[Centred NU 03790208] Camp. (1)

Westhills Camp. (2)

Westhill. A roughly circular enclosure with multiple ramparts, enclosing an area of approximately 1/2 acre. (3)

The interior of West Hill camp is nearly circular with diameters of 52 and 46 yards. The rampart to the west of the wall across the centre is entirely destroyed. On the east side the several ramparts are in good preservation. The principal entrance is to the north west with another to the east. The gaps in the ramparts are not quite opposite each other at the latter entrance. Outside the east entrance at a distance of about 30 yards are traces of four circular hut foundations with diameters of 6, 8 and 9 paces. Near to the outermost are some smaller circles. A short distance south east of these foundations is a cairn or tumulus, possibly sepulchral. These features are on the steepest side of the hill and the outer ditch is not carried round them. When complete the work would have covered about three acres. (4)

The camp at Westhills occupies the western edge of a rocky bluff overlooking the valley. It is circular with double ramparts, the diameter within the inner rampart being 167 feet and that of the outer 411 feet. (5)

One of a series of contour forts. Type B2 (forts on high ground less dependent on natural slopes for protection). (6)

Scheduled Ancient Monument (County No 41). (7)

The remains of a nearly-circular earthwork are situated upon the highest part of a spur jutting out from slopes of pasture and bracken which fall to the south and south-west. The site is approx 550 feet above sea level, and overlooks the valley of the Coquet river to the south-west, south and north-east, and the hill slopes of to the east. On the north-west side is a ridge beyond a little vale, and to the north, the ground is undulating but rises gently. The nearest present fresh water supply is the river Coquet to the south. The earthwork has consisted of an inner rampart surrounded by a wide berm, beyond which, at a distance ranging from 6m to 16m were constructed double ramparts with a medial ditch. An old field bank crosses the centre of the site, south-west of which the inner rampart has been reduced by ploughing to a scarp. A farm track cuts the south-west side of the earthwork, on the west side of which the double ramparts have been ploughed down. On the north-west side, they have been completely destroyed. Traces of a hollow-way through the scarp on the west side, indicate a possible original entrance. Of the three gaps in the double ramparts on the east side, two may be associated with a staggered entrance. There is an entrance opposite them through the inner rampart. The banks are constructed of earth and stones. There are no surface indications of interior occupation. No traces of the hut circles and cairn or tumulus referred to by Authority (5), could be found, outside the earthwork on the east side. There are, however, some small circular depressions near an old stone dyke on the south-east side, but they appear to be associated with surface stone quarrying into an outcrop of rock, adjacent to them. (8)

Listed under pre-Roman Iron Age multivallate, [forts settlements and enclosures], with ?overlying settlement of round stone huts. (9)

A fort, re-surveyed at 1/2500. There is nothing about it to suggest any 'overlying settlement', and Jobey's reference probably covers MacLauchlan's note of remains of four external hut circles on the east side. As with the previous field inspection, no trace of these was found, but the cairn was located at NU 03930209 (see NU 00 SW 32). (10)

West Hills, NU 038021. Enclosed settlement of round stone houses. (11)

NU 0379 0209. West Hills multivallate hillfort. Scheduled RSM No 20880. The hillfort is 50m in diameter and 130m E-W by 140m N-S with its multiple ramparts and medial ditch. There is a well preserved inner rampart up to 1.5m high surrounded by a flat, broad berm ranging from 6m to 16m across. Beyond this a double rampart of earth and stone is separated by a ditch 12m wide; on the N and E sides the rampart survives to 1.5m above the deeply hollowed ditch, but is less well pronounced towards the S. There are three gaps through the ramparts on the E side; two measure 33m across and appear to be associated with staggered entrances and corresponding gaps through the inner rampart; these are original entrances. The ramparts have been totally flattened on the NW side; those on the W have been denuded by cultivation butare still visible as slight earthworks. The hillfort is truncated at its NW corner by a field boundary, beyond which no trace of it survives. (12)

NU 038 021. West Hills. Listed in gazetteer as a multivallate hillfort covering 0.15ha. (13a)