Dighty Valley - Archaeology Data Service

N. - S. x 19 ft. E. - W. over a 5 ft. wide turf mound, the W. arm of
which is prolonged northwards to a total length of 38 ft. curving
to overlap the N. entrance, which opens onto the road.
NS/47735330. On the E. side of the coach road is a very
rough cairn, not sited as a marker and in no way connected with
clearance. Disturbed, possibly in the founding or repair of the road,
or in forming the heavily kerbed base of the wide turf dyke
mentioned above, it measures 18 ft. E. - W. x 14 ft. N. - S.
NS/47505325. Beside a mapped bench mark is a laid setting
of small boulders, heel shaped with the flat end facing NW. and
only 9 ft. across both axes. A narrow passage, about 2 ft. wide,
appears to run towards the centre from the NW.
NS/47355318. In sheep scrapes, ESE. of Moyne farm, were
found, a bluntly and steeply trimmed blade of light grey flint,
I.I x 0.55 x 0.175 ins., and a struck flake of lighter flint, 0.75 x
0.45 x 0.04 ins. finely trimmed along one edge. Locus—surface of
glacial brash below peat.
NS/478594. Homestead site. Here Dr W. Lonie and Mr A.
R. Pollock have independently located a farmstead of Late Iron
Age-Early Mediaeval appearance.
Phase 1. The earliest feature is a roughly oval enclosure,
104 ft. N.-S. x 52 ft. and 44 ft. S. and N. of an inturned W,
entrance, the heavily walled N. side of which is prolonged and
incurved to enclose a penannular area at the N. end of the
enclosure. A small lower entrance on the SE. has been walled and
a semi-circular annexe, 16 ft. across, has been attached at the N.
end of the homestead. Around this are small hollows 6-9 ft- across.
A lower terrace N. of the main feature and 137 ft. N. - S. x 112 ft.
E. - W. has been similarly walled in good dry stone technique, along
the E. side from the farmstead, and on the N. round the top edge
of a steep scarp. No trace of walling is visible above ground
on the W.
Phase 2. From a large mediaeval land boundary passing S.
of the site, broad turf walls have been extended to meet the homestead
walling S. of the entrance, and on the E. side.
Phase 3. This mediaeval enclosure has been reduced by a
narrower, more vertically sided turf dyke passing between the S.
end of the homestead and the heavy boundary wall to the S.
Phase 4. A strictly linear wall of boulders and large stones,
laid with a line, and trench founded with rectangular corner, which
lies to the N. of the site, may relate to a ruined farm to the N. The
stump of an iron post set in the end stone would appear to mark
an entrance between this wall, and the scarp N. of the homestead.
The final phase is probably 18th- 19th century.
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