also made additional notes on the cup &
ring marks. In the middle of our work the rain
began to fall in torrents & we had to abandon
the rest of our work.
30th June 1911.
Whithorn Par. [Parish] Rock Sculptures Gallows Outon. Unnoted.
There is noted by Dr. [Doctor] George Wilson a sculptured
rock surface on the gallow Hill near the site
of the chapel at Outon. The rock is said to
be situated about 100 yds. [yards] SW. [South West] of the supposed
site of the chapel and to measure 11'.6" x 3'.6".
If it still exists the rock is overgrown with
grass and nothing is known of the sculptures
at the farm.
Court Hill Skeog. Unnoted.
In a grass field about 120 yds [yards] SW. [South West] of Skeog
farm is a ridge of rock running NE [North East] and SW [South West]
and terminating in a rocky scarp some 15' in
height at NE [North East] end. The ridge towards the SW. [South West] end
has been cut across with a trench some 12' wide
which suggests that the summit of the rock
may have been utilised as the site of some
defensive construction. It is irregularly circular and measures some
46' by 41'.
Standing Stone Little Balsmith Unnoted.
On the W. [West] side of the road from Whithorn
to Portyerrock and in the field W. [West] some 80' SE. [South East]
[Continued on page 17] |
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[Continued from page 16]
[Opposite page - Photograph inserted]
of the entrance to Little Balsmith farm is a
standing stone 7'.6" in height above the ground and
trapezoidal in section, measuring 2'.6" in breadth
on three sides and 3' on the fourth.
Fort. Dinnans.
Situated somewhat less than half a mile
SE. [South East] of Dinnans farm is a small promontory fort.
A low flat topped promontory falling gradually
to jagged rocks at the shore has been defended
to landward by a massive segmented mound of earth
and stone some 46' in thickness at base and
about 10' in height, with a trench
in front of it some 30' in breadth and now
4' or thereby in depth. The mound stops
short of the edge of the cliff on the S. [South] and the
grassy slope which defines the edge of the
promontory on the N. [North] so as to allow access
to the interior.
Fort. Dinnans.
Situated about 1/4 m. [mile] S. [South] of the last is another
fortified promontory some 70' or 80' in height
above the sea with a narrow grassy ridge
towards the NE. [North East] sloping steeply to rock some
20' above the water. A small ravine
terminating in a steep grassy slop
forms the S. [South] side of the promontory
and containing this there runs from
its S. [South] side to the edge of the promontory on the
[Continued on page 18] |
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[Continued from page 17]
[Opposite page - Photograph inserted]
N. [North] two massive rampart of stone & earth
with a trench between and another in front.
The inner rampart measures some 32' in breadth at
base and the outer one 38' while the trench
between is 43' wide from crest to crest, and
the outer trench 32' wide. The scarp of the outer & inner
ditches and the counterscarp of the latter
are both very steep, the former measuring in
vertical height 12' and 8' respectively and the
counterscarps 12' and 6'. The entrance
has been direct to the interior over an unexcavated track
in the outer ditch and through
both ramparts some 30' back from the
N. [North] edge of the ravine. The end of the inner
mound on the N. [North] of the entrance has been dug out
for a distance of 22' possibly for a hut and
in rear of it another hollow suggests a similar
purpose. The dimensions of the defences
are taken at a point near the centre where
they are more massive than elsewhere.
On the grassy ridge at the NE. [North East] are two or three
flat terraces which are probably of artificial
formation.
Cairn Head Fort. O.S. [Ordnance Survey] Mote.
A narrow rocky point rising only some
20' to 30' above high water mark and pre:
:senting but a few square yards of grassy
surface above the fringe of tilted strata has been
[Continued on page 19] |
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[Continued from page 18]
fortified by two trenches with an intervening mound
and an outer mound beyond and on the N. [North] side
of the interior a wall bounding the rock at the
side of a shallow creek. The inner trench
is 14' in width & 3'.6" in depth & 80' in length while the
outer one is 18' in width. The inner mound
rises to a height of 10' above the outer ditch and
the outer mound is of slight elevation. The
defences are concealed for the most part
by a dense growth of blackthorn and bramble.
Fort Steinhead O.S. [Ordnance Survey] Mote.
A promontory rock situated about 3/4 m. [mile] NW. [North West]
of the Isle of Whithorn, with a
grassy summit at an elevation of some
70' - 80' above high water mark has been
converted into a fort by the erection of
two concentric ramparts with an inter:
:vening level area and a trench in
front. As in the fort further N. [North] on the
coast near Dinnans the outer mound
and ditch have been carried beyond
the edge of the promontory on the N. [North]
so as to enclose a grassy slope rising
from the end of a small ravine.
The area between the ramparts measures
36' across and at is S. [South] end a narrow
bank is interposed for a short distance
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[Continued from page 19]
between the two ramparts apparently to flank
the entrance which has entered through the outer
defence at the S. [South] end and passing diagonally
across this interval has led into the enceinte
at the N. [North] end of the inner mound. The outer rampart
has been much reduced by the removal of stones
and is nowhere more than 6' in height and
on an average much less. The trench in front
of it has had a width of 23' but has been partly
obliterated by ploughing. In the interior
there are indications of a stone structure
(a series of trenches dug from near the centre
to the edge of the cliff seem to have been
exploratory but there is no record of any exca:
:vation.) The ramparts are of earth & stone.
Isle of Whithorn. Fort.
The Head of the Isle of Whithorn is a rock
girt peninsula, the central portion of which
roughly circular rises to a height of
8' or 10' above the grassy terrace which
separates it from the shore rocks and
measures [--]. The isthmus is
low and narrow and at no very
remote period was probably covered by
the tides. Across its seaward end following
the line of a rocky outcrop there appears to
have been a wall. At 170' further on
[Continued on page 21] |
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[Continued from page 20]
and immediately in front of the scarp of the
central plateau are defences consisting of
two ramparts between these trenches.
These defences are
carried segmentally across the peninsula
from the S. [South] to meet the rocks on the N. [North]. The
entrance has been direct through the defences
near the centre. The inner trench measures
26' in width, the intermediate one 22' and
outer one 8' while the two inner mounds
measure at base 20' and 16' respectively
and the outer one much less. The amount
of stone which lies at the bottom of the middle
trench suggests that the inner mound has
either been faced with stone or surmounted
with a parapet while similar debris at
the base of the inner scarp indicates a
similar feature. In the interior at the E. [East] side
close by the rocks there are the remains
of a structure of some kind and there are
other indications of foundations on the plateau.
The kirk of St. Ninian falls to be noted by
Mr. MacGibbon. Structurally it is uninter:
:esting and the dressed sandstone quoins
recently used to repair it give it almost a modern air.
[Continued on page 22] |
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[Continued from page 21]
The Isle of Whithorn is a sleepy little fishing
village with an uninviting inn wherein we had tea.
At Whithorn I called on Mr. Macfie Agent of
the Clydesdale Bank who had given me names of
various objects. He very kindly took us to the Priory
but as my object for the day lay not at Whithorn
I tarried no longer than courtesy demanded.
Fort Drummoral.
The farm of Drummoral is situated about 3/4 m. [mile]
WSW. [West South West] of the Isle of Whithorn and some 200 yds. [yards]
to the NE. [North East] of it is a rocky ridge with a
narrow flat top running E [East] and W. [West] for a
distance of about 100 yds. [yards]. Somewhat E. [East] of the
centre of its length where it narrows to Westward
it has been crossed by a couple of trenches
separated by a high mound fortifying the
Western portion. The inner trench which is
the most important is 110' in length, 30' in width
at top and 8' in depth. It is partially cut
through rock. The outer trench is only 13' in
width and is shallow. In rear of the defences
the ridge runs Westward at two levels one about
6' below the other and each with a breadth of
25' to 30' for a distance of about 44 yds. [yards]
whence it falls away for 60' or 70' to a rocky
point. Its greatest height on the N. [North] side is 30' - 40'
and somewhat less on the S. [South].
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[Continued from page 22]
At Cutreoch near Drummoral I saw the only
Doo'cot I have seen except a small one at
Luce Manse. Both are probably 18th century
structures and not strikingly interesting.
We covered 58 miles in the car & got home after
7.0.
1st July 1911
Writing up notes for the best part of the
day and did not complete them.
3rd July 1911
Called for McGibbon & co. [company] at Glenluce & took them
on to the fort at Larbrax? known as Kemp's Walk
of which I desire a plan.
Leswalt Fort Portslogan
On a shoulder some 50' below the summit
of Portslogan hill, which has an elevation
of 355' over sea level, are the indefinite
remains of a small defensive enclosure
now under cultivation and only recognisable
by the slight depression of an encircling
ditch and the light colour of the clay which has
formed the rampart now spread over its site.
The enclosure has been sub oval measuring
interiorly some 92' by 82'. The site is
sheltered facing E [East] with high ground
above it.
Fort No. 10
The O.S. [Ordnance Survey] marks another fort to the S. [South] of the
last but I failed to locate it. If it is the object
situated on the field road I am doubtful of it.
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[Continued from page 23]
Fort Knock? No. 11.
In an old grass field on the S. [South] side of the
summit of the Knock where the ridge towards
the E [East] dips somewhat is a small circular
enclosure surrounded by a trench and
almost obliterated by ploughing. It has been
an irregular oval with an approximate measurement interiorly of 76' x 65'.
The site has higher ground both to W [West] and N. [North] of it.
These two "forts" are of the same character as
the structure near Chippermore &c. They are
not truly forts in respect that they do not occupy
the most defensive positions. They are invariably
placed on the slope of a hill, in land now under
cultivation, and they are of small dimensions.
Standing Stone
In a field at a bend in the road at Knock and
Maize about 1/2 m. [mile] NW. [North West] of Craigstare is a
block of grey Silurian sandstone 5'.6" in
height, in section an irregular four sided figure with its
broadest face towards the ENE. [East North East].
Port Patrick Par. [Parish] - Cairn Pat or Piot
Cairn Pat is a prominent hill which rises
to an elevation of 533' over sea level some
3 ms. [miles] S by W. [South by West] of Stranraer. Two ram:
:parts of earth and stone varying from 30' to 40 apart encircle its
summit enclosing a circular area
measuring [--]. From the SE [South East]
to W. [West] where the slope of the hill is less steep
these defences are supplemented by a third
[Continued on page 25] |
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[Continued from page 24]
mound, now low and inconspicuous,
some 20' outside and brought round to
rest on the second mound at its E. [East] termination.
Its termination near the WNW. [West North West] is less apparent.
Facing WNW [West North West] is a narrow break in the second
mound about 4' across which seems to be an
entrance and at the N. [North] a roadway some 7' in
breadth leads up into the interior passing
diagonally through the defences from the NW. [North West].
From SE [South East] a natural hollow runs out from the fort flanked
on the W. [West] by the face of an outcropping rock
and at the head of it within the inner rampart
on the W. [West] side are the foundations of a small
circular structure measuring interiorly some
7' and over all 12'. The ramparts of the
fort are of earth and stone. The innermost
has been the highest and has no where a
height exceeding about 5' on the side of
the lower slope and about 2' above the
interior. Both ramparts have been pillaged
for stones to an excessive degree, in some
places having been entirely removed and
at no distant date.
4th July 1911
A wet day so wrote up my journal.
5th July 1911.
Bicycled N. [North] to Loch Ochiltree to examine
various objects noted by Mr. Muir, the Minister.
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[Continued from page 25]
Penningham Par. [Parish] Beoch Farm.
The farm house of Beoch lying on the road
to Loch Ochiltree and about 3/4 m. [mile] SE. [South East] of the
hamlet of Knowe occupies the site of some
earlier structure which has been defended
by a moat now for the most part filled in.
Immediately to the S. [South] of the house is
however still open, measuring 25' in width
and 6' in depth, and a portion is also
visible to the E. [East] of this on what has been the
opposite side of the enceinte.
Deil's Dyke Glenvernoch Fell
From the
E [East] side of the road between Glenruther and
Ochiltree at a point nearly opposite the S [South]
end of Loch Ochiltree
crossing Glenvernoch Fell about 1/4 S. [South] of the
summit in a ESE [East South East] direction are the ruins of
stone wall, noted as the "Deils Dyke" on the
O.S. [Ordnance Survey]. The superstructure has disappeared but
between the facing stones of the foundation
the breadth has been 6'. Directly S. [South] of
the summit of the Fell the wall turns
Southward down the W. [West] side of a hollow
which it follows for an indefinite distance
down the hill. Across the upper end of
the hollow, however, it again appears crossing
the fell in the main ES [East South] Easterly direction.
There is no indication of a ditch associated
[Continued on page 27] |
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[Continued from page 26]
with this wall. (See Frail's report in Mackenzies' Hist. [History] of Galloway 1841)
Loch Ochiltree
On our way to Glenvernoch we were fortunate in
meeting the keeper who had the key for the
boat on the loch & who joined us after I had
examined the Deils Dyke.
Loch Ochiltree
At the S. [South] end of Loch Ochiltree are two small
islands. The larger of the two and furthest from
the shore is natural as probably also is the
other which is inaccessible on account of the
shallowness of the water over the peaty bottom
around it. Covering the greater part of the
surface of the former is a cairn-like erection
of stones measuring 25' in diameter which seems to have been regularly built with
large blocks demarcating its outline at base.
On this islet I saw the Royal Fern,
Osmunda regalis, growing wild - a rare
plant in this region now, though formerly not
uncommon.
The centre of the loch is very shallow
& rocky and here three islands covered
with trees and bushes rise above the level
of the loch. On the largest of these are
the ruins of a small rectangular house
similar to those on the island in Loch
Mabery measuring interiorly 22' x 13'6"
with walls 2'.6" in thickness and now about
[Continued on page 28] |
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[Continued from page 27]
2' in height. Around the margin there are
no signs of any defensive walls.
On the most Southerly of the two islets to the
W. [West] of it and occupying the greater part of its surface
is a low flat mound covered with humus measuring
some 40' in length by 20' in breadth with
large boulders at its base raising the level
of the surface a few feet above the highest level
of the loch. From the N. [North] end of this island
a pier or causeway of stones which appeared to
be artificial projected towards the large
island but was not traceable across the
intervening space. It is probable that
the remains on this and the smaller island
at the South end are prehistoric.
On enquiring at the village of Knowe for
an upright stone set on an eminence
near the Bladnoch & by some associated
with the covenanters I was informed by
an ancient & intelligent resident who
had dwelt there all his life that no
such thing was known. As the object
at best seemed unimportant and of doubtful
antiquity I did not go in search of it.
I bicycled home by the old road from
Glenrazie to Shermanton to see a
[Continued on page 29] |
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[Continued from page 28]
stone near Low Eldrig which turned out to be
a mass of rock and of no archaeological interest.
6th July 1911.
Motored S. [South] to Whithorn to take up the
line where I last left off in this district.
Whithorn Par. [Parish] - Rispain Fort.
On the NE. [North East] slope of an isolated ridge running
from SW. [South West] to NE. [North East] and immediately to the NW. [North West]
of Rispain farm is a fort which is under
the protection of H.M. [His Majesty's] Office of Works and
which was excavated by the Society of
Antiquaries of Scotland in 1901. In plan
the fort is rectilinear, three of the sides being
straight throughout and the fourth slightly
knee-ed near the centre of is course.
The defences have consisted of a large V shaped
ditch with a mound on each side of it
and a smaller ditch beyond the outer mound.
Of the outer ditch no trace remains on the
surface but in the excavations it was
traced from about the centre of the SW. [South West] side
to the S. [South] corner and along the SE. [South East] and NE. [North East]
sides of the camp except opposite the
gateway in the centre of the E. [East] side and
for a short distance on either hand of it.
Generally it measured 5' in width at top
and 3'.6" in depth, somewhat more at the
E [East] corner and less N. [North] of the gateway
[Continued on page 30] |
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[Continued from page 29]
The main ditch measured some 25' in width at
the top, and 17' in depth at the SW. [South West] and 15' at
the NW. [North West] and SE [South East] sides while the bottom of the
filled up ditch on the N. [North] side was 9' below the
present surface. The interior measures about
223' by 170' and extended in area to .867 acre.
The inner mound is almost obliterated and the
front one has only an elevation of from 3' to 4'
above the ground level. The entrance which
passed over solid ground was in the centre of
the NE [North East] side and measured 20' in width. In
the E. [East] corner of the main ditch were found
two 'bars' marked a and b on the plan the
first formed of uncut ground about 2' in width
at the top crossing the ditch and rising to a
height of about 4' above the bottom; the second
which crossed the ditch at right angles to
the first and rose 2' higher was constructed
of stone and finished with a stone coping
of large flat undressed pieces. This square
cut pit was at the lowest point and it is
suggested by Mr. James Barbour FS.A. [Fellow of the Society of Antiquarians] Scot. [Scotland] who conducted
and reported on the excavations that it
may have served the purpose of a water cistern.
The mounds are of earth. Thin flat slabs
were found placed on the scarp & counter-
[Continued on page 31] |
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[Page] 31
[Continued from page 30]
-scarp near the bottom of the ditch. The
only relics found were a small stone ring in
the substance of the SE. [South East] rampart and a
human skull pierced at the back lying in
the ditch halfway between the gateway and
the E. [East] corner.
Castle Feather (site)
Half a mile to the SSW [South South West] of Cutcloy farm and
on the W. [West] side of Burrow Head is a grassy
promontory rising to a height of some 80' to 100'
and formed by deep inlets of the sea on either
side. The castle which appears to have been a
small rectangular keep has been situated
near the landward end of the promontory
where slight mounds on the turf indicate the
foundations. The defences have consisted
of three ditches with intervening mounds
crossing the isthmus segmentally. The
inner ditch is some 26' in width across the
top and about 11' in depth & a perpendicular
wall built with mortar faces the scarp to its full height. The
second ditch measures 23' in width & about
5' - 6' in depth while the outer ditch extant
on the S. [South] but elsewhere cut off by a field
dyke has a breadth of nearly 30' and a
depth of 6'. On the promontory towards
its seaward end is a circular hollow
[Continued on page 32] |
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[Continued from page 31]
with straight sides of rock some 26' in diameter and
5' to 6' in depth. The defences suggest that
this promontory may be a prehistoric fort used
as the site of a mediaeval castle.
From the centre of the inlet on the W. [West] a remark:
:able knife edged rock rises to the level of the
top of the promontory.
Sir Herbert Maxwell suggests that "Castle Feather"
means "Castle Peter"
Fort 11c.
About 1/2 m. [mile] S by E [South by East] of Cutcloy where the line of
the heugh is interrupted by a small glen down
which runs a burn there is on the point thus
formed to the W. [West] a site which appears to have
been defended. The narrow end of the heugh
which forms a ridge falling away on both sides
[Margin] This appears to be the site of a mill.
has been traversed by a ditch some 18' in width
and 4' in depth, leaving to Eastward of it a small
level area measuring some 34' by 22'. On this
plot there is no sign of building but there is a slight
mound around the edge. Its elevation is some
40' above the low ground by the shore. From
it a slight spur projects N'ward [Northward] flanked on
the E [East] by the burn and covered by another
trench which is carried round the front of it.
Between the inner ends of these trenches there is
a level interval some 22' in width. Before the
[Continued on page 33] |
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[Continued from page 32]
second trench which covers the spur is an
outer trench cut out of ground sloping
to seaward. These trenches appear to be
artificially formed but the area of the enceinte
is singularly small for a prehistoric fort.
Fort. Burrow Head.
On the W. [West] side of the highest part of Burrow Head
about 1/2 m. [mile] SSE. [South South East] of Cutcloy farm is a
remarkable promontory fort. The site is a
small grass covered promontory running
out to a sharp point with steep cliffs on the
flanks rising from narrow inlets in the rocks.
From the NW. [North West] the ground rises from a slight
hollow to the top of the promontory and runs
out to landward at the higher level to the NW [North West] in a
narrow flat topped ridge for some 60 to 70 yds. [yards].
To the E. [East] the site is cut off from the higher and
adjacent part of the headland by a natural
depression which runs out on the face of
the cliff and has probably been deepened.
Commencing at the edge of the cliff in the
hollow on the W [West] is an outer trench some
30' in width & 14' in depth below the crest
of the scarp, which is surmounted by a mound,
carried right across the front
of the promontory through the higher ridge
where it diminishes in width & depth to
[Continued on page 34] |
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[Continued from page 33]
meet the depression on the E. [East] near the cliff face.
Within this line on the NW. [North West] and at a level of some
5' below the top of the mound above the scarp is a
flat interval some 36' in width with a slight
continuous hollow on the inner side and a steep
scarp above it to the interior
rising to a height of 15'. The broad interval is
not continued across the projecting ridge which
being on the level of the
interior of the fort and more assailable has
borne additional defences. At the base of the
inner scarp there is a narrow ditch which, in:
:terrupted by a roadway 17' in width is carried
to the cliff on the E. [East] some 20' in front & separated
by a mound 5' in height on the E. [East] side but
lower towards the W. [West], is a second ditch 15' in
width, between it and the outer ditch which
is continuous across the front. The entrance
seems to have been direct through the defences
to the interior along the ridge. Where it passes
into the interior the gap in the rampart is 8'
wide. The mound on the left or E. [East] side of the
entrance at this point is flattened towards the
exterior and may be the site of a hut.
The total length of the interior is 135' and
its breadth about 60' near the centre. |
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[Continued from page 34]
[Opposite page - photograph inserted]
Glasserton Church
There is a picturesque belfry surmounting
the W. [West] gable of this church, which was brought
from the old church at Kirkmaiden.
Mural. Monument.
Built into the N. [North] wall of a small roofless
burial aisle at the E [East] end of Glasserton church
is a monument
bearing a coat of arms 1st and 4th.
see rubbing.
Beneath the shield are two rows of small masks
and along the base runs the following
inscription. Heir lyis D. G.D. Lady Garlies
quha deceissit the XIII day of August ye
Zeir of God 159-. The frame of the
monument is enriched with a chequer orna:
:ment. Its total height is 3'.10" and in breadth
across the upper portion 1'.11". At the base
the inscription is carried beyond the line of
the frame at one side.
Within the church are lying broken parts
of the round head of a celtic cross
(see rubbing) which was found at the
stone base of the pulpit when some work was
being done in the church about 20 yrs. [years] ago.
& accidentally broken by a workman's hammer.
Mote Glasserton.
Partially within a wood about 1/2 m. [mile] SSW. [South South West]
of Glasserton House is a fortified site .
[Continued on page 36] |
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[Page] 36
[Continued from page 35]
formed on the end of a ridge running from
the S. [South] and terminating abruptly with an
elevation of from 20' to 30'. A trench some
30' wide has been excavated across the ridge
and along the flanks as far as the level
of the adjacent ground required it but where
the end of the ridge projected to a higher level
towards the N. [North] it did not appear to have been con:
:tinued. The depth of the trench where it
crosses the ridge is about 5' and along the
E [East] some 12' below the crest of the scarp and 5' below that
of the counterscarp. Along the edge of the enceint[e]
there has been a mound remaining to a height
of about 4' on the SE [South East]. The entrance appears
to have been over the ditch & through the
mound from the SW. [South West]. Within the wood
the site is so overgrown with bracken that the
details are not distinct.
Cup & ring Marks. Glasserton.
On the rough hill pasture between Broad Lane
wood to the W. [West] of Glasserton and the base of
Carleton Fell are a number of ridges of
outcropping rock lying parallel
in a direction from WSW [West South West] to ENE [East North East]. Towards
[Continued on page 37] |
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[Continued from page 36]
the S. end of one of the most Easterly of these ridges
? some 50 yds. [yards] or thereby ENE. [East North East] of the E [East] side of
the gate which gives access to the Westmost of
the fields at the base of the Fell is a flat
rock surface measuring 38' in length by
about 15' at its broader or WSW [West South West] end and terminating
in a point in the opposite direction. It has
an elevation at its highest end of about 5'
and has a round smooth surface sloping
towards the SE [South East] and E.NE [East North East]. On the broad
end are a number of cup & ring markings
(see rubbing)
Laggan Camp Fort
On an isolated round low hill separated
from the S. [South] cliffs of Carleton Fell by a narrow
glen is the Laggan Camp. The flanks of
the hill are steep all round except where
a neck at the NNW. [North North West] connects it with the Fell.
The summit has been defended on the
ridge of the hill on the E [East] by a ditch some 20' wide
and 5' deep below the crest of the scarp
with a mound on the outside. Along the
sides the remains of the defences are slight &
also on the N. [North]. At the NW. [North West] they appear to
have consisted of two terraces about 12' wide, one
about 8' below the other.
[Continued on page 38] |
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[Continued from page 37]
"Wren's Egg" Blairbuie
Some 300 yds. [yards] NW. [North West] of the farm house of Blairbuie
on a slight eminence there stands a large gran:
:itic iceborne boulder around which there formally
stood a double concentric stone circle. Only
two small pointed boulders remain opposite members
of each circle, some 6' apart and E [East] by N. [North] of the
central boulder. The radius of the outer circle
has been 66'. On the face of a slope about
1/4 m. [mile] S. [South] by E. [East] of the Wren's Egg, and to the W. [West] of the
S. [South] end of Blairbuie Loch stand two other small
pointed stones (?) E [East] and W. [West] of each other and
some [--] ft. [feet] apart.
Arrived at Monreith about 6.30 to stay
for a couple of nights.
7th July 1911. Fort Barsalloch Point.
At Barsalloch Point about 3/4 m. [mile] W. [West] of
the village of Monreith is a fort under
the care of H.M. [His Majesty] Office of Works. It is situated
on the edge of the heugh where it rises some
60' or 70' above the level of the 20' beach. The
fort is formed by a deep ditch with a mound
on each side in form of a horse shoe with
its ends resting on the heugh. The ditch
measures some 33' in width from crest to
crest, 12' in greatest depth below the crest of
the scarp and 9' below that of the counterscarp.
The ground slopes downwards from the edge
[Continued on page 39] |
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[Continued from page 38]
of the heugh and at the lower level the defences
are now less important the ditch having probably silted
up. The mound above the scarp is low, rising
only about 2' above the interior while that above
the counterscarp has an elevation of only about
3' on the outside. The entrance appears to have
crossed the defences diagonally from the NE. [North East]
entering the fort at its lowest point but its
actual position is obscured by the erection of
a turf bank which has partially obliterated the
outer lines.
Kirkmaiden Church
Lying within a railed enclosured
outside the old church of Kirkmaiden are
three sculptured stones. (No. 1.) Is a slab
6'.2" in length 1'.8" broad at the head & diminish:
:ing to 1'.2" at the foot bearing incised on its
surface a cross with expanding arms
contained with in a circle set on a shaft
resting upon a calvary. On the left side
is a broad sword with a midrib,
thin depressed quillons, a cylindrical grip
and a triangular or conical pommel set on a
plate. The slab is broken in four pieces (see rub. [rubbing] 9)
No. 2. A broken fragment the shaft of a cross
ornamented on both sides with celtic inter:
:laced ornament. Total length 3'. breadth
[Continued on page 40] |
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[Continued from page 39]
of shaft 1'.2" - of neck 8". (No. 3.) A small
square panel of interlaced ornament measuring
over all 2'.1" x 1'.4", described in the Early Christ. [Christian]
Mon. [Monuments (of Scotland)] (See rubbings.)
Fort. Back Bay.
On a grass topped promontory of small
extent jutting out from the face of the cliffs
at the S. [South] end of Back bay are the remains of a
small stone built fort. The neck of the
promontory some 125' in breadth has been
traversed by a ditch 28' wide, 8' in depth
below the crest of the counterscarp and 5' below
the scarp. On the top of the latter there remain
on both faces a row of large stones evidently
the foundation of a wall some 8' in thickness.
At 23' from the edge of the cliff on the S. [South]
a roadway about 9' wide passes on the
hard into the interior. In rear of the
entrance a hollow appears to
mark the line of a passage between two
walls for a distance of 48', seemingly about
7' for 40' and contracting thereafter. Near
its termination a large slab protrudes about
1' above the turf facing across it. To the right
or N. [North] of the passage immediately behind the
rampart there appears to have been an
enclosure measuring approximately 28' x 26'
[Continued on page 41] |
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[Continued from page 40]
apparently rectilinear but the indications on the
surface are too vague to admit of a definite
statement. In rear of this where the level of the
promontory falls away to seaward there is
a small plateau which appears to have been
levelled measuring 22' in diameter.
Fell of Barhullion. Fort.
The Fell of Barhullion rises with a
gradual slope from the NW. [North West] to a height
of 450'. Its highest point is the end of a
rocky ridge which crosses the broad back
of the Fell from the Northward terminating
in an outcrop of rock and steeply scarped
flanks. Towards the S. [South] end of this ridge
there has been erected an oval fort surrounded
by a massive wall of dry building. On
the E. [East] this wall is overgrown with vegetation
but on the W. [West] the face of it is in places
exposed and the amount of stone and
the size of the blocks indicate its massive character.
At one point towards the SW. [South West] a slight
excavation has been made and two parallel
wall faces are exposed about 5' apart which
probably indicate the position of the entrance.
The thickness of the wall disclosed near this
point is 11'. Parallel with the W. [West] wall and
a short distance within it there appears to be
[Continued on page 42] |
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[Continued from page 41]
second and thinner wall and there are indications
of it crossing the interior towards the S. [South] end.
The interior measurements, as far as ascertainable,
are length 140' breadth 66'. The
W. [West] wall appears to overlap at the S. [South] end and to
contain a chamber in rear of it but these details
are not accurately ascertainable without excavation.
Ring Mark Long Maiden Feys
In the Long Maiden Feys on the farm of
Blairbuie S. [South] of the Fell of Barhullion and
about 1/4 m. [mile] N. [North] of Laroch farm buildings is a
low flat outcrop of rock on the surface of
which there is a single large ring mark
consisting of 5 Concentric rings with no
radial groove, The symbol is slightly imperfect at one
side owing to a fracture of the rock (See rubbing)
Cup & ring Marks Big Balcraig
On the farm of Balcraig on the N. [North] side of the
road from Port William and about 1/4 W. [West] of
the Smithy at Myrton are a number of
cup and ring marks at the S. [South] end of a rock,
facing due N. [North] (see rubbings)
The rock is situated some [--] from
the road and may be identified by the thicket
of whin & blackthorn growing on the end of it.
Cup & ring Marks
To the E. [East] of the end of the wood which runs S. [South]
from Clarksburn Smithy is a rock sculp:
:tured with cup & ring markings. The field
[Continued on page 43] |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-42 |
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6 lines from bottom - missing distance is 130 yards (see the 'Fifth Report and Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in Galloway, Volume 2, County of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright' (1914)) |
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[Page] 43
[Continued from page 42]
is in crop and the particular rock was not
identified as the marks are probably covered.
Cup Marks Drumtroddan
In a grass field about 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] of the N. [North] lodge
to Monreith House is a flat rock surface
on which are exposed where the turf has
been removed several groups of cup & ring
markings., (see plan &c.) now under the care of
H.M. [His Majesty] Office of Works.
Standing Stones.
Within a thick young plantation about 1/4 m. [mile] NE. [North East]
of the N. [North] lodge gate of Monreith House are three
standing stones, two erect and one fallen
(see plan &c.) This monument is also under
the care of H.M. [His Majesty] Office of Works
Artificial Island. White Loch Auchness
At the E [East] end of the White Loch which is
situated about 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] of Auchness and
now almost entirely drained, is a mass of
stones which at one time has formed an
island, measuring superficially some
70' by 80' and in elevation 8' or 9'. Along
the N [North] side is a range of rectangular buildings
consisting of three houses or rooms, the largest
measuring 21' x 13' with walls 2'.6" in thickness.
Separated by a passage 11' wide running from
end to end is another small rectangular building
and at the end of it near the centre of the island
on the S. [South] side a wide inlet for a boat built up both
[Continued on page 44] |
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[Page] 44
[Continued from page 43]
sides. The island has been formed of very large
stones and there is no evidence disclosed of
structure in its composition. From the E [East] end of it
a causeway or stepping stones leads to the firmer
ground which has been the margin of the lake.
The size & character of the buildings on this island
are similar to those of the structures on the
islands in Loch Maberry and Loch Ochiltree.
8th July.
Fished on Loch Eldrig on my way back
from Monreith but the wind was in the wrong
direction and I had little success.
10th July 1911.
Writing up notes all day.
11th July 1911.
Motored to Balgrennan where I called on
Mr. Muir the Minister who took me to see an
unnoted cairn.
Penningham [Penninghame] Par. [Parish] Balgrennan [Bargrennan]
About 300 yds [yards] S [South] by E [East] of
Bargrennan Manse and some 40 yds [yards] W. [West] of the
Cree at a spot known as "Scroggie" is a cairn overgrown with grass.
It is oval on plan measuring 43' from
N [North] to S. [South] by 64' from E [East] to W. [West] but part of the
extension in the latter direction appears to
be due to dilapidation. Its greatest elevation
is about 5'.
12 July 1911.
On the rocky shore about 1/2 m. [mile] NW. [North West] of Stairhaven
Fort. Stairhaven (unnoted)
is a small fortified site. A peninsular rock
cut off on the S. [South] by a narrow creek presents
[Continued on page 45] |
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[Page] 45
[Continued from page 44]
to landward a wall of rock some 15' in height. In
rear of this are one or two small grassy plats,
the largest some 10' square, beyond which jagged
and irregular the rock dips to seaward. Across
the isthmus extending for some 70' there is a
hollow some 12' in width which appears to be natural across which
at 36' from the N [North] end
a roadway of stones some 7' in width has been
formed. The numerous blocks of stone lying on the
sides of the roadway and on the scarps of the
hollow indicate stone parapets or walls. The
approach across the hollow faces the perpendicular
rock beneath which it turns Northward and
passes behind it at the N. [North] side. To the South
ward across the head of the creek a grassy
hollow between the rocks leading towards the
approach appears to have been closed by cross
-walls at both ends.
Stairhaven. (15)
On the W. [West] side of the Milton Burn about
100 yds. [yards] above where it enters the sea and
on the edge of a bank about 15' in height
are the indefinite remains of a small
circular or oval construction, possibly a hut circle,
measuring over all some 30' by 24' partially
broken away on the E. [East] side. Its longest
axis is from N. [North] by W. [West] to S [South] by E [East]. |
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[Page] 46
Stairhaven Broch-like Structure.
The heughs to the S. [South] of Stairhaven rise to
an altitude of about 100' above the shore and
from them there project with sharp declivity
a number of narrow rocky ridges or spurs.
One of these has a broader termination
than the rest presenting a plat some 80' in breadth
before it drops sharply to the water some 30'
below, and on this there lie the ruins of a
circular broch-like structure so confused, how-
-ever, that its true character is only determinable
by excavation. On the N. [North] side at one or two
points small segments of the outer wall
face are exposed but the inner face is
entirely concealed as is also the exterior
on the S. [South] side. The structure appears
to be approximately circular measuring
39' from front to back by 42' across.
On the N. [North] side at right angles to one of the
exposed segments of wall a facing is exposed
for a distance of 3' inwards terminating at
12' from the exterior
but as neither a continuation nor return
of this wall was to be seen it is impossible
to say whether it marks the entrance to
a chamber or whether it indicates a wall crossing the
interior as in the structure at Slock Mill
in Kirkmaiden Parish The mass of debris
[Continued on page 47] |
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[Page] 47
[Continued from page 46]
rises to a height of about 8' above the level at the
back of the structure which must be almost
that of the foundation. From the exterior on
the front the elevation is about 5'. Across
the ridge immediately in front of the building there
appears to have been a trench some 14' in width.
The ruin is known to the fishermen on the Coast
as the "Broken Castle".
Cairn Tooter Laigh Sinniness. (35)
In the angle of a field about 350 yds. [yards] E. [East] of Laigh
Sinniness farm-house are the remains of a
large circular construction with a diameter
of about 80' reduced almost to ground level and
overgrown with grass. A raised margin
around it is almost all that remains of the
cairn which it is said to have been.
Fort. Laigh Sinniness. (16)
On the shore line about 1/4 m. [mile] S. [South] by W. [West] of Laigh
Sinniness a promontory rock projects sea-
-ward flanked on the E. [East] by a glen running
up towards the farm. The top of the rock
is flat and covered with grass and has
an elevation of some 50' or thereby above
high water mark. Across the landward
end of the headland from the edge of the
glen on the E. [East] to the cliff on the opposite
side there has been erected a single bank
of earth and stone some 6' to 7' in height
[Continued on page 48] |
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[Page] 48
[Continued from page 47]
with a trench in front some 15' broad and now
remaining visible only at the E. [East] end. Within the bank
roughly parallel to it and some 40' distant there
has been erected a wall between points of outcropping
rock, except towards the
NW. [North West] where a gap has been left between two rocks for
an entrance. The wall is entirely broken down
and is represented by a mass of loose stones
some 40' wide between the central points of rock.
It seems to have been about 20' thick at base.
The entrance has passed directly through the
defences at the W. [West] end opening into the
enceinte opposite the edge of the cliff.
The area of the interior measures some 70' - 80'
in length to seaward by 66' in breadth and
the length of the frontage is about 200'.
Against the outer face of the inner wall
near its E [East] end is a stony foundation
measuring some 10' in diameter
Mochrum Par [Parish] Corwall (7) O.S. [Ordnance Survey] Fort
In a grass field about 1/2 m. [mile] NE. [North East] of Corwall
farm there is a circular area covered with
odd heaps of stones and overgrown with
bracken around a small segment of which
there appears a bank of earth & stone. It
lies at the bottom of the slope of the field
and though it may it have been a
defensive enclosure has not been a fort.
Corwall - (7)
About 1/4 m. [mile] E. [East] by N. [North] of Corwall farm house
[Continued on page 49] |
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[Page] 49
[Continued from page 48]
on low lying ground is an oval enclosure
with its longest axis N. [North] and S. [South] surrounded by a
stony bank some 10' in thickness and measuring
interiorly 96' by 68'. At the N. [North] end a section of the
interior with a radius of about 24' is raised about
1 1/2' above the general level of the interior.
Cairn. (23)
The cairn marked on the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] to the NE. [North East] of
Corwall farm has either been removed or re:
:duced to a negligible state.
Cairn Corwall (24)
On the moor about 1/4 m. [mile] S. [South] of Corwall farm there
is a cairn measuring some 30' in diameter
the interior of which has been cleared out.
Some 50' to the S. [South] is a small low cairn with
a diameter of 12' and an elevation of 1'.6"
while another of similar dimensions lies a
short distance to the NE. [North East].
Fort. (No. 8)
Between Corwall Port and Chippermore
Port above the heughs the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] indicates a
fort. I could find no trace of this where
marked and the site appeared to be under
crop.
13th July 1911.
Skaith Hill. To see if there were any
traces of fortification or of vitrifaction I
visited Skait hill a grassy eminence which
rises to the E [East] of East Mains of Baldoon farm
house. The entire top of the hill has been
[Continued on page 50] |
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[Page] 50
[Continued from page 49]
excavated probably for gravel to a depth of four
or five feet and I could observe no undoubted
indication of defensive lines nor any vitrified
stone. The hill has long been in grass. The
farm servant whom I questioned knew of no
vitrifaction having been found on it but said
that the old shepherd at Balfern had been
for a long time on the farm.
Kirkinner (Cross)
Stopped the car at Kirkinner to look for the
second cross mentioned in the Early Christ. [Christian]
Mons. [Monuments of Scotland]. I was fortunate in finding in the
churchyard an old native, the village postman
also the local sculptor of tombstones both
of whom assured me that there had never
[Margin] The crosses are quite different [initialled] J.C.
been in their memories more than the one
cross there. The descriptions must refer
to the same monument before & after it
was clamped.
[Opposite page - text inserted] Later.
The second cross is illustrated & quite distinct
[Initialled] AOC
Sorbie Par. [Parish] Fort Doonhill
On a ridge about 1/4 m. [mile] NW. [North West] of Doonhill farm
is a small circular fort situated in a position
commanding an extensive prospect in
all directions except towards the W [West]. The
defences have consisted of a trench some
30' in width across the top, between two
earthen mounds each about 18' broad at base.
The inner mound at highest has an elevation
[Continued on page 51] |
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[Page] 51
[Continued from page 50]
of about 5' above the interior and 6' above the
bottom of the ditch while the outer mound
rises to a height of 5'.6" and 4' above the ditch
and the level of the ground on the exterior respectively.
On the W. [West] the defences have been entirely ploughed
down and only on the N. [North] for a short distance
does the outer mound remain. The interior
which is under cultivation measures 110' from
E [East] to W. [West] by 100' from N [North] to S [South].
Kirkinner Par. [Parish] ? Standing Stone Culbae (unnoted)
In a cultivated field about 1/4 m. [mile] SW. [South West] of
Culbae farm is a small boulder set on
end 3' in height above ground, oval in section
measuring 2'.4" in longest diameter. It is
not very deeply planted in the ground and its
antiquity as a monument is doubtful. It faces
N [North] by W. [West] and S [South] by E [East].
Standing Stone. Longcastle. (10)
About [--] N [North] of Longcastle School and 25' W. [West] of
the road from Whauphill to Port William
stands a block of grey Silurian sandstone
4'.10" in height above ground and 2'.4" in
breadth, facing S. [South] by E [East]. At 36' to the E. [East] of it
and crossed by the wall at the roadside
stands a large granitic boulder 3'.6" high
& 3'.2" broad facing WSW. [West South West] and ENE [East North East], while
several other large boulders may be seen built into the
wall nearby. These various stones suggest that
[Continued on page 52] |
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[Page] 52
[Continued from page 51]
there may have been a stone circle here.
Artificial Island. Dowalton Loch (6.)
About 3/4 m. [mile] E [East] of Boreland of Longcastle on what
has been the N. [North] end of Dowalton Loch now drained
where the bottom has been shallow is
an Artificial island now overgrown with trees,
blackthorn and rank grass. It is a great
oval mass of large stones rising to a height
of about 4' and measuring diametrically over
the more or less level top 70' by 45'.
Glasserton Par. [Parish] Crannog Dowalton Loch (4)
About 3/4 SE. [South East] of Boreland of Longcastle on a
swampy area in an angle between two woods
formerly in Dowalton Loch is a crannog
entirely concealed beneath a clump of rhododen:
:drons.
(See Antiquaries. Munro's Lake Dwellings, & Ayr
& Wigtown Collections for accounts of
excavations of crannogs in Dowalton Loch.)
Kirkinner Par. [Parish] Longcastle site of (16)
The site of Longcastle appears to have been
an artificial island composed of large blocks of stone situated at the edge of Dowalton
Loch and about 1/2 m. [mile] SE. [South East] of the farm of
Boreland of Longcastle. At the N. [North] side there
are remains of a wall 4'.6" in thickness which
seems to be part of the castle while along the S. [South]
side there are the ruins of a small rectangular
building with walls 2'.6" in thickness and
measuring some 32' in length interiorly divided
[Continued on page 53] |
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[Page] 53
[Continued from page 52]
by a partition wall 2' thick at 8' from the E [East] end.
Standing St. [Stone] Barvernockan (8)
In a cultivated field about 1/4 m. [mile] NE. [North East] of Barvernockan
is a standing stone of conglomerate measuring
3'.10" in height above ground, 5'.3" in breadth,
1'.8" in thickness, and facing S [South] by E [East].
Fort "The Doon" S. [South] Cluttag
At the S. [South] end of a plantation which runs S'ward [Southward]
from the roadside and about 1/2 m. [mile] SSE. [South South East] of South
Clutag farm is a prominent rock which with
steep sides rises to a height of 12' to 14' on the
N. [North] and some 25' on the S [South]. Around the base
except on the SE. [South East] & E [East] where the ground falls
sharply from the base of the rock there has been
excavated a narrow trench some 7' to 10' in
width. The summit appears to have been
surrounded by a broad stony mound or delapidated wall but
as in addition to trees the whole is overgrown
with brackens rising to a height of over 6' details
are not patent to observation. The fort is
said to be an irregular oval in form measuring
120' from E [East] to W. [West] by 100' from N. [North] to S. [South] and the
entrance is said to be at the S. [South] and 12' wide.
(Rev. [Reverend] G. Wilson's Ref.) [Notes of Antiquities of Wigtownshire]
Mochrum Par. [Parish] Mote Hill Crailloch - (5)
Some 250 yds. [yards] NE. [North East] by E [East] of Crailloch Farm
a rocky ridge running in a NE'ly [North Easterly] direction terminates with a height of
from 15' to 20' above the surrounding level.
The highest point supplemented with material
[Continued on page 54] |
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[Page] 54
[Continued from page 53]
so as to form a level circular plat with a diameter of 35'
has been utilized as a mote. Around the edge
of this summit there appears ~ a low stony parapet
or wall overgrown with grass. Some 7' below
the summit except on the NW. [North West] and across the N. [North] side
of the crest of the ridge there has been formed a
trench some 10' in width passing through rock
or faced with a stony mound. Along the
crest of the ridge facing the NW. [North West] there remain
the foundations of a wall running towards the summit
and terminating at 15' distant with a return SE [South East].
Passing diagonally up the slope from the S. [South] is
a roadway some 6' in width meeting the
trench on the SE. [South East]. Along the edge of
the roadway above the slope there appears to have
been a wall. At the foot of the ridge on the
SE. [South East] are the remains of walls which have
formed the base court. From the point
where the roadway meets the trench a
wall passes directly to the base for a
length of about 40' beyond which it has
been obliterated, while 65' to the W'ward [Westward]
another wall which appears to have been
of greater strength measuring some 11' in
thickness at base & with large square blocks
on the face at ground level runs out parallel
[Continued on page 55] |
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[Page] 55
[Continued from page 54]
[Opposite page - Sketch inserted]
from the lower level of the road. This wall
has also been torn up except for a short distance.
There appears to have been an entrance through
it near the base of the ridge. A third wall running
from the point beside the roadway where the
second commences seems to have passed
segmentally at 33' distant from the entrance
through the latter and to have junctioned with it
beyond thus forming an outer ward. An
expansion opposite at the entrance through it
suggests the existence of a bailey
On our way home we stopped at
the Old Place of Mochrum which has been
restored by the late and the present Marquesses
of Bute. All the rooms are panelled on
walls and ceilings, for the most part
in unexceptional taste. The stone fireplace
in the gun room with gothic finials and
crockets combining with very natural rowan
leaves and berries was the only detail of
the whole building I disliked . Nothing
could be more charming than the Dutch
garden with its geometric beds ablaze with
colour enclosed by a grey stone dyke.
The weather has been excessively hot for
some days. |
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[Page] 56
14th July 1911.
McGibbon & Co. called for me in his car
& I accompanied them to Whithorn where I
examined the sculptured stones &c. and
interviewed Mr. Hawthorn to whom Sir Herbert
referred me and Mr. Lawrie, Lord Bute's Agent.
The train which I wished to catch at Newton Stewart
was so late that I walked home - 8 miles.
15th July 1911.
Mr. Headrick had so many points to consider
regarding the Caithness index that it seemed
best for him to come & see me at Kirkcowan.
I was consequently engaged all morning with him.
17th July 1911.
A change in the weather. The sunshine has
gone for the present and it is wet. Writing
up notes has occupied me all day. Yester:
:day I revised the map for the Caithness
Volume & returned it to Edinburgh.
21st & 22nd July. 1911.
Excavated "Teroy Broch". Its situation
is described in Vol. [Volume] 1. The broch was entered from
ENE. [East North East] or higher end of the hillock 16' back
from the top of the scarp of the ditch. The
passage at the entrance was 2'.4" wide and
was entered obliquely for the first 2', so as to allow for an angle of
rock which projected out from the face of the wall
for 8" on the left. At 4'.6" inwards on the right
was the entrance to a guard chamber which had passage
through the wall for a distance of about 3' but
[Continued on page 57] |
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[Page] 57
[Continued from page 56]
the portion of wall on the left which separated the chamber
from the passage had been removed down to the founda:
:tion. The chamber extended inward following
the curve of the broch wall for a distance of 10'.
At 5' inward a large block with building at the back
of it projected outwards from the WSW. [West South West] wall for a
distance of 3'.6" dividing the chamber into two compart:
:ments, the outer one measuring 5' in breadth and
the inner one 3'. At the entrance to the guard-
-chamber the main passage had a width of 2'
and where it opened on the courtyard 2'.3". The
extreme length was 12'.6". There were no traces
of door checks but at the inner extremity a
sill some 6" broad projected slightly above
the floor level. The interior court measured 29'
in diameter. The natural surface was very
uneven with outcropping rock but there were
indications of levelling up and of a floor of
flags having been laid over the top. The
greatest height of wall visible in the interior
was 2'.4" but for a 1/3 of the periphery the
wall had been almost entirely removed,
the position of the stair was consequently
unobtainable. The building was very good
the spaces between the larger stones being
very neatly filled with small flat fragments. |
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[Page] 58
The base of the wall within the guard chamber was
formed of large flat slabs set on edge so as to form
a smooth face to the interior. The excavation
did not reveal evidence of long occupation. In
the larger compartment of the guard chamber the
discoloured stratum marking the level of occupation
was not deep and in the inner compartment it
was entirely absent. The debris was cleared off
for a width of about 5' right across the
interior, also around the inner wall face
for 18" while one or two additional clearances
were made at likely spots. Near the spot where a
flagstone is indicated on the plan at the WSW. [West South West]
side a considerable amount of dark soil
inmixed with charcoal & a few fragments
of burnt bone lay in the crevices of a rock
and from this was recovered two very small
pieces of dark red pottery; while from near this
spot came a lump of iron weighing [--].
[Opposite page - text inserted] There was also recovered the ? upper stone of a
rotary quern.
In the main passage was found half of a
disc of very coarse pottery perforated in the
centre 4" in diameter & [--] in thickness.
A number of water worn pebbles were unearthed
but none of them showed any signs of use.
Besides the particles of burnt bone & a fragment of a
cockle shell & a small bone of an ox no other food refuse was seen. |
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[Page] 59
On the rock on the floor of the outer compartment of the guard
chamber there lay some particles of iron entirely corroded.
24th July 1911.
Bicycled with Bryce to the cairn at Garvelland showing
the frontal semicircle; & made a plan & took photographs
which I had not been able to do before. We agreed that
the third cist was a secondary short cist not a part of
the original construction. In the afternoon we visited
the cairn at High Gillespie which we hope may be
excavated in the Autumn.
25th July
Wrote notes in morning & after lunch bicycled to Carscreuch.
The cairn marked on the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] is not worth noting. It
is a small construction & if it has been a cairn it has been
long ago cleared out!
The bee-hive well at Airyligg ford mentioned by Miss
Hamilton is quite a modern construction built with mortar.
Old Luce Par [Parish]
S. [Site] 49.
About 1 m. [mile] WSW. [West South West] of Barlae farm, to the S. [South]
of Blairderry Moss and about ¼ m. [mile] N. [North] of the
railway is a short isolated ridge at the edge of
the flow. On its (?)NW [North West] face about 10' in elevation above the
level of the flow is a ring of stones with an
interior diameter of 12'. There is no entrance
visible, nor do the stones show any sign of
construction but if they have originally formed a wall
it has been but one stone thick & from 1' to 1'.6" high.
Some 30 yds. [yards] to the E [East] on the top of the ridge is a delapi:
:dated cairn-like heap of stones of low elevation
[Continued on page 60] |
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[Page] 60
[Continued from page 59]
[Opposite page - text inserted] and measuring some 12' in diameter, while 30 yds [yards]
to the Westward of the latter is a low mound of
earth & stone overgrown with grass of similar diameter and about
1 1/2' high. Among the ferns which cover the
top of the ridge adjacent to the mounds there
is observable the low bank of a small enclosure.
[Margin] Kirkcowan Craighlaw.
Standing in the path which leads towards
Craighlaw from the NW. [North West] is a tall angular
block of whinstone 6'.11" in height known as the
"hanging stone". It was taken from an
adjacent spot where it formerly lay & erected in its
present position some years ago.
Kirkcudbright
11 July 1911.
Though I still have a day or two's work in
Wigtown I have been tempted by the fine
weather to commence my survey in the hill
country of the Stewarty.
Minnigaff Par. [Parish] Cairn Clauchaneasy (9)
On the N. [North] side of the branch road which
leads to Minniwick, about 100 yds [yards] WSW [West South West] of
its junction with the road to Borgan and
at the base of a small rocky eminence lies
a round cairn with a diameter of 12' and
elevation of 1 1/2' constructed of large angular
pieces of stone gathered from the surface of
the moorland.
Cairn Cairnderry (15)
Some 3 1/2 ms. [miles] from Bargrennan on the road
to Barrhill, on a slight hillock to the
E [East] of the [--] burn & about 80 yds. [yards] N. [North] of the road
are the remains of a large cairn. Most
of the stones have been removed and the
site is overgrown with heather, the
remains of three megalithic cists however,
still exist. The cairn
is pearshaped lying with its longest
axis almost N [North] and S [South] and measures 92'
in length, 70' in breadth at 28' from the
S. [South] end - expanding to 81' at 40' - the removal
of the stones, however, renders exact definition
[Continued on page 61] |
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[Page] 61
[Continued from page 60]
[Opposite page - photograph inserted]
[Opposite page - sketch inserted]
impossible. In the interior are the remains
of three megalithic cists placed in form of
a triangle and each apparently separately
entered from the outside. At 25' from the
S. [South] end in the mesial line of the cairn is the
outer stone of the first cist which has apparently
been entered from that end. Of this cist four
stones apparently remain in situ, two on one
side, one on the other, and the back stone.
The total length from the end of the outer stone
to the front of the back stone is 11'.4" and the width is
3' at the inner end and 3'.3" between the
outer ends of the opposite side stones. The
height above present floor level of the interior
of the back slab is 3'.9". The longer stone
on the E. [East] side is a large boulder which
appears to have been split before being
utilised as a side of the cist. Within the
cist there is standing on edge another large
stone 3'.5" above ground, 5'.7" in length and
2'.1" thick, which appears to have formed a
part of the roof. The second cist is
placed some 7' to the E. [East] of the mesial
line and faces the edge of the cairn
from which it is distant some 26'
towards the ENE [East North East]. Similar stones remain
of it as of the first cist viz, two stones on one side,
[Continued on page 62] |
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[Page] 62
[Continued from page 61]
one on the other and a stone at the back.
The total length of the side on which two stones reman is about 9'.6", the
breadth at the inner end 2'.8" and between
the outer extremities of the opposite side stones
2.5". The stone forming the back has
been broken off at a height of 1'.10" above the
ground. The side stones are 3' and 3'.3" in
height respectively. Leaning against the
outer face of the inner stone on the S. [South] side is a
slab 4'.2" in length and 3'.3" in breadth which
has probably formed a part of the roof.
The third cist is situated some 12' to the W. [West] of
the mesial line and faces N [North] by W [West]. The edge
of the cairn is somewhat indefinite in this
direction but appears to have been about 19'
distant. Three stones only remain, two on
one side and one on the other, the opposite stones placed from
3' to 4' apart. On the W. [West] side of the cairn four
large stones remain in the periphery set
at irregular intervals. There is no suggestion
of a frontal semicircle. (See plan)
Cairnkinnar Cairnkinnar Rig (14)
Situated on Cairnkinnar Rig about 3/4 m. [mile] E. [East]
of the shepherd's house at Corrafeckloch is
a large circular cairn which has been
quite recently dug into to a depth of 5'
but there is no evidence that the interment
[Continued on page 63] |
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[Page] 63
[Continued from page 62]
has been disturbed. The diameter over all
is 54' and the elevation from 6' to 7'.
Cairns. Unnoted
Some 30 yds [yards] to the S. [South] is a
low cairn formed of large stones, measuring
some 20' in diameter and 1' to 2' in elevation.
Hut circle Cairns. (Unnoted)
On the open moor about 1/4 m. [mile] S. [South] of Cairn Kinna
is a hut circle the wall of which, now a mere
foundation, has been formed with large stones
on both faces and smaller pieces in the
centre. The interior measures some 23' by 22'
and is entered from the E [East]. The thickness
of the bank or wall is 5' to 6' at the sides
and 8' at the entrance. On the side of it the
outline of the bank curves inwards towards
an upright stone which protruding about 10"
above the turf, has probably been a portal stone.
Some 40' to the S. [South] are the, remains of a cairn
of large stones, low in elevation and with
a diameter of about 12'. About 35' to the
SE. [South East] of it is another measuring some 13'
in diameter and 1 1/2' to 2' in height while
a few feet further S. [South] are the remains of a
third.
About 150 yds [yards] [--] of the hut circle are the
remains of several cairn-like constructions
built against the face of a low bank
[Continued on page 64] |
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[Page] 64
[Continued from page 63]
each measuring in diameter about 15' and
on the level area in front of them some 30'
distant there are three more regular-looking
cairns, the largest of which formed of large
stones measures some 20' in diameter and
1 1/2' to 2' in elevation. To the Southwards
about 80 yds [yards] are several other similar
heaps of stones. The largest of these has a
concavity on one side making it somewhat
kidney-shaped, and a slight hollow in
the centre. Along its longest axis it
measures 22' and across from what seems
to be an entrance on the E. [East] 12'. Some
of these constructions are possibly ruined
huts.
White Cairn Bargrennan (7)
On the lowest slope of Glencaird Hill towards
the SW. [South West] and about 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] of Bargrennan
Cottage is situated the "White Cairn". It
measures in diameter 50' and in eleva:
:tion about 7'. From the S. [South] it has to some
extent been pillaged for stones in the past
and in that direction there is consequently
a concavity in the outline. There is also
a small circular excavation about
2' in depth on the top. |
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[Page] 65
[Opposite page - 2 photographs inserted]
Chambered Cairn "White Cairn'' Bargrennan (8)
Situated on a high ridge of the moorland 1 m. [mile]
N. [North] of Bargrennan and about 1/4 m [mile] W. [West] of the road
to Glencaird, are the remains of a circular
cairn containing a single undivided chamber.
The cairn which has measured some 44' - 46' feet in
diameter has been in great measure removed
leaving the chamber exposed and still perfect
for the greater part of its length. It is set with
its longer axis NNW. [North North West] and SSE. [South South East] and has been
entered from the latter direction. The back,
formed of a flattish boulder set on edge, 3'.7" in
breadth, 3'.8" in height above the floor level
and 13" in thickness, is situated 16' in from
the NNW. [North North West] and 29' from the edge on the SSE [South South East]. The
extreme length of the chamber as remaining
is 18'.4" and for 10'.6" of that length from the inner end it is roofed
by two massive slabs, measuring, the
largest 6'.3" in length by 5'.8" in greatest breadth
and 1' in thickness, and the other 3'.4" in length
5' in breadth and 1'.7" in thickness. Between
these two slabs is a space varying from 4"
to 1' in width through which many stones have
evidently fallen into the interior. On the
NE [North East] side of the chamber the blocks of stone
at the base of the wall do not rise to the
full height and other large blocks and
[Continued on page 66] |
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[Page] 66
[Continued from page 65]
smaller stones have been used to built the wall to the
required elevation. The width at the back of the
chamber is 3'.7", at 7', it is 3'.6", at 11'.8" it is 2'.8"
whence it gradually contracts until at 18' it is only 1'.6".
Beyond this point one stone remains on the E [East] side
only all opposite having been removed.
There are no divisional stones in the chamber nor
portal stones and the passage appears to have
been formed by a gradual contraction.
18th July 1911.
Ascended Cairnsmore of Fleet in
showery weather & was fortunate in getting up
without being enveloped in cloud. Just as
we reached the top down it came and
just when I had made up my mind to steir
by the compass for the cairn on the South
end it rose again. Major McHarrie ac:
:companied me up to "the Beacon" and
entertained me so hospitably to tea on my
return that I was too late for the train &
had to bicycle home in the wet! He tells
me goldfinches are now fairly common near
Bardrochwood.
Minnigaff Par. [Parish] Bargaly or Bardrochwood Mote.
Situated in a low-lying meadow on the W. [West] side
of the road from Palnure to Bar:
:galy and about 100 yds. [yards] beyond Bardrochwood
is a long narrow gravel ridge rising to a
[Continued on page 67] |
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[Page] 67
[Continued from page 66]
height of 15' or 16' by a gradual slope from NW. [North West]
and with scarp at an angle of 33° at the SE [South East]. The
highest level continues for a distance of about 65'
with a narrow crest of an average breadth of 8'
expanding slightly towards its SE [South East] end forming
a plat with a breadth of about 10'. At the
base of the ridge at both ends and along a
part of the W. [West] side there is visible the
remains of a trench some 18' to 19' in width
and with a depth of from 2' to 3'.
Mahers Hill Moat or "The Beacon".
Situated on a grassy plateau at the base
of Ardwell Hill, a low spur of Cairnsmore of
Fleet, and 1 m. [mile] N. [North] of Cairnsmore House
at an elevation of 372' over sea level
is an oval mound which appears to be
formed of earth & stone. It is a simple truncated
cone rising to a height of 14' with a slope of
40° and measuring on its level summit
46' by 30'. There is no trench around its
base nor mound around the edge. Down
the glen of the Cairnsmore Burn the site commands
a view of the upper end of Wigtown Bay.
Ancient Dyke. Caimsmore
Running across the W. [West] face of the N. [North] portion of Cairnsmore
at about the 1600' elevation and in a
general direction NW [North West] & SE. [South East] are the remains
of a massive stone dyke. It is raised on
a foundation about 5'.6" in breadth formed
[Continued on page 68] |
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[Page] 68
[Continued from page 67]
of three parallel rows of large stones some 6"
to 8" apart, the largest stones being in the row
to the W. [West] on the lower slope on which side the
dyke appears to have been more particularly
faced than on the upper side. It has had an
elevation of from 5' to 6' gradually diminishing
in thickness as it rose till it finished
with a single row of moderate sized boulders.
but below this the stones for the most part are larger than could be lifted by a single man.
The stones forming the lower part are of great
size many of them measuring from 3' to 4'
in length and 1' to 1 1/2' in depth. The building
is very rude showing
no regular courses above the basal line of
large blocks. Where it crosses the shoulder
of Ardwell Hill, a spur of the mountain there
occurs a regularly built passage through the
wall 3' high and 1'.4" wide covered by a lintel
& evidently an original construction the transverse
slabs on the sides being regularly laid & there being
no foundation in the bottom of the opening.
The dyke appears to run from the glen of the
Craddock Burn on the S. [South] to the vicinity of the
Mill Burn on the N. [North] demarcating along
the hill side the rock strewn area from the
heather & grass clad slopes below. This
dyke is undoubtedly of considerable antiquity &
[Continued on page 69] |
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[Page] 69
[Continued from page 68]
I think may have been erected, say in the 16th or
17th century to keep the deer off the pasture land.
Cairn Cairnsmore (22)
On the highest point of Cairnsmore of Fleet
at an elevation of 2331' over sea level and
reduced almost to the level of the outcrop of rock
on which it has been placed is a circular cairn
measuring in diameter about 45'.
Cairn (Cairnsmore)
On the Southern summit of the mountain at a
level of 2132' is another circular cairn much
delapidated, reduced to an elevation of about
3' and measuring in diameter about 44'. (It
is surmounted by a modern beacon)
19th July 1911.
Train to Newton Stewart. Walked over to Minnigaff
& inspected the cairns &c. at Kirroughtree where
we had lunch.
Cairn. Minnigaff (24)
Situated on the S. [South] side of the road which leads
from Newton Stewart to Palnure & about 1/4 m. [mile]
E [East] of Cree Bridge near Minnigaff is a
circular cairn measuring some 65' in diameter
It rises to a height of from 8' to 9' from
the centre of a level platform or base of stones which
extends out from it for a distance varying
from 15' to 20'. The ground falls slightly to:
:wards the S. [South] and in that direction the base
has an elevation of about 4'.6". On the N. [North] it
appears to be somewhat lower but the bank by
the road side has interfered with it. The cairn
[Continued on page 70] |
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[Page] 70
[Continued from page 69]
has not been excavated.
Cairn Kirroughtree. (unnoted) site.
In the park of Kirroughtree adjacent to the road
from Newton Stewart to Palnure and about 100
yds. [yards] E. [East] of the junction of the branch road from
Machermore Castle is a large circular cairn
measuring in diameter about 70' and reduced
in elevation to about 2'. The chamber or cist has
in all probability been destroyed.
Cairn (Kirroughtree).
Some 200 yds. [yards] to the Eastward is another large
cairn more than one half of which has been
removed from the S. [South] side. It measures in
diameter 70' and the highest portion has
an elevation of 6'.
Cairn (Kirroughtree) unnoted.
Enclosed by a wall and partially overgrown
with trees situated about 1/2 m. [mile] SE. [South East] of Kirroughtree
house is a circular cairn measuring in
diameter some 65' and in elevation about 5'.6".
Some excavation has been done on the top
but the hole has been partially filled in and
no cist is exposed.
Cairn (Kirroughtree) Unnoted.
Within a circular walled enclosure resting
on the dyke which runs S. [South] from the E [East] avenue
to Kirroughtree house & about 1/4 - 1/2 m. [mile] SE [South East] of
the mansion is a large circular cairn
in good preservation measuring some
68' in diameter and 6'.6" in elevation. |
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[Page] 71
? Cairn (23) Kirroughtree
On a slight hillock on the N. [North] side of the
park about 1/4 m. [mile] E [East] by S. [South] of Kirroughtree house
there is a small round grassy mound
marked "cairn" on the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] map. It measures
in diameter about 24' and in elevation 2'.6".
A hollow on the top indicates probably that it has
been excavated.
"Parliament Know" Fortified Site Kirroughtree.
At the E [East] side of an area of rough
ground and about 1/2 m. [mile] E [East] of Kirroughtree
House is an oblong or circular rocky hillock standing
at the edge of a bank which declines towards
the E. [East]. Except on the E [East] there is a steep
scarp all around rising to a height of about
10' at an angle of 38° and from the edge of
the bank on the SE. [South East] round towards the NNW [North North West]
there is visible a ditch, now shallow, measuring
some 13' in width above the counterscarp of which
to judge from the loose stones lying upon it
there has probably been a wall. At the
point where the ditch appears to terminate
on the NNW. [North North West] there is a single upright stone in
the line of the counterscarp and a row
of stones may be seen converging towards the
base of the scarp. Around the summit
on the crest of the scarp there is visible a
stony mound except across the natural
[Continued on page 72] |
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[Page] 72
[Continued from page 71]
[Opposite page - photograph inserted]
bank on the E. [East] where a disordered mass of
stones may indicate the previous existence of a
wall. From this direction there is a suggestion
of a road leading up the slope. The highest
point of the interior rises to a height of about
9' to 10' above the level of the scarp at the sides.
From N [North] to S. [South] the area within the defences measures
about 96' and from E [East] to W. [West] about the same.
[Margin] [pencilled insert] omit Dovecot Kirroughtree.
In the park to the W. [West] of the house is an octagonal
brick dovecot about 15' in height and measuring
across each face of the octagon 6'.8". It is
probably a late 18th or early 19th century construction.
Cairn Kirroughtree (20)
In a strip of plantation and about 1/4 m. [mile] N W. [North West] of
of Kirroughtree there are the remains of a
circular cairn consisting of a ridge of
stones lying E [East] and W. [West] apparently
across the centre with an elevation of about
3'.6" & breadth of 12'. The original diameter
of the cairn is indefinite but appears to
have been about 60'.
Minnigaff Churchyard.
Within the ruined church of Minnigaff at the
E [East] end and built into the N. [North] wall is a square tablet
bearing in black letter the inscription "Hic
jacet Patricius M'Ke de Caloda me fecit
fieri" surrounding a shield & supporters
which may be blazoned
[Margin] (see Harper p.222)
[Continued on page 73] |
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[Page] 73
[Continued from page 72]
The stone measures 21" x 18".
Standing a few feet out from the wall in the NE. [North East]
corner of the church are two cross slabs des:
:cribed in the Early Christian
Monuments, also in Harper's Galloway Rambles.
Adjacent to the mural tablet also built into the
wall is a curiously carved stone measuring
13" by 7". At the upper end are two (?) ravens transfixed
by a dart and beneath the letters PMK and
the date 164-. At the lower end of the stone
is a small square of 3 1/2" hollowed to a depth of
1/2".
[Sketch inserted here]
20th July 1911.
T. Bryce joined me yesterday and today
we set out to visit the N. [North] of Minnigaff Par. [Parish].
The weather was doubtful when we started but
at Newton Stewart we got a motor & proceeded.
Before we reached our first objective the rain
was falling heavily and so it continued through:
:out the day.
Minnigaff Par. [Parish] Kirriemore Defensive Enclosure. (Unnoted)
Directly behind the shepherd's house at
Kirriemore is a circular elevated plateau on
the end of a low natural ridge. It is surrounded
by a scarp some 5' to 6' in height & showing a
[Continued on page 74] |
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[Page] 74
[Continued from page 73]
good deal of stone lying on the slope. The diameter
of the plateau is about 140'. Some 30 yds. [yards]
to the N. [North] of it is a small oval enclosure with its
longest axis WSW. [West South West] and ENE. [East North East] measuring interiorly
some 39' by 24' and surrounded by a bank of
earth and stone. The ground slopes towards
the WSW. [West South West] and at the higher end the floor
level is sunk about 2'.
King's Cairn Kirriemore (13)
About 1/2 m. [mile] ENE. [East North East] of the shepherd's house at Kirrie:
:more on the slope of the hillside is a large
cairn, much delapidated, known as the "Kings
Cairn". It measures in diameter 73' from E [East] to W. [West]
by 84' from N [North] to S. [South] and in elevation at highest
about 10'. It has been quarried on the top
and somewhat to the E [East] of the centre a large
slab is exposed indicating the position of a
megalithic cist or chamber.
Sheuchan's Cairn. (12)
This cairn is situated at the N. [North] end of a
hill which rises to a height of about 200 ft. [feet]
above the low land which intervenes
between it and the W. [West] end of Loch Moan about
1 m. [mile] distant and at an elevation above sea level
of 900'. It is in a hilly region with
Corrafeckloch rising to an elevation of a thousand
feet over sea level to the S. [South] of it and Garwall Hill 130' higher on
the E [East]. The cairn measures in diameter 51' and
[Continued on page 75] |
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[Page] 75
[Continued from page 74]
in elevation 5'. At 15' inwards from the SE [South East] edge
a megalithic chamber has been exposed lying
NW. [North West] and SE. [South East] and measuring 7' in length by 3'
in breadth.
To reach this cairn from the road on the E [East]
we had a long walk through heavy rain and
mist and experienced some difficulty in locating
it. At Bargrennan we visited the "White
Cairn". Mr. Hay had cleared out all the stones
from the interior but had not yet examined the
soil on the floor.
Glencaird. House. Carved stones
Built into the front gables of Glencaird house near
the apex are two carved stones said to have
been taken from the old house of Eschonchan.
The stone on the westmost of the gables bears within
a circular moulding, the date 1694 beneath
the initials I MK. and A H with armorial bearings
two ravens transfixed by an arrow above a left
hand appaumé. The stone on the other gable
bears a date partly obliterated but which seems to
belong to the 16th century. In the centre a circular
compartment is charged heraldically (see "Harper"
for this.) and beneath it are the initials A H.
Each stone is about 2' square.
Ancient Bridge Minniwick.
Crossing the Minnock about 1 1/2 M. [Miles] above its
junction with the Cree is an ancient bridge
[Continued on page 76] |
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[Page] 76
[Continued from page 75]
[Opposite page - 2 photographs inserted]
forming a high circular arch at a point where
the stream is narrowed to a deep pool by the
intrusion of rocks from either side. Locally this
bridge is called Roman but though is antiquity
is undoubted it shows no feature which is
Roman. A fifteenth or perhaps sixteenth century
date is the earliest it warrants. It is most
picturesquely situated in moorland with no
road leading to or from it. Unfortunately the
state of the weather made a photograph im:
:possible. MacGibbon must report on it.
21st & 22nd July 1911.
To discover whether the Teroy "fort" was
as, I suspected a broch, I engaged two work:
:men with Sir Herbert Maxwell's approval, to do
a couple of days exploration. Fortunately the
weather was at least moderately good on the first
day and excellent on the second. Previous to
excavation I had observed a segment of the
inner face of the wall which indicated the probable
character of the structure. Starting from this
I proceeded to follow the wall around the
interior and proved to my satisfaction that
the structure was a typical broch.
26th July 1911.
Train to Newton Stewart thence bicycled to Minnigaff
where I called on the Rev. [Reverend] Mr. Reid & learned that
there is only one stone with a black letter inscription
[Continued on page 77] |
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[Page] 77
[Continued from page 76]
[Opposite page - 2 photographs inserted]
in the churchyard. When I started rain was falling
very heavily but by 12.0 it stopped and the
afternoon was beautiful. I followed the road up the
left bank of the Cree through beautiful woods for the
last mile to Burnfoot Cottage where leaving my bicycle
I followed a rough bridle path through the Wood of Cree
to the shepherd's house at Cordorcan.
Minnigaff Thieve's Stanes (29)
E [East] by S. [South] of Cordorcan about 1 1/4 [miles] across the
glen of the Cordorcan burn and on the top
of the ridge which lies to the E. [East] of it at an elevation
of 800' over sea level are two large standing
stones 14'.6" apart. They are angular blocks
of whinstone the most ? S'ly [Southerly] measuring 6'.8" in
height above ground level and the other 7'.4".
The former is triangular in section, the longest side
measuring 2'.1", and the latter is four sided, its
greatest breadth at base being 1'.8" & greatest
thickness 1'.4". The stones are placed converging
towards the [--] and may have formed part of
a stone aisle. They are placed near the
[--] end of an elliptical enclosure measuring
30' from [--] to [--] by 25'.9" from [--] to [--]
formed by what appears to have been a low
rubble wall the stones of which are now displaced
& for the most part overgrown with turf, & in its
present state measuring from 3'.4" to 5'.4" in thickness. |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-78 |
[Page] 78
Between the two standing stones the edge of a slab
3'.9" in length lying [--] & [--] . merely protrudes above the
surface. Some 8' in from the point of the
enclosure an oblong depression suggests either that a
prostrate stone has been removed or a cist excavated.
The encircling wall much resembles that within
the stone circle at Torhousekie in Wigtownshire.
Deils Dyke
From the edge of the Cordorcan burn about 1/2 m. [mile]
WNW. [West North West] of Cordorcan the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] marks the Deil's Dyke
passing over the ridge to the Eastward in the
vicinity of the Thieve's Stanes. On the W [West] face of
the ridge for a short distance there is visible a
shallow trench some 8' in width but the object
marked on the map appears to be a stone wall
which has not been of great height or thickness
& does not appear to me to be of great antiquity
At one place where it was cut by a drain I
measured the foundation exposed as 3' wide .
A defensive work this never was! I suspect
the maps are in error over this fosse .
Cairn. Cordorcan Burn. (10)
About 1 m. [mile] to the NE. [North East] of Cordorcan on the ridge
between the Cordorcan burn and the Black
burn and about 1/4 m. [mile] above a sheep fold
is a cairn measuring in diameter about 37'
and in elevation 3'. It does not appear to
have been excavated. |
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[Page] 79
[Continued from page 78]
[Opposite page - photograph inserted]
Cairn Cordorcan (16)
Within an enclosed park and about 1/2 m. [mile] NE [North East] of
Cordorcan is a large circular cairn measuring
in diameter some 80' from E [East] to W. [West] by 76' from N-S. [North-South]
and in elevation 6'. A considerable amount of
stone has been removed from it on the S. [South] and
an excavation has been made on the top to a
depth of about 3'.6" but neither cist nor chamber
has been exposed.
27th July 1911
A soaking wet morning so my visit to Luce
sands had to be put off.
28th July 1911.
Moved on to The Manse, Parton, Kirkcudbright:
:shire. Worked all afternoon indicating additional
information on maps.
29 July 1911
Very hot & sultry. Passed the forenoon still
preparing my maps.
31st July 1911.
Hired Car from Castle Douglas and motored
out to the N. [North] end of Carsphairn parish to
Lamford. The mote marked by the roadside
here is a natural mound & though
a broken section on the top discloses a few
stones laid there by the hand of man there
are no indications of any defences whatsoever.
Carsphairn Par. [Parish] Cairn 4a Lamford
On the open moor about 1/2 m. [mile] due E. [East] of the
shepherds cottage by the roadside at Lamford
is a circular cairn measuring in diameter
48' and in elevation about 5'.9". It is in
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[Continued from page 79
good condition and does not appear to have
been excavated.
About 1/4 m. [mile] or rather less to the E [East] of the cairn
is a small group of cairn like mounds, probably
the ruins of small circular stone huts. The
largest has a diametrical measurement over all
of 18' and interiorly of about 8'. The position of the
entrance is not apparent. Against a low
bank some 3'.6" in height & facing NW. [North West] are
ruins measuring along the bank some 30' over
all and in breadth about 13' which appear
to be the remains of two huts with probably
a space between them.
Cairn Waterhead (unnoted)
About 1 1/4 m. [miles] above Waterhead on the right
bank of the Water of Deugh at an elevation
of about 1000 ft. [feet] above sea level and distant
some 300 yds. [yards] from the river which flows by
100' lower down is a circular cairn, though
somewhat delapidated apparently unexcavated
measuring about 30' in diameter and 2'.6" in
elevation.
About 150 yds. [yards] to the Westward has been
another cairn now almost entirely removed.
What has evidently been the cover of a cist
measuring 3'.10" by 2'.1" lies exposed &
displaced at the edge. |
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[Continued from page 80]
Some 400 yds [yards] further up the valley and about
the same distance back from the Deugh is a
larger cairn which has been in part quarried
for stones on the E [East] and a considerable part
of it removed from that direction. It measures
in diameter 55' from N. [North] to S. [South] by 58' from E [East] to W. [West].
and at highest has an elevation of about 5'.
At 9' in from the edge on the S. an upright
pointed slab is exposed for a height of 2'.4"
measuring 2'.6" in breadth where it emerges from
the debris while opposite to it lies another slab
which has fallen towards it. A cap stone
measuring 3'.10" by 3' by 1' lies displaced
near. The pointed character of the upright
stone probably indicates the existence of a
chamber rather than a short cist, of which
the outer end only is exposed.
At Brockloch the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] indicates a
"mote". This a long natural gravel ridge
or moraine on which there are no indications
of defences.
In a clump of trees by the roadside 1/2 m. [mile]
N. [North] of the Holm of Daltallochan is the site
of the cairn of that name. It has been
almost entirely removed only its site is
recognisable.
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[Continued from page 81]
[Opposite page - photograph inserted]
Stone Circle Holm of Daltallochan
In a low lying meadow some [--] yds [yards] W. [West] by
N. [North] of Holm of Daltallochan farm around a
slight elevation which lies at the base of a
steep hillock is a stone circle consisting
of thirteen irregularly shaped pieces of whin:
:stone rock & boulders of varying size, as exposed from 2' to 7'.3" in length. They
are nearly all displaced (except one large mass
which stands somewhat to the E [East] of the N. [North] point)
and lying prostrate, several of them to a
considerable extent overgrown with turf.
In form the sitting is an irregular oval
with its longest axis NNE [North North East] to
SSW. [South South West] and narrowing towards the latter
direction where also the outline is slightly
concave as if some of the stones had been
displaced. The greatest diameter within
the stones is 81' and at right angles to that
59'.
Close to a field dyke in the same park as
the stone circle at a distance of about 110 yds [yards] to
the SE [South East] is a small standing stone. It
measures 3'.10" in height above ground
almost rectangular in section measuring
2' by 1'.5" and faces directly towards the
circle.
Cross Slab
over
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[Continued from page 82]
[Opposite page - 2 photographs inserted]
Cross Slab Daltallochan
Standing on the E. [East] side of the approach to the
farmhouse of Holm of Daltallochan is a
slab incised with a cross having a circular
boss 2" wide in the centre and with arms
expanding from 3" at the point of intersection to
5" at the edge of the stone. The shaft also broadens
to the foot which is rounded. The extreme
length of the cross is 2'.5" and in breadth across
the arms 1'.2".
This cross was brought to its present position
from the neighbouring farm of Garryhorn
whence it is said to have come from the
cairn of Daltallochan.
Lagwine Cairn (1)
About 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] of the W. [West] end of Carsphairn
village at the base of Craig of Knockgray
and about 1/4 m. [mile] E. [East] of the road at Lagwine
is a large circular cairn originally some
78' in diameter and now reduced to a
ridge of stone across the centre about 50'
long, 30' broad and 4' high.
Cairn Avel
Situated on a slight natural elevation at the
edge of the moorland about 1/4 m [mile] SW. [South West] of Carnavel
farm and about 1/2 m. [mile] due S. [South] of Carsphairn
Church is a long cairn. It has originally
been pear shaped lying with its longest axis
W by N [West by North] and E by S. [East by South] & having its broader end in
[Continued on page 84] |
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[Continued from page 83]
the latter direction but except for a slight
bank of stones marking its outline it has been
entirely cleared away from the W. [West] end for a dis:
:tance of nearly 50'. Its extreme length has been
103'; its breadth at the W. [West] end 25', at 26' Eastwards
32', and at its greatest maximum towards the E. [East]
end 65' where also it remains to a height of 10'.
There is no indication of a frontal semicircle.
At two or three places on the top slight excava:
:tions have been made but no chamber or cist
is exposed.
Near the farm I looked at a setting of
stones which the parish minister thought
might be a stone circle but I satisfied
myself that it was not so.
We had a beautiful day in most lovely hill
country and got home at 7.0.
1st Augt. 1911.
Off to Dalry parish again by car in
rather doubtful weather.
Dalry Par. [Parish] Stroanfreggan Cairn. 9.
Situated at the edge of a bank on low
lying ground near the Stroanfreggan Burn
is a large circular cairn which has been
much used as a quarry and during such
operations as recently as last year a cist
was exposed sunk beneath the natural surface
in the interior. The cairn has measured
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[Continued from page 84]
73' from N. [North] to S. [South] and 76' from E. [East] to W. [West]
The outer edge of
the cist is set at 25' in from the edge of the
cairn on the E. [East]. It lies with its main axis
NNW [North North West] and SSE [South South East] and measures interiorly 3'.9" by 2
and [--] in depth, formed of single slabs for the
sides & ends. Within the cist was found a
finely wrought flint knife. A covering slab
has been replaced on the top again The
periphery of the cairn has been marked by
large boulders 2' to 3' in length and 1 1/2' to 2'
in height of which three only remain while
the beds from which other have been removed
are distinct.
Stroanfreggan Fort.
On the N. [North] of the Monibuie road about 1/4 m. [mile]
WNW. [West North West] of the point where it is joined by the
road from Holm of Dalquhairn
rises with a steep
gradient a ridge of rock trending in dir:
:ection from SW. [South West] to NE. [North East]. Occupying the
most prominent point of this ridge
where it presents a craggy face above
the small glen on the SE. [South East] is a stone
built fort. The main enclosure which
occupies the actual summit is roughly
circular subtended by a somewhat straight
[Continued on page 86] |
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[Continued from page 85]
base along the face of the crag and measures
interiorly about 140' by 125', but as the
wall which surrounds it is an extreme state
of ruin accurate delimitation is impossible.
On the NE. [North East] some 30' out from the wall of this
inner enclosure there runs an outer and
approximately parallel wall with a return
at the edge of the steep slope on the N. [North]. The
area thus marked off is divided into two
unequal enclosures by a cross wall some 70' distant
from the face of the crag. From the N. [North] end
of these enclosures, where it abuts on the summit
enclosure an outer wall following the line
of the edge of the ridge & subsequently crossing
it swings round towards the face of the
crag on the S. [South] separated from it by a
long natural hollow. Towards its Southern
extremity this outer wall swings outward
somewhat so as to enclose a natural hollow
marked H. on the plan. The walls have been
of considerable size and ruin from the
inner wall on the N. [North] measures some 25'
across. A plan & elevation made by Mr.
F.R. Coles from a block lent by the Soc. [Society] of
Antiq. [Antiquities] of Scotland may be reproduced.
This plan appears to be as accurate as
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[Continued from page 86]
the ruined state of the fort will admit.
Carsphairn Craigengillan Cairn. (9)
On the crest of the moorland as it rises up
to the Westward from the Ken and about
3/4 m. [mile] WSW. [West South West] of Craigengillan is a large circular
cairn over the two of which two walls meeting at
right angles have been erected as a sheep shelter.
It measures in diameter 77' from N. [North] to S. [South] by
82' from E. [East] to W. [West] and in elevation about 10'.
The outline is marked at base by large
rounded boulders contrasting with angular
fragments of stone which strew the surface.
Carsphairn Nether Holm Dalquahairn (5) (site)
Enclosed by a wall and planted with
trees on the low lying ground between Nether
Holm of Dalquahairn and the Ken are the
remains of a large circular cairn which
has measured in diameter some 84', consisting
of a ring of loose stone around the circum:
:ference. An oblong depression near the
centre possibly marks the position of a
cist which has long since been opened
Dalry Par. [Parish] Cairn Bridgemark Hill
On the high ground 1 m. [mile] SE. [South East] of the
High Bridge of Ken is the site of a small
cairn which has had a diameter of about 36'.
I omitted to examine the or
"supposed" fort marked on the O.S. [Ordnance Survey]. I may
possibly get back to the hill later on.
[Opposite page - text inserted] Mr. Coles reports that not one stone of this fort
on Bridgemark Hill remains. (See Antiquaries
1892 p. [page] 165)
[Continued on page 88] |
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[Continued from page 87]
Carsphairn Par. [Parish] Carminnow Fort ?(unnoted)
About 3/4 m. [mile] to the Westward of the High
Bridge of Ken where the Deugh cutting its
way into a narrow channel through walls
of rock makes a sudden bend at right
angles to its previously S. [South] Easterly course is
situated a prehistoric fort. Resting
on the precipitous cliffs on either flank the
angle is contained by a triple rampart of earth & stone and
intervening hollows now much effaced.
Towards the centre of the defences a
ridge approaches from the N. [North] and here they
are best preserved. The outer line is faintly
discernible, the intermediate mound measures
some 24' in breadth at base and in height
about 4'. Over a space 30' from crest to crest
rises the inner mound some 6'.6" in height
and 27' broad at base. Towards the NE. [North East]
the level dips in the interior and here
the scheme of defence appears to have been
modified there being in rear a trench
30' wide & about 3' deep. The mounds
are much levelled on this flank and difficult
to determine. At 77' from the edge of the rock
by the river on the E. [East] there appears to have been
an entrance through the defences which towards
the river have clearly consisted of three trenches
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[Continued from page 88]
[Opposite page - Two photographs inserted]
with two intervening mounds. The general
form of the fort is almost lozenge shaped. It
is situated within a wood except for a short distance
on the N. [North].
Within this wood I dropped one of my marked
maps and just as I was contemplating with
disgust a journey back to Edinburgh to mark
another I found it among some ferns where it
had evidently fallen from my pocket.
Carsphairn Braidenoch Hill Crosses.
Lying on the W. [West] slope of Braidenoch Hill
near the top and about [--] yds. [yards] S. [South] of the
actual summit are two incised crosses, the
one complete though broken and the other a
fragment. About them lie several other blocks
of seemingly quarried whinstone and their
position is most easily found from the north
wall of the field which comes from the side of
Braidenoch Cottage standing E [East] and W. [West] in the
valley below. The crosses are similar
in design. The most complete measures 13"
in length, is equal armed and hollow angled,
with arms expanding from 3" to 5", 5" in
length, and with a boss in the centre 1 1/2" in diameter.
The cross head is set on a shaft 17" in length
expanding downwards from 2" to 3".
The slab on which this cross is incised
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[Continued from page 89]
measures 3'.3" in length 12 1/2 in breadth at
the upper end 17" at base and 7" in thickness.
It is broken across near where the head joins
the shaft. Only the shaft was
visible when I came on the spot but searching
round with the aid of my knife I unearthed
the head which from its condition had
evidently long lain concealed.
The second stone measures 2'.2" in length,
9" in width and 6 1/2" in thickness. They
are both of the silurian sandstone of the
district.
It was very interesting finding these relics
in or near the original sites on which they had
been erected high up on a hill side over 900'
above the sea level.
Dalshangan
Sunk in the ground against the wall of the lodge at the entrance
to Dalshangan House is a block of
porphyry squared in section exposed for a height of 24" with a breadth
of 12" on which is carved in relief a plain
stemmed cross 24" in length by the full breadth of the stone, imperfect at base where
the stem appears to have expanded. The
lateral arms measure 5" in length and the upper
arm 8"; they expand outwards from
from 1 3/4" the former to 3", and the latter
to nearly 5". The cross is said to
[Continued on page 91] |
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[Continued from page 90]
have come from a spot near Carsphairn
village called the "Crumock Knowes" (see F.
R. Coles' Paper) It is also said to have come from
Bardennoch. (see Harper.)
2nd Augt. [August] see p. [page] 92
3rd Augt. [August]
Threatened with a failure of our water supply
owing to the abnormally dry summer had
to go to Castle Douglas & get the plumber,
wrote up notes for the rest of the day.
4th Augt. [August] 1911
Car to Balmaclellan.
Balmaclellan Par. [Parish] Mote of B'maclellan
Towards the Southern end of a round
backed ridge which rises to the N. [North] of the
village of Balmaclellan stands the mote
hill. In form it is a simple truncated
cone rising to a height of about 18' with a
scarp at an angle of 38º and encircled at
base by a ditch about 12' wide. The latter
feature now remains distinct and open to a depth of 2', only
towards the SW. [South West] but may be traced all around
and on the N. [North] where it was under a corn
crop at the date of visit its extent was
clearly demarcated by the deeper green of the
oats growing upon it. The flat summit
measures some 38' in diameter. The mound
appears to be formed of compacted soil
& gravel with occasional boulders.
Bal'clellan Churchyard.
Standing near the edge of the churchyard
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[Continued from page 91]
[Opposite page - Photograph inserted]
some 60' W. [West] of the end of the church is a rough
unhewn pillar of whinstone which has the appearance
of an ancient monument but locally said to
mark the grave of a witch. It measures 4'.6"
in height above ground, 2' in breadth and
9" in thickness and slightly tapers towards the
top. There is no carving or trace of inscription
upon it.
Old Mortality was a native of this parish
and there is a monument to him in the
churchyard, also a martyrs' tomb of
comparatively late date. There are no other
stones worthy of notice.
Standing Stone Dalarran Holm. (5)
At the N. [North] end of Dalarran Holm about 100
yds. [yards] E. [East] of the Water of Ken stands a broad
whinstone slab measuring 8'.6 1/2" in height
3'.8" in breadth at base, 2' at the top, and 11"
on average in thickness. It faces E [East] and W. [West]
The original skin has almost entirely flaked off
both faces and there is no indication of
any symbol or inscription left.
2nd Augt. [August] 1911.
Very warm. Took a day bicycling to see objects near
at hand.
Parton Par. [Parish] ? Mound
At the W. [West] end of Loch Lurkie, planted over and
partially destroyed by the road which has
passed through it is a slight stony mound
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[Page] 93
[Continued from page 92]
[Opposite page - Photograph inserted]
with at most an elevation of about 5' above the
level of the loch and measuring in diameter some
50'. Across the E. [East] end of it there runs a slight
stoney ridge and a narrow trench crosses it on
the W. [West] side but it has no definitely defensive lines
remaining about it and its character is indetermin:
:ate. In the plantation on the opposite side of
the road there are no very definite remains either.
Glassmichael Par. [Parish] - Glengappoch Fort
The "Mote" of Glengappoch, in reality a hill
fort, occupies the top of a striking hill which
rises from the centre of a secluded hollow
among the low hills about 1/2 m. [mile] NE. [North East] of
Loch Roan farm. The ground around the
foot of the hill for the most part in past ages
must have been swampy thus adding to the
defensibility of the site. The hill rises with
an easy gradient from the NW. [North West] to a height of
525' above sea level & [--] from its base and
is faced on the S. [South] by an unscalable wall
of rock towards which from either side
the flanks grow steeper. Some 80 yds. [yards] up
the Northern slope commences a series of defences
still noteworthy but which before they had been pillaged
for stones must have been exceptionally so,
in segments from flank to flank mounts the slope from the NW. [North West] & measures from that direction girding the assailable part of
the hill. The lowest line consists of a
[Continued on page 94] |
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[Continued from page 93]
terrace some 17' in breadth with a scarp 7' in
height which appears to have borne a narrow
stone parapet along its crest. Rising above the
terrace at an angle of 25º with a vertical height of
9' or thereby is a second scarp facing a mound
some 5' wide on its flat top and masking a
deep trench 25' in breadth from crest to
crest, 5' in depth below the top of its counterscarp
and 10' below the top of its scarp. Surmounting
the scarp there has been a stony
bank, or more probably a wall, 11' in thickness
but now almost entirely quarried out and
removed but which appears to have been carried right round the summit. Some 28' within this over a fairly
level area there are the foundations of an inner
wall, which has rested on the last above the
cliff, and contained an area measuring some
87' from N. [North] to S. [South] by 72' from E. [East] to W. [West].
Towards the N. [North] the broad mound which
intervenes between the terrace & trench terminates
and the course of the latter is interrupted by an
outcrop of rock. Here from the base there is an easy
approach and along the line it would take, on
the level of the mound & at its termination there is
an oval hollow measuring approximately some
28' in length by 12' in width. To the S'Eastward [South Eastward]
as the flank steepens the lower defences are
[Continued on page 95] |
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[Continued from page 94]
discontinued and a shallow trench some 8' in
width with a low mound on the outer edge & a scarp some 6' in height is
carried round to meet the side of the rocky
face. There appears to have been an approach
to the summit from the W. [West] some 3' to 4' wide
past the termination of the defences and along
the edge of a steep scarp which rises
from a somewhat irregular terrace at 6' lower
elevation than the lowest line of the defences
carried to meet the rock face on the SW. [South West]
(See Mr. Coles plan & illustrations which
appear to be correct.)
Fort - Loch Roan
From the W. [West] or wooded shore of Loch Roan towards its
Southern end the ground rises rapidly
to three distinct eminences.
On the most Southerly of these are the ruins of
a stone built fort. Running from E [East] to W. [West]
across the top are three parallel ridges of
outcropping rock some 20' or thereby in
width rising to a height at most of 6' or 7'
above the grassy hollows which separate
them. The width of these hollows is not
uniform but at their E. [East] end it is 15' and
20' respectively. From the base of the
outer ridges on the N. [North] and S. [South] the ground
falls sharply away as it does also towards
[Continued on page 96] |
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[Continued from page 95]
the loch on the E. [East] while to Westward it is rough
and broken. The fort has been formed on this
strongly defensible site by the erection of a dry
-stone wall composed of angular fragments of stone built along the top of the outer ridges where they did not present a vertical or unscalable face and
across their ends. Being covered with
low-growing oaks, long heather, and
ferns the making of accurate measurements
was almost impossible but the breadth across
the W. [West] end seems to be about 145' and the length
along the N. [North] ridge of rock about 215'. Mr.
F.R. Coles who surveyed the site in 1892 gives
the dimensions from E [East] to W. [West] between the
two longest ridges as 228' and the width over
all from N [North] to S [South] 240'. The wall is very much
ruined.
Fort Balgerran (5)
Situated in a field about 1/4 m. [mile] ENE. [East North East] of
Balgerran farm are the remains of an
elliptical fort. Towards the W. [West] and S. [South] the
ground is fairly level but from the edge of
the fort on the NE. [North East] it falls with a steepish
gradient for some 20' to rough boggy land.
A single mound with an elevation of about
1 1/2' above the interior and with a scarp some
4' to 5' in height constitutes the only defence.
Towards the ENE. [East North East] it has a breadth on base
of 30' and as it passes towards the W [West] it gradually
[Continued on page 97] |
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[Continued from page 96]
diminishes to 13' or thereby. The enceinte is im:
:perfect and has entirely disappeared on the W. [West]
but as far as remaining measures 95' in length
by 72' in breadth with its longest axis ENE [East North East] and
WSW. [West South West].
Trowdale "Mote" (10b)
Situated in low lying swampy ground about
1/4 m. [mile] SW. [South West] of Trowdale farm is a small de:
:fensive site. A small circular mound
scarce rising above the general level and
measuring some 56' in diameter is surrounded
by two concentric ditches separated by a
low mound. The inner ditch measures
some 28' in width, the intervening mound
18' and the outer ditch about 13'. Both
ditches appear to have held water and
probably do so still in wet weather. From
the E. [East] a bank about 10' wide crosses the
inner ditch as if forming an approach to
the central mound. A broad gap in the
mound that separates the ditches towards
the SE. [South East] is probably secondary for drainage purposes and other
smaller breaks in the periphery may be
similarly so or as Mr. Coles suggests they
may have utilised for bringing water into the
ditches. Around the central mound there
protrude the heads of large stones suggesting
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[Continued from page 97]
[Opposite page - Sketch inserted]
that there has been some building in the con:
:struction. (The compass mark on the Antiquaries'
block has been reversed) the N [North] point being shown as W. [West.)
On the N. [North] and E. [East] the lines have been somewhat
confused by the cutting of drains.
4th Augt [August] (contd. [continued] from p. [page] 92) Dalry.
Dalry Church. In the W. [West] window of the
Kenmure burial vault is an iron grille
formed of 7 horizontal and 4 vertical bars
interlocked in the manner customary in the
iron "yelts" of towers.
Lying beside the path to the church is a large
rudely fashioned oval block of whinstone measuring
some 2'.7" in length by 1'.11" in breadth and
13" in depth with a hollow on the top
roughly circular measuring in diameter 16" x 15"
and 5" in depth and somewhat conical
in section. This is said to be a font but
the designation is open to doubt.
There are no tombstones of any particular
interest in the churchyard.
Mote of Dalry
Immediately to the N. [North] of the church at the
village of Dalry there stands on the top of the E. [East] bank of the Water of Ken a large & important
mote hill. The ground dips slightly towards
the NW [North West] so that the mound is highest
in that direction and there it rises to an
elevation of 24' while on the S. [South] its height is 15'
[Continued on page 99] |
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[Continued from page 98]
scarped all round at a slope of about 21° [the 21° is circled and written above is: ? 32]. The
surface of the summit is somewhat irregular
towards the SE [South East] it rising to a slight mound,
while the
edge does not follow the contour of a true circular
figure. From N [North] to S. [South] I make it meas [measures] 112' and
from E [East] to W [West] 102'. At its base it has been
encircled by a ditch, broadest on the side
away from the river where it measures some
23' in width and diminishing as it curves
towards the river bank where its width is
reduced to 10'. Along the S. [South] it has been interfered
with in the formation of a road and on
the ESE. [East South East] it appears to have been filled
in for a distance of 45'. If as Mr. Coles
suggests it has never been dugout at this
point one would expect to see an indication
of some approach leading towards the summit
from it.
At the upper end of the village I was
interested to see a relic greatly reverenced
by the natives a so-called stone chair
"Consecrated to the apostle St. John " It stood
in a cottage garden beneath a tree and
[Continued on page 100] |
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[Page] 100
[Continued from page 99]
[Opposite page - Sketch inserted]
appeared to me to be merely a fractured boulder
the fractured face of which had been worn smooth
by nature. It would no doubt make an excellent
substitute for the stone bench to be seen at every
cottage door in Galloway.
Dalry Par. [Parish] Corriedhu Cairn
In the angle formed by the meeting of two
dykes about 1/4 m. [mile] NNE [North North East] of the road bridge
at Corriedou on the road between Dalry and
Moniaive and about 200 yds. [yards] back from the
road stands a large & conspicuous cairn,
measuring 12' in elevation to the base of the
modern beacon which surmounts it. In
the past it has been to a considerable extent
despoiled for stones but the bulk of it still
remains. In diameter when complete it
has measured 92' from N. to S. [North to South] and 104' from
E. to W. [East to West]. A legend of
how the first Gordon of Kenmure killed
a famous wild boar & so obtained his
name & property is attached to this cairn
which is said to mark the site of the deed.
Dalry Par. [Dalry Parish] Holed Stone Lochrinnie
On the crest of a hill which lies along the left
bank of the Blackmark Burn and about
to the S.W. [South West] of the junction of that stream with
the Minnygryle Burn stands a holed stone
the upper part of which across the perforations
[Continued on page 101] |
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[Page] 101
[Continued from page 100]
has been broken off. It is a grey whinstone slab
measuring some 3' in height above ground, 2'.6"
in breadth and varying from 9" to 4" in thickness.
The hole measures 4 1/2" in diameter and for the
greater part of its depth has probably been a natural
cup mark. It is illustrated in the Proceedings
for 1895. The stone circle there described by
Mr. Coles as surrounding it I venture to dis:
:agree about. The stones supposed to form it
are very irregular in size and in character; some
are smallish boulders easily moved with the
foot, others large irregular pieces of detachable rock.
The general appearance to my eye is in no way
suggestive of a stone circle.
Lochrinnie Moat.
Some 40 yds. [yards] distant from the termination of
the ridge which descends to the N.E. [North East] from the hill above
Lochrinnie farm and in the angle formed
by the confluence of the Minnigryle and
Blackmark burns stands an elongated
natural hillock which has been adapted as
a Mote hill with citadel and base court.
The hillock lies with its main axis E.N.E. [East North East] and
W.S.W. [West South West] and is divided into two unequal divisions by
a trench which has been excavated down the
flanks from both sides of a narrow gangway
which connects both divisions. The portion
[Continued on page 102] |
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[Page] 102
[Continued from page 101]
towards the WSW. [West South West] is the larger and higher and
has formed the citadel. The sides have been scarped
to an angle of 16° and rise to a vertical height varying
from 22' to 24'. The summit which is level
forms a parallelogram 110' in length by 46' - 48' in
breadth. The gangway which connects this
with the more Easterly division
is 18' in length and 4' in breadth
across the track, and dips to meet the base
court at a level 6' below that of the citadel.
The extreme
length of this division is 86', its breadth at the
dividing trench is 46' which is maintained for some
50' onwards, whence it rapidly narrows running
out to a point towards the E. [East]. Its average
elevation above the ground level is 16'. The
dividing trench on the S. [South] side which from
the position of the gangway is longer & less
abrupt in its fall than that on the other side,
is curved round towards the WSW. [West South West] end of the
citadel and the upcast has been thrown
up to form a covering defence on its outer
face for some 30'. Around the base of the higher
portion of the hillock there is an indication
of a ditch but not sufficiently expressed to
admit of its definition. The same indication
[Continued on page 103] |
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[Page] 103
[Continued from page 102]
may be observed along the whole length of the N. [North] side and across the
tailing out of the hillock at the extreme
ENE. [East North East] end. On the S. [South] side of the base court,
however, it is not apparent. (This mote is
described & illustrated in the Proceedings. The
plan is not absolutely accurate, the base court
being too symmetrical, but it is sufficiently so for
illustrating its character.)
Balmaclellan Par. [Parish]
Watch Knowe Craigmuie
On the lower slope of Craigmuie Moor
about 1/3 m. [mile] E [East] by S. [South] of Craigmuie are
the remains of a rectilinear earthwork
known as the "Watch Knowe." (The name is
misleading as the situation is not on a
"knowe" but its application may have originally
been to the SE. [South East] angle of the fort which advanced
in the centre of a low ridge is somewhat prominent.)
The site though commanding an extensive
view down the glen of the Castlefern Water
into Dumfriesshire does not appear a
particularly strong one. The SE [South East] angle occupies
the centre of a low ridge which extends
beyond it for a distance of some 40 yds. [yards],
and in the opposite direction the level of
the interior slopes away to meet the bed of
the abbey burn on the W. [West]. Immediately
beyond the burn there is a rising slope
[Continued on page 104] |
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[Page] 104
[Continued from page 103]
which would entirely command the interior.
The defences are much worn away but are
traceable on all sides except the W. [West] where
they have been apparently entirely washed
away by the burn except perhaps for a
slight swelling which may represent the inner
mound on the right bank of the stream just
before it enters the Abbey wood. Though the sides
of the fort are straight they do not form
right angles at their junction the angle at the SW. [South West]
being acute and that at the NW [North West] obtuse. both, however,
are rounded. There have been three earthen
ramparts with narrow intervening ditches.
Where best defined along the S. [South] side the
inner mound measures some 21' in width
and about 3' in height; a shallow trench
about 4' in width separates it from an inter:
:mediate mound some 2' lower in elevation
and 8' to 9' in width, which again is separated
by a second shallow trench some 3' in width
from an outer mound 14' in breadth, &
higher than the intermediate but lower than
the inner mound. At the SE [South East] angle the
inner mound is more prominent than elsewhere
& the outer one not now apparent.
A section of the inner rampart exposed by the
burn shows it to be composed of clay soil
[Continued on page 105] |
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[Page] 105
[Continued from page 104]
[Opposite page - sketch inserted]
laid on a stone foundation. Measured
along the inner ditch the E [East] side is 235' in
length, and the S. [South] to its termination at the
burn, about 250'. The length of the defences
on the NE. [North East] may be calculated from the O. S. [Ordnance Survey]
map, 25" scale. The position of the entrance
is not observable. ( Mr Cole's plan seems to be
accurate except for the omission of the outer
mound which is quite distinct on the S. [South] side
& also within the wood.)
7th Augt. [August] 1911
A most distressing accident occurred to us
today at 11.10. Rounding a sharp corner, in the
car, just beyond Laurieston village where the
road was narrow & its surface bad we met
a cyclist coming down hill at a great rate.
In the effort to control his bicycle, the brakes of
which were very defective, he overturned some 5'
in front of the car & shot beneath it, the off
front wheel passing over his body. As speedily as
possible we lifted him up & I accompanied him
to the hospital in Castle Douglas being fortunate
enough to find the Doctor at home. He evidently
received internal injuries for the poor lad, a
postman, died in the night. We were going
quite slowly & no blame could attach to our
driver but there will have to be a formal enquiry. |
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line 3 missing place is 'the Black Water of Dee' (see the 'Fifth Report and Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in Galloway, Volume 2, County of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright' (1914)) |
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[Page] 106
Balmaghie Par. [Parish]
Fort. Little Duchrae
Situated at a bend in the road from New Galloway
Station to Laurieston Village opposite Holland Isle
in [--] and about 3/4 m. [mile] by road from
the above mentioned station is a small fort
The site is close by the road in an oak wood and
overgrown with a forest of brackens rendering
detailed observation impossible. The enceinte
appears to be a pointed oval two sides forming a right angle subtended
by a semi-oval curve,
surrounded except
where the road passes it on its lowest side by
a deep and well defined ditch with almost
perpendicular sides measuring about 20' in
width across the top, 6' across the flat bottom
and 5' to 6' in depth. There is no mound above
the counterscarp but the scarp is surmounted
by a slight rampart some 9' wide at base and
2' in height on the inner side. On the road side
which is protected by the water there is no
sign of a ditch but at the base of a steep scarp
some 10' in height there appears to be a terrace
some 4'.6" above the level of the road
in part probably natural where it broadens out
towards the SW [South West]. Measured along
the line of the ditch & terrace the circumference
is 458'. Mr. Coles plan may be referred to &c. |
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[Page] 106a.
Girthon Par. [Parish] Cairn Darngarroch
On the moor beside the [--] burn and
about 1/4 m. [mile] due W. [West] of Dalgarnoch on the
road from Laurieston to Gatehouse on
Fleet is a circular cairn almost entirely
removed except for a small heap of
stones some 15' in diameter and 3' in
height to the N. [North] of the centre. The original
diameter of the cairn has been about 70'.
The interment has probably been disturbed
long ago.
Twynholm Par. [Parish] Cairn Bankben.
On the S. [South] end of Bankben, a low hill
which stands to the NE. [North East] of Loch Whinyean
is a circular cairn in a fair state of
preservation and apparently unexcavated
It measures in diameter some 33' and
in elevation about 4'.
Girthon Harper's Hill.
On the summit of the low hill which
overlooks the road between Barlay and
Gatehouse on-Fleet and about 1/4 m. [mile] to the N. [North] of the
latter place are the remains of a fort.
The hill rises with an easy gradient
except on the E [East] where along the
summit it presents a rocky face
for some 30' or 40' before taking
a more gentle slope to the level
of the road below. Controlled apparently
[Page] 107
[Continued from page 106a]
by the natural contour of the summit the enceinte
seems to have been in plan a flattened ellipse or
parallelogram with rounded angles measuring
over all 150' from N - S [North to South] by 110' from E [East] to W [West]. The
remains are very fragmentary, the single rampart
probably of earth being best preserved at the NW. [North West]
angle where it is distinct for about 100' measuring
some 24' in thickness at base & 5'.6" in elevation
from the exterior. An outcrop of rock approaching
the fort from the N. [North] has been cut through so as
to form a trench some 7' wide in front of the rampart.
Twynholm Par. [Parish] ?Hut Circle Irelandtown Moor.
On a hillock on Irelandtown Moor a short
distance to the E [East] of the stream which forms the
boundary between Girthon & Twynholm parishes
and about 1/4 m. [mile] NE . [North East] of the farm of Cairn
are the indefinite remains of a small circular
or oval construction, placed in close proximity
to an ancient wall passing by it on the N. [North].
The construction measures over all 36' by 33' and
lies with its longest diameter SW [South West] and NE. [North East]
having apparently had its entrance from the
latter direction.
Girthon Par [Parish]
Cairntosh Hill Cairn
On the summit of Cairntosh Hill surmounted
by a modern beacon is a large circular
cairn measuring 50' in diameter and
some 8' in elevation. A little to the N. [North] of
[Continued on page 108] |
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[Page] 108
[Continued from page 107]
the centre an excavation has been made to
a depth of about 4' but no cist is exposed.
8th Augt. [August] 1911.
Crossmichael Par. [Parish]
Crofts Mote
Around the flat top of a low hill which
rises from amidst cultivated fields with a
general elevation of some 40' to 50' about 1 m. [mile]
SE. [South East] of Crossmichael village and adjacent to
the farm of Crofts are the defences of a fort,
bearing the name of Crofts Mote. In form
the enceinte is an irregular oval lying with
its longest axis N. [North] and S. [South] somewhat flattened
on the E [East] with a deeper curve on
the W. [West] side, and measuring interiorly 297' from
N. [North] to S. [South] by 185' from E [East] to W [West]. The ground has its
steeper gradient on the sides of the fort and
rises by an easier slope towards either end.
Around the summit is a steep artificial scarp
with a general height of about 10' rising from
a terrace the breadth of which has been regulated
by the natural slope, and varying from about
12' in width on the NW [North West] to 26' on the S [South].
On the flanks the edge of the terrace rests on a
lower scarp but at the ends a
low rampart or parapet surmounts both
scarps while at the N. [North] end curved
segmentally across the front some 17' beyond
the second rampart. The entrance has
[Continued on page 109] |
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[Page] 109
[Continued from page 108]
been from the S. [South] end directly through the defences at a
level of some 6' below the crest of the ramparts
at either side and some 10' in width. On the
SE [South East] the terrace is slightly hollowed as it approaches
towards the entrance and where it terminates
is at that point there is a circular hollow
some 10' in diameter. The ramparts appear to be
of earth & stone and here and there on the
scarps large stones are visible suggesting that
they have been faced. Around the interior
at an average distance from the edge of about
20' on the W. [West] and 17' on the E. [East] there is an irregular
stony face about 1' in height which appears to
mark the inner edge of a wall or stony rampart
long since torn out.
Old Bridge of Urr.
Note by the late Mr. Skirving given to an old
woman in a cottage beside the bridge re the
two stones let into the soffit of the arch. "Upper
stone a lion with the initials of K. [King] James VI..--- Lower
stone 3 lions heads - arms of M'Naights of Kilquanity
Hand probably old masonic emblem - Date 1580."
The stones appear quite undecipherable now. (See
also Book Kirkpatrick Durham &c.).
Doon of Urr.
On a commanding situation overlooking
the valley of the Urr from the E. [East] and about 1 m. [mile]
N. [North] of the Old Bridge of Urr is the Doon of Urr
[Continued on page 110] |
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[Page] 110
[Continued from page 109]
[Opposite page - sketch erased, text inserted] not sufficiently accurate
for reproduction
surrounded by a belt of trees and a wall no longer
effective to keep the cattle out. The "Doon" is a
circular or elliptical construction surrounded by a single
bank of earth and stone rising but little above
the level of the interior but with a scarp some
9' - 10' in height at the W. [West] and about 5' towards
the E [East]. In thickness the bank measures as far as
is possible to judge, some 20' and appears to be of
earth or earth and stone. A gap at the E. [East]
end some 8' to 9' in width probably marks
the position of the entrance while the gap
towards the SW. [South West] is clearly secondary. The
longest axis is E [East] & W. [West] along which the diameter
is 182' while from N. [North] to S. [South] it is 161'.
Kirkpatrick Durham. Margley Fort.
On the edge of the high ground which slopes
upwards to the East of Margley farm on the
400' contour line and overlooking the valley of
the Urr is a small circular fort, surrounded
by a double concentric mound with a
flat intervening area some 19' in width
showing no indication of its having been dug
out to form a ditch. The inner mound where
preserved is 1 1/2' to 2' in height and the outer
one is also low. The interior diameter, measured
from crest to crest is from N [North] to S. [South] 111' and
from E [East] to W [West] 114'. On the W. [West] side some 50'
[Continued on page 111] |
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[Page] 111
[Continued from page 110]
of the inner mound & rather more of the outer
has been obliterated. A gap on the SW. [South West] side
probably marks the position of the entrance
& at the foot of the slope beneath this rushes
indicate the presence of water. The mounds are
probably of earth. (Coles' plan except for
the compass mark seems accurate.)
Arkland. Defensive Construction.
About 1/4 m. [mile] NW. [North West] of Arkland farm on the East
side of the well wooded valley of the Urr and in
low lying ground which in former days
was probably a swamp is a small circular
construction consisting of a low outer mound
or bank about 15' in breadth & of low elevation (1' - 2') fairly complete except
on the E. [East] where for a space of 40' or thereby
it has gone. Within the circle thus formed
which measures some 70' in diameter
and somewhat towards its E. [East] side, is a
low irregular mound not rising higher than
the bank and as far as ascertainable measur:
:ing about 25' in diameter. An excavation
near the centre shows that it consists of
peat. Towards the NE. [North East] the bank has
been dug up and the upcast from this
excavation may account for a greater
breadth on the N. [North] side. On the SE. [South East] a
tongue of firmer ground seems to project
from a somewhat higher slope beyond to junction
[Continued on page 112] |
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[Page] 112
[Continued from page 111]
[Opposite page - faint sketch inserted]
with the outer bank. This may have formed an
approach . There is a strong resemblance between
this and the construction at Trowdale.
Fort Remains of, Crofts. (3)
Within a small and dense fir plantation
standing on the end of a grassy ridge on
enclosed rough pasture about 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] of Crofts
Farm are the remains of the north end of a
fort all trace of which outside the plantation
has disappeared. A segmental rampart some
16' in breadth exists for a length of about 140'
measured along the curve. At the base of the
scarp, which has a vertical elevation of about
10' is a ditch 16' in width and now only 2'
in depth below the top of the counterscarp.
On the W. [West] the ditch has run out on the slope.
The rampart is apparently of earth.
9th Augt. [August] 1911.
Crossmichael Ernambrie Fort.
On bicycle today to examine some objects in
Crossmichael parish near at hand.
On the top of a well defined rounded emin:
:ence which rises in an undulating landscape
about 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] of Nether Ernambrie on the W. [West] side
of the road from Balgerran to Clarebrand is
a small circular fort which has been
much reduced by ploughing The hill lies
with a trend from NNW. [North North West] to SSE [South South East]. On the summit
is a flat circular area measuring some 72' in diar. [diameter]
[Continued on page 113] |
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[Page] 113
[Continued from page 112]
with no remains of a mound or rampart
around its edge but scarped for some 18' all round
with a declivity of 5'. Towards the NNW. [North North West] the outer
defences are not entirely obliterated and in
this direction the scarp merges into a level
space some 11' in width at the outer side of
which a slight swelling of the surface for
a breadth of about 38' indicates the previous
existence of a rampart spread by the plough.
Towards the SSE [South South East] from the foot of the scarp
the ground extends outwards for some 27'
on the level before falling away in the slope
of the hill.
Cairn Halferne (11) (Site)
On the summit of a hill about 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] of
Halferne Farm are the remains of a cairn.
It has been a very large construction but it
has been quarried to such an extent that
the outline is quite indefinite. The interment
has, probably, been long since disturbed.
Cairn Halferne (11) (Site) Meikle Ernambrie. (12) (Site)
About 1/2 m. [mile] N. [North] by E. [East] of Meikle Ernambrie Farm
is a large circular cairn reduced to an
elevation of 1 1/2' to 2'. The outline is indefinite
but it appears to have measured about 96'
in diameter. There is no sign of a cist
or chamber, either, probably, having been long
ago removed. |
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[Page] 114
[Opposite page - sketch inserted]
At Halferne farm we were shown a fine stone
axe, perforated & edged at one end, which
had been ploughed up on the farm. It
measured about 9" in length on an estimate .
Fort Halferne Cottage
On the top of a low ridge some [--] yds. [yards] to the S. [South]
of Halferne Cottage and due E. [East] of Halferne Farm,
which is on the opposite side of the road, is
a small circular defensive construction. A
low circular mound slightly depressed in the centre occupies the top of the
ridge measuring 77' from N-S [North to South] by 71' from E - W. [East to West] with a slight
suggestion of a rampart around its edge and a
scarp around with a fall of 4' or 5', the
scarp on the flanks blending into
the natural slope. Across the ridge at either
end there appears to have been an outer mound.
At the SE. [South East] it is barely discernible but towards
the NW. [North West] it may be recognised some 12' out:
:wards from the base of the scarp. The whole
construction has been greatly reduced by
ploughing and has been an earthwork.
Clarebrand "Mote." or ? "the Round."
About 1/4 m. [mile] E [East] by N. [North] of Clarebrand school the
O.S. [Ordnance Survey] indicates a "moat." The site is a
gently rising hill within a wood, thickly
planted over the summit and in consequence
impossible to survey. The ground has
at one time been under cultivation
[Continued on page 115] |
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[Page] 115
[Continued from page 114]
and on the S. [South] side the old ridges & furrows
are quite distinct. Of fortification there is
little trace. From N. [North] round towards the SW. [South West]
there are two distinct terraces separated by a
slight glacis 14' broad with a fall
of about 5'. The upper terrace measured where
most distinct was 24' broad and the lower
one at the same place 19' broad. There are no signs
of trenches or ramparts associated with them.
(I wonder if these have been old cultivation terraces
which have been obliterated on the S. [South] side of the hill.)
Mote. Gerranton.
By the roadside in a cultivated field and
about 100 yds [yards] SW. [South West] of Gerranton Farm is a
circular flat topped mound with a height of
from 5' - 6' above the general field level on the N. [North]
less on the W. [West] and merging into the natural
fall of the ground on the S. [South]. On the E. [East] there
is a ledge which may have been a terrace.
The whole has been greatly reduced by ploughing
and its details are quite indefinite. The soil
over the top of the mound is in no way different
from that over the rest of the field suggesting
that the mound is probably a natural one
which has been adapted.
Dunyarg Fort.
In a thick fir plantation about 1/4 S. [South] of
Dunjarg farm house is a small circular
[Continued on page 116] |
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[Page] 116
[Continued from page 115]
defensive construction with an interior dia:
:meter of from 112' to 117' as far as it is possible
to ascertain it. It is formed by a low mound
of earth & stone
rising, where remaining, about 1' above the interior
some 3' - 3'.6" above the ground level on the outside
and 7' in thickness.
11 Augt. 1911
Still glorious weather. Quite the most
remarkable summer on record. Taking
advantage of the fine weather I made out my
expedition to the Carlin's Cairn. A lone
hill top bearing a cairn on its summit
2650' above sea level and situated in the
heart of the Kells Range. I took the car
several miles beyond Dalry, along a side
road up the valley of the Polharrow burn to a
lonely shepherd's house called Burnhead where
cultivation ceased and the silence of the hills
began. The track I laid out on the map took
me over a grassy hill side and across a
brawling burn flowing from the little Loch
Minnoch which I passed on the right, thence
up a long valley on the opposite side of which rose
the rugged face of Millfire (2350') seamed
with dark gullies down which the torrents must
pour in spate to Loch Dungeon lying at its
foot. The valley or glen was confined within a
[Continued on page 117] |
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[Page] 117
[Continued from page 116]
horseshoe formation of grassy slopes rising for
near a thousand feet all round and upwards
we toiled under an almost cloudless sky where
the Hawse Burn rushed with a flow that would
have watered a city fed by springs high on the
mountain side near the 2000' level. Gaining the
summit of Corserine (2668') we saw our objective
a mile still to the northward on the top of the
Carlin's cairn to reach which we had to descend
a few hundred feet to a saddle & mount again
upwards. The prospect was magnificent.
The Merrick with Loch Enoch at its foot lay
but a few miles away while over the shoulders
of innumerable hills round which peeped the
blue waters of Loch Dee, Loch Valley, and others,
we could see a great stretch of Wigtown Bay.
It was a walk of about 6 miles on a modest
reckoning to the top & the same back again
& in all the journey I saw only two grouse
so little heather is there in that region. Three
ravens croaked about us on the hill top
thoroughly in keeping with their surroundings
Carsphairn Carlin's Cairn (10)
On the summit of the mountain known
as the carlin's cairn 2650' in height is a
large circular cairn which has perchance
given the mountain its name. It measures
[Continued on page 118] |
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[Page] 118
[Continued from page 117]
in diameter 54' to 56', and in elevation 9' - 10' on
the E [East] where the ground level is lower and
7' on the W. [West]. The cairn is ancient in appearance
and tradition connects it with the adventures
of Robert the Bruce in this region in 13[--]. In
which connection it is said to have been erected
by the wife of the miller of Polmaddy as a
monument to the memory of her king who
had rewarded her with a grant of land
in the neighbourhood for effecting his
escape when pursued by the English, concealing
him among the sacks of corn behind the
hopper of the mill. Its very remote situ:
:ation renders its sepulchral character
doubtful. (See Harper & op. cit. [opere citato])
Deil's Dyke
Immediately to the S. [South] of the bridge
which carries the roadway to Nether Knockreoch
across the Polharrow Burn the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] indicates
a section of the Deil's Dyke rising up Stranfasket Hill to the
W. [West] of the wood on the S. [South] side of the valley.
The structure so noted is an old stone dyke
only 2' wide at base, entirely ruined but which
has never been of any formidable dimensions.
I do not think this can be regarded as a
portion of the Deil's dyke at all.
In the hope of seeing the minister, Mr. McNaughton
[Continued on page 119] |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-119 |
[Page] 119
I proceeded to Carsphairn. He was away on
his holiday but I was entertained to tea by the
Rev. [Reverend] W. McArthur & his wife who were occupying
the manse in his absence, the former taking
his duty. Within the church on the floor
beside the pulpit is an old bell, unfor:
:tunately cracked, inscribed around the
shoulder "ex dono Mr i Johan Reid
Carsphairn R. M. fecit Edn. [Edinburgh] 1723. It
meas [measures] 3'.3" in circ. [circumference] at mouth, & 1'.10" at the
shoulder.
Within the graveyard are several good
examples of early 18th century tombstones.
There is one large slab bearing at one end initials
[--] and date 1644, 6' in length by 1'.10" in breadth
lying near the gateway into the Manse grounds.
Adjacent is an upright stone carved on one
side with an hour glass & skull surrounded
by mantling all in high relief and on the
other side bearing in incised characters the
inscription. R.G. G' G.
Faithful Robert Grierson
Doth ly beside this stone
Who in his lifetyme was
Repute ane honest one
Religeon he did awn
When few it countenanc'd.
Eternity is come
Where he is high advanc'd
Who died the 11 of June
1699 Aged 80. |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-119 |
|
see p.197 of Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot. Vol 99 (1966-67) The church and other bells of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright (pp 191-210)
Eeles, F C and Clouston, Ronald W M |
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[Page] 120
In the burial enclosure of the McAdams of
Waterhead is a curious tablet let [cut] into the
wall of which I took a photograph.
14th Augt. 1911.
Tongland Par [Parish] Dunjop (2) Fort.
Car towards Twynholm.
Immediately to the S. [South] of Dunjop house and
about 100 yds. [yards] in rear of the farm buildings
rises a somewhat conical hillock on which
grow a number of oak trees. About half
way up its slope towards the N. [North] there
is visible for a distance of 40' a rampart
some 10' in breadth and about 1' height
and a slight hollowed terrace in rear of it
Passing round the flanks of the hillock it
is not observable. On the W. [West] however near
the base a similar mound is to be seen
stretching from the adjacent field dyke (which seems to surmount it on the S. [South]) for a
distance of 93', & thereafter turning sharply away
from the hillock towards the road, being
interrupted in its course by a mill lade.
The whole construction is very fragmentary.
On the top of a low hill 1/2 m [mile] SW. [South West] of the last the
O.S. [Ordnance Survey] marks the site of a fort. Nothing of it remains.
Queens Hill
In a park on the S. [South] side of the avenue at Queen's
Hill which leads towards Fellend is a
small conical hillock which Mr. Coles records as a
mote. Around it is a slight scarp too
[Continued on page 121] |
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[Page] 121
[Continued from page 120]
insignificant to be considered defensive. The
hillock is surmounted by a small stone monu:
:ment and is by tradition supposed to be the
spot where Queen Mary rested on her flight from
Langside.
Twynholm Par [Parish] Trostrie Mote
Rising immediately behind the farm steading
of Trostrie is a natural hillock of rock which
has been utilised as a formidable defensive
site. The hillock is oblong in form, lying with its
main axis NNE [North North East] and SSW. [South South West] and broader & squarer
at the former extremity than at the latter.
Measured at its base its length along each
side is some 202', across the NNE [North North East] end 120', and
across the SSW. [South South West] about 114'. Around the base
except at the SSW. [South South West] end where it has been probably filled in
there is a well defined trench, 18' wide and 4'
deep on the W. [West] side and 26' to 28' wide and
7' deep on the other two sides. The natural
level of the ground declines towards the W. [West]
& is highest towards the N [North]
and at the N. [North] angle there is a sudden alteration
of about 3' in the level of the trench. Above the
counterscarp of the ditch round the NNE [North North East] end
and the W [West] side there runs a mound which judging
from large stones visible along its crest has
probably been surmounted by a wall.
The hillock with sides sloping at an angle of 40°
rises to a height of 40' above the bottom of the
[Continued on page 122] |
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[Page] 122
[Continued from page 121]
trench on the W [West] side, 33'.6" on the NNE [North North East], 35'.6" on
the E [East] and about 25' at the SSW. [South South West] end where the
rock is exposed. Except for a short distance
at the S. [South] end the summit is overgrown with a
dense thicket of blackthorn rendering measure:
:ment of the whole impossible. as far as observable it is hollowed & appears to have been
divided into two main divisions by a bank or
wall which crosses it some 66' from the SSW [South South West] end
while at 36' from the same end a slight ridge
projecting from either side seems to indicate a
further subdivision. The greatest depth of the
concavity on the top is 6'. From the N. [North]
angle of the outer mound above the trench
a broad bank stretches towards the low-
lying marshy ground beyond in that direction
along the top of what seems to be an artificial
scarp. It is a pity that this interesting
mote hill is being allowed to be overgrown.
Culcaigrie.
In a wet hollow to the NE. [North East] of Trostrie Mote
a slight hillock forms the termination of the
ridge on which the former has been constructed.
It rises by an easy gradient from the S. [South]
and has a steep slope of 24' vertical height towards the N. [North] and
NE [North East]. At the top of the slope from the S. [South] there
is a more or less level and circular area
measuring some 23' in diameter breaking
[Continued on page 123] |
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[Page] 123
[Continued from page 122]
away at the ENE [East North East] into an irregular hollow or pit
some 6' at greatest depth, with its circumference
highest towards the W. [West] and low and irregular to:
:wards the E [East] and ENE. [East North East] in which directions it
comes to the edge of the hillock. With its longest
axis N. [North] and S. [South] it measures in diameter some 24'
by 18' but its extension towards the S. [South] is in
some measure due to delapidation. Along
the NW. [North West] quadrant of this hollow there runs a slight
mound 7'.6" thick at base which from its
position is clearly not defensive nor are there
any works which may be so termed unless
it be a slight terrace passing round the N. [North] end
near the base. With due deference to
Mr. Coles' opinion expressed in the Proceedings
I cannot regard this as a mote of any
kind but consider it most probably an
old kiln!
Twynholm Irelandtown Cairn (S [Site])
On the moor about 300 yds [yards] W. [West] of Irelandtown
is the site of a small circular cairn. An
inconsiderable heap of stones remains on one
side of it but the whole of the centre has long
ago been cleared out.
Irelandtown. Fort
The fort marked on the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] about 1/4 [mile] SSW. [South South West] of
Irelandtown is now practically obliterated. |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-124 |
[Page] 124
Borgue Par. [Parish] Conchieton Cairn & Cist
Some 250 yds [yards] ENE. [East North East] of Conchieton Farm enclosed
by a wall & planted with trees is an excavated
cairn measuring about 36' in diameter in the centre of which a short cist is
exposed. The cist is almost a square of 20" in
the interior and is formed of four slabs sunk in
the ground. set N [North] & S [South] and E [East] and W [West]. Forming an irregular ring around
it on the N. [North] where the stones have fallen with a radius of some 2' a number of
large slabs have been placed rising to a
height of from 1' to 18" above the level of the top.
None of these are very firmly fixed. Lying ad:
:jacent to the cist are two slabs
one of indurated sandstone roughly triangular measures
24" by 16" and the other porphyritic & rhomboidal measures
24" by 12". On both these stones are small
markings noted by Mr. Coles as cup-marks.
(See Dumf. [Dumfries] & Galloway Nat [Natural] Hist [History] &c. [and Antiquarian] Soc. [Society] 1889)
The mark on the former is small, 1" in dia. [diameter]
and resembles the mark of a pick, while
that on the latter is more distinct and
measures 1 1/2" in diameter.
Conchieton Doon
On the summit of a conspicuous eminence
situated to the NW. [North West] of Conchieton Farm are
the fragmentary remains of a fort. In
plan it has been oval with its longest
axis along the lie of the hill measuring
interiorly 180' by 110'. In addition to the
[Continued on page 125] |
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[Page] 125
[Continued from page 124]
rampart which has encircled the summit there
has apparently been an outer rampart some 20' wide with
an intervening trench. Of the outer rampart only
a small portion some 40' in length remains
at all distinct but the trench is visible on
the E [East] side and is very distinct showing a
width of 30' at the S. [South] corner. There has
been an entrance through the defences from
the SSE [South South East]. Within the interior on the
W. [West] side near the entrance there appears to be
an enclosure measuring some 36' by 33' resting
on the inner rampart and there is a small
circular depression nearer the entrance on the
opposite side. There seems to have been a
good deal of stone in the ramparts which
has been removed and the fort has also
suffered from being under cultivation.
Tongland Par [Parish]
Pluckhim's Cairn.
In the middle of a field and planted with
trees about 1/4 m. [mile] W. [West] of Tarff railway station is
a large circular cairn a large part of which
has been removed. It has measured in diameter
about 87' and the highest part remaining
has an elevation of 8'. A trench has been
cleared through the centre.
15 Augt. 1911
Joined forces with MacGibbon
to examine & plan the Mote of Urr. |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-126 |
[Page] 126
Urr Par [Parish]
Mote of Urr.
In the centre of a flat alluvial plain
along one side of which now flows the
Water of Urr and some 3 ms. [miles] to the NW. [North West] of
Dalbeattie is situated the Mote of Urr the
most notable monument of its class in Scotland.
It is a hillock of considerable extent lying in
general direction ? N [North] and S [South] and from the ground
at its base to the top of its crowning citadel
rising to a height of [--] ft [feet]. Though the river
now flows in a single channel 100 yds [yards] or thereby to the E [East]
in former times it bifurcated higher up and
contained the mote as an island between
its two streams; the line of the former channel
to the W. [West] being, it is believed, the present parish
boundary. The hillock rises very abruptly
from the low lying meadows on the E [East] and
N. [North] and its lower slopes have probably been
artificially scarped, while on the W. [West] side
the gradient is less steep and towards the
N. [North] the it tails away gradually for
some distance beyond the fortress. Around the
base on the E. [East] and N. [North] the wet ground seems
to indicate the previous existence of a ditch
no longer clearly defined. At a height of
[--] ft. [feet] above the base on the W. [West] and passing
at about the same level around the hillock a
[Continued on page 127] |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-126 |
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From the 'Fifth Report and Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in Galloway, Volume 2, County of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright' (1914), the missing heights are: 78 feet 4 inches and 30 feet |
| gb0551ms-36-34-127 |
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From the 'Fifth Report and Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in Galloway, Volume 2, County of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright' (1914), the missing dimensions are: depth = 8 feet, width = 47 feet, extreme length = 500 feet, breadth = 216 feet and height = 33 feet, depth = 8 feet, width = 25 feet, summit = 91 feet by 76 feet |
| gb0551ms-36-34-127 |
[Page] 127
[Continued from page 126]
trench has been dug with its sides sloped at an
angle of some 45° to an average depth of [--]
and width of [--]. Enclosed within it is
a fairly regular oblong area measuring [--] ft. [feet] in
extreme length and [--] ft. [feet] in breadth rounded
at the ends, also at the angles except towards the SE [South East]
where there is a rectangle, and straight along
the sides. Above the scarp of the trench
there has been a slight parapet mound
most noticeable towards the W. [West] and S [South].
Near the S. [South] end of the enclosure, which has formed
the base court, there rises to a height of [--] a truncated
cone of soil and stones in large measure artificially
formed sloping all round at an
angle of 45°. Around its base is a continuous trench
[--] ft [feet] in depth and [--] in width. The
summit which is nearly level measures [--]. This
citadel does not occupy the centre of the
breadth of the base court but is placed
close to the W. [West] side leaving room for a
free passage past it on the E [East]. There are
two entrances to the enceinte - one from
the SE. [South East] adjacent to the rectangular corner
and the other from the NW [North West]. At the former
the trench has probably been bridged, and a
Mound lies on the E. [East] side from the outer edge of the
trench which may be connected with it, but as
[Continued on page 128] |
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[Page] 128
[Continued from page 127]
this entrance was doubtless used when the summit of the
mote was under cultivation its features have in
all probability been considerably modified.
The entrance from the NW. [North West] is undoubtedly original
and the roadway is carried over the trench
on solid ground.
At several places there is evidence of stone-
-work in the slopes of the citadel &
ramparts, but the thick turf obscures all details.
Some damage is being done to the mote
by sheep & cattle breaking the banks and
also by the digging out of rabbits.
Urr Par. [Parish]
Waterside Fort.
Somewhat less than 1/4 m. [mile] SSE. [South South East] of the village
of Urr is a small fort of the promontory
class formed on an elevated angle one
side of which slopes steeply to a meadow and
the other to a haugh by the river Urr some
'60 below. Its defences curving from bank to
bank have consisted of an outer trench
and two ramparts with a second trench
between them. Towards the ? N. [North] there
expands in rear of the outer rampart
to a width of 28' or thereby a level area
or platform. The defences
terminate a few feet distant from the edge of the
slope on the N. [North] and past their termination there
[Continued on page 129] |
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[Page] 129
[Continued from page 128]
runs a narrow terrace which has probably formed
the original entrance to the interior : a break in
the outer rampart near the centre being probably
secondary. The ramparts have been of earth
and stone and have been much reduced in height & spread by
ploughing. (This fort may be compared with
that near Leswalt. Its dimensions may be taken
from Mr. Macgibbon's plan)
16' Augt. 1911
Tongland Carved stone
Built into the front wall of a cottage at the
roadside near the north Lodge of Argrennan
House is a portion of a sculptured stone
bearing an interlacing design of late
character. The stone measures 1'.6" by 1'.
Twynholm Mote.
At the head of the village of Twynholm is a
small mote hill apparently formed for the
most part of forced earth. It is situated at the
edge of the bank of a burn which flows past
some 20' below. The mound rises above the
bank to a height of 18' and has been in form
a truncated cone with a diameter of about 60' at base but it has been much reduced
in size at various points to make room for the
passage of carts and for the accommodation
of the litter of the croft which is situated close
beside it. The summit which is flat now
measures 47' from E [East] to W. [West] by 38' from N [North] to S [South].
Much damage has been done to this mote
[Continued on page 130] |
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[Page] 130
[Continued from page 129]
in recent times.
Campbeltown
About 1/2 m. [mile] ESE. [East South East] of Twynholm church an
isolated hillock planted sparsely with trees
rises from a hollow in a general undulating
country. From its base to its highest point it has
an elevation of about 22', is steep on either flank
has easy gradient from the N. [North] end and a
somewhat steeper one from the opposite extremity
The summit which has a general fall towards
the N. [North] measures about 90' in greatest length by
some 50' in breadth and forms an irregular oval
with a point extending towards the N [North]. Some
10' in from the edge along the W. [West] side there is
an indication of the inner face of a stony
rampart or wall & while on the E [East] the remains
are less distinct there is a stony mound at
that side towards the S. [South] end. At each
end below the scarp of the summit there
is a double rampart and at the S. [South] end
a terrace some 8' to 10' in width above the
final slope to the bottom of the hillock.
These defences gradually merge into the
steeper slopes of the sides where they have been
almost obliterated. The ramparts appear to
have been formed of earth and stone. |
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[Page] 131
Girthon Par [Parish] Enrick Fort.
Crowning the summit of a swelling cultivated
hill about 1/2 m. [mile] SE. [South East] of Enrick Farm are the remains
of a fort which has been greatly reduced by the
action of the plough and in places almost effaced.
The enceinte which is pear shaped in plan has
been defended at the S. [South] across the top of the hill by a double rampart with an
intervening trench and a second trench on
the inner side possibly
dispensing with the outer mound along the
flanks. The interior measures 130' from N. [North] to S. [South]
and 136' from E [East] to W. [West] and the defences towards the
S. [South] where they are least ploughed down measure
94' across. This appears to have been a pure
earthwork.
Palace Yard Enrick
In a low lying meadow and
about 1/4 m. [mile] S. [South] of Enrick Farm is an oval mound
or plateau of earth somewhat artificial in appearance lying
with its main axis E [East] and W [West] and measuring
some 352' in length by 194' in breadth. All
around it the land is somewhat marshy and
overgrown with rushes. It is engirt except
for a break towards the E [East] where there has probably
been an approach by a well defined ditch
some 50' in width across the top and 6' to
7' in depth. From the W. [West] end the level of
the mound rises and at its highest point
[Continued on page 132] |
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[Page] 132
[Continued from page 131]
some 7' above the surrounding level, and 70' or
thereby from the E. [East] end there appear to be the
foundations beneath the turf of a large oblong
rectangular building too indefinite for
measurement.
Cally Mote
In a park some 3/4 m. [mile] NE. [North East] of Cally House and
at the edge of a natural banks which trends
obliquely towards a small stream is a
circular hillock, in form a truncated cone,
surrounded by a ditch 15' in width having a slight
mound above the counterscarp. Except for
a small gap on the SE. [South East] whence a hollow
leads up from the burn the cincture is complete.
From the bottom of the ditch the elevation of
the mound varies from 12' on the N. [North] to 16' on
the S. [South] and the summit, nearly a
true circle or slightly concave measures about 80' in diameter
A large split boulder some
2' in diameter lies with its flat surface
uppermost on the E [East] side of the summit
For some distance on the W. [West] side the
ditch has been cut through rock. The
mound is planted with trees and
is in places being damaged by
cattle. |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-133 |
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line 5 - missing height is 150'-200' (see https://canmore.org.uk/site/63641/trustys-hill-anwoth) |
| gb0551ms-36-34-133 |
[Page] 133
Anwoth Par. [Parish]
Trusty's Hill Vitrified Fort.
In an undulating region of rocky hillocks
and midway between the church of Anwoth
and Gatehouse of Fleet there rises a hill
more conspicuous than its neighbours to a height
of [--] & known as Trustys Hill. It lies
with its main axis NW [North West] and SE [South East] slopes up
by a gradual incline from the latter direction
and is steep, and in places craggy on the
flanks and at the NW. [North West] end. Towards the
N. [North] at a level some 30' or thereby below the
summit it is connected by a neck with rising rocky
ground beyond. The summit of this hill
is crowned by a fort reputed to be vitrified
but though vitrified material is still to be
picked up on its surface, where the summit
rampart has not been torn up, it is so over:
:grown with turf that it is impossible now
to estimate the extent of the vitrifaction.
The actual summit which is very uneven
measures some 95' in length by 64' in breadth
and has been surrounded by a stony rampart
or wall which has enclosed at its SE [South East] end & at some 6' lower level
two projecting rocks 11' apart, between which
has evidently been an approach. On the
top of each rock there is a hollow, artificial
depression; that on the N. [North] circular with an
[Continued on page 134] |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-134 |
[Page] 134
[Continued from page 133]
interior diameter of 11' and a depth of about 2',
that on the S. [South] out oval measuring interiorly 31' by 23'.
Some 15' or thereby out from the face of these rocks
there passes segmentally from the S [South] side to within 25'
of the N. [North] edge of the ridge a breastwork for the
most part composed of outcropping rock, which
in turn has been covered at 21' distant down the
slope by another outwork (from the surface of
which also low points of rock protrude) visible
to within 12' of the N [North] edge and there after
seeming to return up hill so as to flank
an approach which has passed along the edge of the N. [North] slope.
Beneath this lowest outwork the hill extends
in a somewhat level plateau towards the [--] before descending
in a steepish slope to its base. To defend
the fort from attack by way of the neck
before mentioned on the N. [North] a deep trench has
been cut across that feature in part
through the rock , 14' in width, 10' to 11' deep
on the scarp or higher side and 5' on the
opposite slope, while the
steep scarp has been rendered more formidable
by the addition of a stony rampart along
its crest about 11' in thickness at base.
At its extreme W. [West] end where it approaches
the craggy face of the hill the
[Continued on page 135] |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-134 |
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line 2 - inserted word is sub and the dimension is 31' (see https://canmore.org.uk/site/63641/trustys-hill-anwoth)
line 12 - looks like 'the' has been overwritten by 'an'
line 14 - missing direction is South East (see https://canmore.org.uk/site/63641/trustys-hill-anwoth) |
| gb0551ms-36-34-135 |
[Page] 135
[Continued from page 134]
the course of the trench has been interrupted
by an approach to the interior passing by
the termination of the surmounting rampart.
Beside its vitrified character this fort is
remarkable from the presence of certain sculptured
symbols usually associated with the
early celtic church on the N [North] face of
the most Southerly of the two projecting
rocks between which has passed the approach
to the summit. The symbols which
are deeply incised consist of the dolphin,
and double disc ornament traversed
by the Z shaped floriated rod. An
iron grill has been placed over the
carvings for their protection.
Anwoth Par. [Parish]
Green Tower Mote Anworth
This Mote is situated immediately to
the S. [South] of the farm house of Boreland which
lies a mile or thereby SW. [South West] of Gatehouse of Fleet.
It has been fashioned out of a long sandy
plateau on the W. [West] side of the estuary of the Fleet
having now on its Western side low lying
meadows probably in former times marshy,
and slightly rising ground on the E [East].
The plateau lies with its main axis NNW [North North West] & SSE. [South South East]
and forms an oblong figure some 367'
in extreme length, divided into two unequal
[Continued on page 136] |
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| gb0551ms-36-34-136 |
[Page] 136
[Continued from page 135]
divisions at about 84' from the SSE [South South East] end by a
shallow trench some 22' in width, the larger
division having an average and somewhat
uniform breadth of about 97' and the shorter
division contracting to a somewhat pointed
extremity at the S [South]. The W. [West] side is regularly
sloped at an angle of 40° and the E [East] presents
a more natural looking scarp at an angle
of about 29°. The greatest vertical height from
base to summit which is on the E [East] side is 25'.
At the NNW. [North North West] extremity the plateau has been
severed from the adjacent ground by a deep
trench some 35' in width, the bottom of which
lies 16' below the top of the scarp and 12'
below that of the counterscarp. Along
the W. [West] side there appears also to have been
a trench. There is no sign of a parapet
mound around any part of the summit,
nor is there any indication of the position of an
entrance.
17' Augt. 1911.
Car to Kirkpatrick Durham &c.
The standing stone at Croys to which Mr.
Stark drew my attention is without doubt
merely a rubbing post. It has been roughly
hammer dressed to a square section and
is not firmly fixed in the ground! |
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[Page] 137
Kirkpatrick Durham
Called on the Minister Mr. Stark.
In front of the manse stands an ancient
font which was brought from the site of a
chapel at (?)Kirtlebridge. In an Article in the
Proceedings (q.v:) it has been fully described & illustrated
by Mr. Russell Walker from measurements sup:
:plied by Mr. Stark.
In the N. [North] gable of the parish church is built
in an armorial stone bearing arms a
chevron between 3 cross crosslets within a
bordure flory counterflory surmounted by
what appears to be a crest between two
indefinite objects probably initials. Beneath
the shield is incised the date 1748 which
I think is contemporaneous though Mr. Stark
believes it to be a later addition. The
character of the carving and the form of
the shield are both late. The stone is
inaccessible.
Preserved at the manse are three
carved oak panels from the Macartney
seat in the old church. They are each 13"
in length; two of them 7" broad and the other
9". The larger panel bears a shield
charged with 3 boar's heads erased, for
Gordon, the initials I.G. and N.G. also
[Continued on page 138] |
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[Page] 138
[Continued from page 137]
three figures of a date 162--. The other
two panels appear to represent respectively
Satan, and a pelican feeding her young
emblamatic of the church. The armorial
panel is illustrated in "The Book of Kirk:
:patrick Durham."
Beside the door of the manse is a curious
stone with incised lines on it which bear
a rude resemblance to a boar's head. I
have a rubbing & photograph of it. It came
from Barmoffity Road.
Kk [Kirkpatrick] Durham
Mound Durham St.
Close to the road on the E. [East] side of
Durham St. is a slight mound with a circular
flat summit and a slight projection towards
the E [East] so as to give it an oval plan on base.
Around the foot is a slight ridge, too slight
to be termed a rampart with a scarp
about 3' in height but no sign of any trench
or true defensive work. The summit measures
about 24' in diameter but has been dug out
to some extent on the S [South]. The length of the
mound is 85', its breadth at centre 54' and
its elevation about 6'. Though bearing
a somewhat artificial appearance it has
not the character of a mote or defensive
work of any kind.
In Kirkpatrick Durham I made the acquaintance
[Continued on page 139] |
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[Page] 139
[Continued from page 138]
of Mr. MacCargo the local watchmaker and
an enthusiastic antiquary. He occupies a
small cottage consisting of two room & an
attic, which serve as work-shop, living room,
& bedroom, and, more particularly, museum.
every available corner and most of the wall
space being covered with curiosities ranging
from a fine stone axe head & celts to grand:
:fathers' clocks and 17th century oak fur:
:niture. Though having to
raise money occasionally being under the
necessity of trading, he is no dealer and
only will part with a treasure with the
greatest reluctance. There are few pre:
:historic sites, old carved stones, or other
relics within a wide radius of his home
that he does not know. I was amused
to find that his wide topographical knowledge
had been acquired in making periodic
visits, mostly on foot, to the tall clocks
that tick the time in the remote farm houses
of the neighbourhood. I greatly enjoyed
his society for an afternoon touring to
the forts & cairns.
Fort Minnydow.
Some [--] yds. [yards] to the W. [West] of the farm buildings
of Minnydow is a fort formed around the
[Continued on page 140] |
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[Page] 140
[Continued from page 139]
a low domical mound which rises above a
deep hollow on the E [East]. Elsewhere the general
level falls towards the fort. Terminating at
either side on the edge of the hollow beyond it a trench
and rampart have formed the defences con:
:taining an enceinte oval in form, and
measuring 162' from E [East] to W. [West] by 132' from N [North] to S [South].
The site has been long under cultivation and
the defences are much ploughed down; The
trench is, however, still clearly visible with a
breadth of 25' and a depth of 3'.6" or thereby.
Meikle Cairn Minnydow
This cairn is situated about 1/4 m. [mile] NW. [North West] of Minny:
:dow farm and is now enclosed by a
stone wall and planted with fir trees.
In diameter it measures some 55' and in
elevation about 3'.6". There is no indication
of its having been excavated.
Urr Par [Parish] Cairn Meikle Larg
This cairn situated about 1/2 m. [mile] NW. [North West] of Meikle
Larg has been almost entirely removed.
Kirkpatrick Irongray Par. [Parish] Fort. The Doons Doonhill
This fort is situated at an elevation of some 500' over sea level on the summit of
the Doonhill, a long flat topped ridge which
slopes upwards from the left bank of the
Old water to the N [North] of Shawhead. It is a
circular construction measuring interiorly 190' from N-S [North-South] by 214' from E to W [East to West] surrounded by a
steeply scarped bank above which there
[Continued on page 141] |
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[Page] 141
[Continued from page 140]
seems to have existed a stony rampart
now supplanted by a stone wall.
The scarp is well defined all around ex:
:cept on the S. [South] where it has been broken down
and is only a foot or so in height, whence
passing round to the W [West] it gradually rises to 7' or 8' which
height it maintains to the E [East] end. In the interior
the level rises from within the rampart to a
central plat some 7' to 8' higher.
Communion Stones. Skeoch Hill
In a secluded hollow in the moorland
at the north end of Skeoch Hill is a modern granite
obelisk, bearing an inscription to the effect
that at this Spot a large number of Covenanters
met in the summer of 1578 to worship God,
and that about three thousand communicants
on that occasion celebrated the sacrament
of the Lord's supper. To the NE. [North East] of this monu:
:ment are 4 distinct rows of flattish stones
and a fifth less so distinct, stretching for a distance
of from 40' to 45', and 4' apart, on which
the people are believed to have sat.
Fort Macnaughton
This small fort is situated in an
inconspicuous situation above a small
glen [--] yds. [yards] S. [South] of Macnaughton and
adjacent to the cottage of Oakwood.
It is a circular construction measuring
[Continued on page 142] |
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|
see Fig. 17, p. 113 of Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (1892-93) Vol 27
The Motes, Forts, and Doons in the East and West Divisions of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. (pp 92-182) by
Coles, Frederick R |
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[Page] 142
[Continued from page 141]
interiorly some 60' and surrounded by
a trench and rampart - the former some 30'
in width from crest to crest and 7' at greatest
depth. There has been an entrance on the E [East].
A modern field wall has cut off a segment of
the defences on the N. [North] which has been obliterated
in the field beyond. The rampart appears
to be of earth and stone and many large
boulders are visible on the face of it. (See
Coles - whose plan is correct.)
On the flank of a low hill about
250 yds. [yards] W. [West] of Barnsoul and at the edge of a
steep slope to the [--] burn on the northward
are the remains of a circular construction
which has all the appearance of being a defensive
work though marked on the O.S. [Ordnance Survey] as the site
of a chapel. With its ends resting on the
edge of the slope is a broad bank of earth
& stone forming a Horseshoe & enclosing an
area measuring 85' from N [North] to S. [South] by 66' from E [East] to W [West].
Originally the enceinte has probably been oval and
the bank continuous on the N. [North] though now at
that point quite obliterated. The bank is very
irregular in thickness varying from 14' to 20'
and is about 2'.6" in height. It shows many
large stones in its composition. (Mr. Coles considered
this site very doubtful as a defensive work.) |
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[Page] 143
3
A.
Auchneel -- 12
Auchness -- 43
Arkland -- 111
Argrennan Lodge -- 129
Anworth [Anwoth] -- 133 |
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[Page] 144
4
B.
Bladnoch Village -- 2
Balfern -- 3
Broughton Mains -- 7
Beoch -- 26
Burrow Head -- 31
Blairbuie -- 38
Barsalloch Point -- 38
Back Bay -- 40
Barhullion Fell -- 41
Balgrennan -- 44
Broken Castle -- 47
Baldoon -- 49
Barvernochan -- 53
Bargrennan -- 64
Bargaly -- 66
Bardrochwood Mote -- 66
Brocklock -- 81
Bridgemark Hill -- 87
Braidenoch Hill -- 89
Balmaclennan -- 91
Balgerran -- 96
Blackmark Burn -- 100
Balmaclennan -- 103
Balmaghie -- 106
Bankben Cairn -- 107
Barnsoul -- 142
C.
Castle Kennedy -- 1
Claunch -- 6
Castle Bull -- 11
Cairn Head Fort -- 18
Cutreoch -- 23
Cairn Pat or Piot -- 24
Castle Feather -- 31
Cutcloy -- 32
Carleton Fell -- 36
Cairn Tooter -- 47
Corwall -- 48
Chippermore -- 49
Culbrae -- 51
Clutag -- 53
Crailloch Farm -- 53
Clauchaneasy -- 60
Cairnderry -- 60
Cairnkinnar Rig -- 62
Cairnsmore of Fleet -- 66
Cree Bridge -- 69
Cordorcan -- 77
Carsphairn -- 119, 79
Cairn Avel -- 83
Craigangillan -- 87
Carminnow Fort -- 88
Corriedhu Cairn -- 100
Craigmuie -- 103
Cairntosh Hill -- 107
Crofts Mote -- 108
Crofts Fort -- 112
Clarebrand Mote -- 114
Carlins Cairn -- 116
Culcaigrie -- 122
Conchieton -- 124
Campbeltown -- 130
Cally Mote -- 132
Croys -- 136
Communion Stones -- 141 |
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[Page] 145
5
D.
Dally Fort -- 10
Doonan of Dally -- 10
Dunwick -- 11
Dinnans -- 17
Drummorl [Drummoral] -- 22
Deils Dyke -- 118. 78. 26
Devils Footsteps -- 33
Drumtrodden -- 43
Doonhill Fort -- 50
Dowalton Loch -- 52
Dalry -- 84
Dalry Church -- 98
Dalshangan -- 90
Dalarran Holm -- 92
Darngarroch Cairn -- 107
Doon of Urr -- 109
Dunjarg Fort -- 115
Dunjop -- 120
Durham St. -- 138
Doonhill -- 140
E.
Eschonchan -- 75
Ernambrie Fort -- 112
Enrick Fort -- 131 |
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[Page] 146
6
F.
Fell of Barhullion -- 41
Fellend -- 120
Fort Minnydow -- 139
G.
Glenluce Abbey -- 1
Gallows Outon -- 16
Glenvernoch Fell -- 26
Glasserton Church -- 35
Glencaird Hill -- 64
Garwall Hill -- 74
Glencaird House -- 75
Glengappoch -- 93
Gerranton Mote -- 115
Green tower Mote -- 135 |
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[Page] 7
H.
High Auchneel -- 12
Holm of Daltallochan -- 81
Holm of Dalquhairn -- 85
Harper's Hill -- 107
Halferne Cairn -- 113
I
Isle of Whithorn -- 20
Irelandtown Moor -- 107
Irelandtown Cairn -- 123
J. |
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[Page] 148
8
K.
Kirkinner -- 50. 2
Kemps Walk -- 13
Kirk of St. Ninian -- 21
Knock -- 24
Knowe -- 28
Kirkmaiden -- 39
Kirroughtree -- 70
Kirriemore -- 73
Kings Cairn -- 74
Kirkpatrick Durham -- 136
L.
Larbrax Moor -- 12
Little Balsmith -- 17
Loch Ochiltree -- 25
Laggan Fort -- 37
Laigh Sinniness -- 47
Longcastle -- 51
Lamford -- 79
Lagwine Cairn -- 83
Loch Lurkie -- 92
Loch Roan -- 95
Lochrinnie -- 100
Little Duchrae -- 106 |
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[Page] 149
9
M.
Maize -- 24
Monreith -- 43
Mochrum -- 55
Mahers Hill -- 67
Minnigaff -- 69
Minniwick -- 75
Monibuie -- 85
Minnygryle Burn -- 100
Margley Fort -- 110
Meikle Ernambrie -- 113
Mote of Urr -- 126
Minnydow Fort -- 139
Meikle Cairn -- 140
Macnaughton Fort -- 141
Mc |
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[Page] 150
N.
North Balfern -- 3
O.
Ochiltree -- 25
Old Bridge of Urr -- 109 |
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[Page] 151
11
P.
Park Hay Castle -- 1
Portslogan Fort -- 23
Pat Cairn -- 24
Parliament Knowe -- 71
Polharrow Burn -- 118
Pluckhim's Cairn -- 125
Palace Yard Enrick -- 131
Q.
Queens Hill -- 120 |
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[Page] 152
12
R.
Riffer Park -- 5
Rispain Fort -- 29
S.
Saltpans Bay -- 12
Skeog -- 16
Steinhead -- 19
Scroggie -- 44
Stairhaven -- 45
Skaith Hill -- 49
Sheuchan's Cairn -- 74
Stroanfreggan Cairn -- 84
Shawhead -- 140
Skeoch Hill -- 141 |
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[Page] 153
13
T.
Turkey Hill -- 4
Tor of Creagach -- 9
Teroy Fort -- 76
Thieves Stanes -- 77
Trostrie Mote -- 121
Twynholm Mote -- 129
Trusty's Hill -- 133
Trowdale -- 97
U.
Urr - Moat of -- 126 |
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[Page] 154
14
V.
W
Wrens Egg -- 38
White Loch - Auchness -- 43
Whithorn -- 56
White Cairn - Bargrennan -- 64
Waterhead -- 80
Water of Deugh -- 80
Watch Knowe -- 103
Waterside Fort -- 128 |
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[Page] 155
Y. |
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