MHG249 - Promontory Fort, Allt Na Criche
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- PROMONTORY FORT (Early Bronze Age to Pictish - 2400 BC? to 900 AD?)
Protected Status
Full Description
On a promontory overlooking Glen Moriston is a fort measuring about 35.0m N-S by 20.0m transversely. It is defended on the W, S and E sides by natural slopes and rock faces, and in the N, across the neck of the promontory by two ditches 2.0m - 2.5m wide and 0.4m - 0.8m deep, each with traces of a counterscarp formed by upcast from the ditches. Another ditch extends from the inner of the two ditches to defend the NW side of the promontory, and fades before reaching a rock outcrop. The higher S part of the fort is isolated by a stony scarp extending E-W across the promontory, but no set stones are visible to satisfactorily prove that this has been a wall. The entrance has been along the rim of the E slopes, where both the ditches and the scarp stop short of the edge.
See 1/1250 enlargement.
Surveyed at 1/10,560 (Visited by OS (R D) 11 May 1964
Visited by OS (NKB) 26 October 1964
(NH 4085 1836) Fort (NR)
OS 1/10,000 map, (1971)
The fort is as described and planned by the previous field investigator. The bank north of the fort on the OS 1/10,000 map is a later feature. Other similar banks, presumably early modern, are in the vicinity. Published survey (1/10,000) revised.
Visited by OS (JB) 17 May 1979
The slightness of the defences at this site, and the extremely small internal area, suggest that this was never a "fort" in the conventional sense. The site does command excellent views of the glen in both directions, however, and it might best be viewed as a lightly-defended lookout post. Despite a careful search of a wide area around and below the site, no contemporary settlement could be identified.
The bank to the NE of the promontory which cuts off higher ground to the N is not part of the defences. It forms only a short stretch of an extensive feature comprising a narrow and shallow ditch, with the upcast forming a low bank on the S/SW side which can be seen to continue for over a kilometre in ither direction. The date and function of this feature is not known. (see amended plan).
Visited by Highland Regional Council (RBG) 18 March 1987
This site was included in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland online database. See link below for site entry. <1>
Sources/Archives (18)
- --- SHG4334 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4335 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4336 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4337 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4338 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4339 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4340 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4341 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4342 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4343 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4344 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4345 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4346 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4347 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4348 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4349 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4350 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- <1> SHG27950 Interactive Resource/Online Database: Lock, G. & Ralston, I.. 2017. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. SC2869.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 4092 1851 (156m by 174m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH41NW |
| Civil Parish | URQUHART AND GLENMORISTON |
| Geographical Area | INVERNESS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (3)
- http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/SC2869.html (Link to online Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland site entry)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM4567 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/12286 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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