Promontory fort (Lowick)
Cropmarks of a possible Romano-British settlement were recorded from the air at NU 040350. (1)
Cropmarks of a sub circular enclosure, possibly a defended site were recorded from the air in 1978 at NU 040350. (2)
Hillfort, defended settlement crop marks. Aerial photographs show cropmarks indicating a promontory fort above the Hetton Burn. The slope to the west forms the boundary. Four concentric ditches visible on south-east side but only two to the north-east. Possible entrances in the east and south-east quarters. The innermost ditch is broader than the others and may indicate two construction phases. (3)
An Iron Age multivallate promontory fort occupies a prominent position overlooking the steep sided valley of the Hetton Burn at 85m OD. The perimeter of the fort is marked by four concentric ditches which describe an arc from S to E across the neck of the promontory. On the N and W sides the site is protected by steep natural slopes and here the defences (if any) are concealed by trees. On the SE side, the innermost of the four ditches is noticeably broader than the others suggesting that the fort began as a univallate enclosure. So far as can be judged, there seem to be two entrances through the ditches both of which are staggered. The ditches are close set and the spacing between them varies from 5 to 10m. The area enclosed by the innermost ditch appears to be roughly kidney shaped with overall measurement of c.115m NE-SW by 50m NW-SE, and an internal area of c. 0.4ha. (4a)
Tim Gates description of this fort as sited on a promontory gives a misleading impression of the local topography. In fact the stream-valley bends only very slightly around the site of the fort and there is no projecting spur of land that could be regarded as a true promontory. (4b)
Aerial photograph references. (4c-4f)
The site has been mapped from the air as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (See archive objects MD000298 and MD000299). (4)
Cropmarks of a sub circular enclosure, possibly a defended site were recorded from the air in 1978 at NU 040350. (2)
Hillfort, defended settlement crop marks. Aerial photographs show cropmarks indicating a promontory fort above the Hetton Burn. The slope to the west forms the boundary. Four concentric ditches visible on south-east side but only two to the north-east. Possible entrances in the east and south-east quarters. The innermost ditch is broader than the others and may indicate two construction phases. (3)
An Iron Age multivallate promontory fort occupies a prominent position overlooking the steep sided valley of the Hetton Burn at 85m OD. The perimeter of the fort is marked by four concentric ditches which describe an arc from S to E across the neck of the promontory. On the N and W sides the site is protected by steep natural slopes and here the defences (if any) are concealed by trees. On the SE side, the innermost of the four ditches is noticeably broader than the others suggesting that the fort began as a univallate enclosure. So far as can be judged, there seem to be two entrances through the ditches both of which are staggered. The ditches are close set and the spacing between them varies from 5 to 10m. The area enclosed by the innermost ditch appears to be roughly kidney shaped with overall measurement of c.115m NE-SW by 50m NW-SE, and an internal area of c. 0.4ha. (4a)
Tim Gates description of this fort as sited on a promontory gives a misleading impression of the local topography. In fact the stream-valley bends only very slightly around the site of the fort and there is no projecting spur of land that could be regarded as a true promontory. (4b)
Aerial photograph references. (4c-4f)
The site has been mapped from the air as part of the Milfield Geoarchaeology Project. (See archive objects MD000298 and MD000299). (4)
N3834
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