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Latitude: 54.9385 / 54°56'18"N
Longitude: -5.1853 / 5°11'7"W
OS Eastings: 196053
OS Northings: 565066
OS Grid: NW960650
Mapcode National: GBR FHKN.KKW
Mapcode Global: WH1R0.B41F
Entry Name: High Auchneel,forts 1000m SW of
Scheduled Date: 15 November 1990
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM4811
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill and promontory fort)
Location: Leswalt
County: Dumfries and Galloway
Electoral Ward: Stranraer and the Rhins
Traditional County: Wigtownshire
The monument comprises three forts of the Iron Age situated on coastal promontories to the W of Rough Hill. The S fort, called Juniper Face in the RCAHMS List, is situated on the end of a promontory which is cut off on all sides by cliffs. The easier approaches to the site, from the E and N have been defended by a wall mostly reduced to short lengths of outer face. Immediately inside the wall was a lower fort level. Access from this to the flat upper level was by way of a narrow cleft in a 3.5m high rock face.
The defended area measures 32m by up to 19.5m; the upper level measures 18m by 14m. About 70m NNW of the S fort is a second,similar fort, called Mare Rock 1 by RCAHMS. A steep sided promontory has been defended by a wall surviving as lengths of outer face up to 5 courses high. The interior measures 67m by 25m. The entrance was on the SE side. A broad, deep gully separates this fort from the third, higher fort, about 50m to the E. Called Mare Rock 2 by RCAHMS, this is a diamond-shaped promontory defended by a ditch and internal rampart and an external rampart and possible externalditch.
The entrance causeway is on the S side of the approach from the E. Between the entrance, the internal line of defence, and the outer line of defence is an elliptical scoop which probably represents a house site. The interior of the fort measures 66m by 29m. The area to be scheduled includes the forts and an area around them within which traces of activity associated with their use maybe found. It measures 150m N-S by a maximum of 180m transversely, as marked in red on the attached map.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance as three forts of the Iron Age which have the potential to enhance considerably our understanding of prehistoric settlement in the area. It is of particular importance because of the survival of a number of other forts in the vicinity; the study of this group has the potential to increase greatly our knowledge of the development and organisation of the prehistoric landscape.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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