gb0551ms-36-35-167

Transcription

[Page] 166a
[Continued from page 166]

in the former direction by two deep chasms separated
by a tongue of rock which projects some 50' to 60'
out from the base of the mote hill . Above this
the hillock rises to a height of about 22'. The
summit is fairly level and foursided,
the side towards the sea on the S. [South] alone
being irregular in direction. The plateau
measures superficially some 58' by 64'. At base
it is surrounded except where protected
by the edge of the cliffs on the S. [South] by a ditch with an
average breadth of 45' on the W. [West] and N. [North], and
53 on the E. [East],
and with a general depth of 16' from the top of
the counterscarp and (?) 22' from the summit
of the mote hill. Between this ditch and
an outer ditch which passes from the SE [South East] angle of the mote-
-hill round to a natural hollow running down to the shingle on the
NW. [North West], there lies parallel with the N. [North] and W. [West]
sides of the Mote hill, a base court varying
from 40' to 50' in breadth. flanked On the W. [West]
by the steep cliffs. From the base
court a roadway, blocking the E [East] end of the
inner ditch, leads onto the Mote hill, and
a similar roadway passes over the outer
ditch into the base court from the N [North]. On
the right of the entrance to the latter there is

[Continued on page 167]

[Page] 167
[Continued from page 166a]

a circular hollow with a depth of about 2' and
a diameter of about 12' which may indicate the
position of a guard house. The foundations of a
wall are to be seen around the outer edge of
the base court as well as on the sides of the
road ways and a mass of dry built masonry projects
into the natural hollow with which the outer ditch
merges, before it opens on the shingle leaving
a track between its termination and the opposite
wall of the hollow which appears to have been
built. (I spent a lot of time planning
this construction but my plan differs much
from that of Mr. Coles and I shall send Watson
to check it and make sections.)

[Margin] Kirkclaugh Stone Cross.

At the edge of a shrubbery some 60' E. [East] of
Kirkclaugh house stands the cross slab which
formerly stood on the outer rampart on the
NE. [North East] of the Mote of Kirkclaugh. It is sculptured
on both faces On the front is a cross the
side arms of which measure 7" and 9" respectively
in length, the upper arm 14" and the lower
arm 6": all expand slightly to the extremities.
To one side of the centre is a small boss
surrounded by an ornamental ring and
another small boss appears on the lower
arm towards the right side. This cross

[Continued on page 167a]