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MHG34246 - Stone dykes - Balnarge, Kiltearn

Summary

Several stone dykes near Balnarge, Kiltearn, were investigated during works to construct a new access track to the Novar Windfarm in 1996. Further sections were recorded in 2013.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

Five stone dykes near Balnarge, Kiltearn, were investigated by J Wordsworth in a watching brief during works to construct a new access track to the Novar Windfarm in 1996.

Wall A was an earthen bank revetted by stone on its eastern face with a ditch beyond. It survived to 0.5m in height and was 1m wide at the top and probably 1.5m wide at its base. A series of silt deposits 1m to the west suggested that there may have been a shallow ditch on the inside of this bank. A piece of bottle glass found in these white silts was thought to date to the early C19.

Wall B did not survive as a recognisable feature either as a bank or a ditch though it could be seen as a bank or ditch further up the hill.

Wall C survived as a low bank no more than 0.3m high. A line of stones visible before machining suggested that this amy have been a collapsed drystone dyke, however further up the hill it was clearly a stone-revetted bank.

Wall D survived as a upstanding wall of large conglomerate blocks up to 1m in diameter. There was no sign of a bank in association with it though such a bank was visible further up the hill.

Wall E joined with Wall D to form an enclosure. The section removed by machine was an insubstantial line of stones but this was complicated by a drain that ran down the field. Immediately to the north it was sen to be a stone revetted bank with a shallow ditch 0.9m wide by 0.35m deep. The bank was 0.8m high and 1-1.3m high at the top.

Wall F was obscured by gorse which completely filled the track to the west. It was a drystone faced bank some 1.7m high to the west and up to 0.3m high to the east. The bank was probably 1m in width. <1>

Further sections of these dykes were recorded during a walkover survey by RoCAS in 2013 in advance of a proposed woodland creation scheme on the Novar Estate. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5663 6905 (462m by 284m) (9 map features)
Map sheet	NH56NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	KILTEARN

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