Description

The monument comprises an enclosed settlement dating to the Iron Age (800 BC – AD 400), visible in aerial photographs as dark ring circling a dark patch of ground. The monument lies in arable farmland at around 23m above sea level.

The monument is an oval enclosure, measuring 36m from northwest to southeast by 33m across, a ditch measuring a maximum of 6m wide. There is an entrance to the east-northeast around 8m wide. A dark area visible as a cropmark is located within the enclosure. This likely indicates the presence of further archaeological deposits associated with the settlement. To the east are three pits up to 1.5m wide. 

The scheduled area is a clipped circle 70m in diameter. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. It excludes all above ground elements of the current post and wire fencing to allow for its maintenance.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as it makes a significant contribution to our understanding or appreciation of the past, or has the potential to do so as a prehistoric enclosed settlement. The monument is an important indicator of later prehistoric settlement and associated activity in southwest Scotland. It retains structural field characteristics in buried stratigraphic layers demonstrated by crop marks and has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding or appreciation of the past and specifically, information about the changing nature of settlement, agriculture, economy and population during later prehistoric period. 

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/60602/

HER/SMR Reference

MDG765

Source: Historic Environment Scotland