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MHG413 - Homestead, Greenhill of Clayton

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

No change to the previous field report (below) other than on the NE margin of the possible homestead is a third mound, heather-covered, 6.0m in diameter and 0.8 m high. These mounds could suggest stone clearance from land use.
In Mercer and Howell's (information from R J Mercer and J M Howell, Aukhorn Survey, 1977) report it is not clear if the mounds referred to are the ones lying outside the possible homestead or anr in fact individual parts of that homestead.
Visited by OS (J M) 29 April 1982.

Green Hill of Clayton: Part of this site is a kidney- shaped mound with undulations on top, composed mainly of peat with large stones around its edges. Lying N-S and heather-covered, it is about 10m diameter and 1m high.
It apparently lies NW of the 'homestead' (information from R J Mercer and J M Howell, Aukhorn Survey, 1977).
The 'homestead' is a badly disturbed, approximately circular mound with evidence of much stone construction. Grass-and-heather covered, on a SW-facing slope, it is about 30m in diameter and 2m high.
Another part of the site is a circular peat mound covered with grass and heather, on a SW-facing slope, and measuring 15m in diameter and 0.7 to 0.8m high. It apparently lies W of the 'homestead' (information from the Aukhorn Survey).
R J Mercer 1980.

Green Hill of Clayton (NAT) Homestead (NR)
OS 1:10,000 map, (1976)

Green Hill of Clayton is an irregular, turf-covered mound showing some stone, c20m in diameter and 1m high which has several excavation trenches cut into it revealing in NE traces of the footings of a dry-built structure of indeterminate character under up to 0.4m of peat. It is not a cairn, but possibly a homestead (perhaps a 'wag').
Immediately to N is a heavily peat-covered mound measuring 16 by 8m and 1.6m high showing no stone. A smaller mound, 7m in diameter and 1m high lies about 20m to W.
About 40m to W is a rectangular, ill-defined, turf-banked enclosure (possibly a field as it appears to have been cultivated) measuring about 55 by 25m, uncertainly associated.
Surveyed at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (I S S) 21 March 1972.

This may be the 'mound on Keiss Moor' from which came a bone pin with a square, ornamented head; a rudely shaped steatite whorl; an amber bead, 5/8ins in diameter; a cylindrical bead of black glass, 3/8ins long; and a ring of jet, 3/4ins in diameter and 1/8ins thick, with two opposed holes. These objects formed part of the collection of Sir Francis Tress Barry, which was donated to the NMAS in 1908. (It is possible that these finds came from the 'Kirk Stanes" - ND36SW 6 - but if so, John Nicholson, Tress Barry's collaborator over many years, appears to have been unaware of them.)
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1909.

A small green mound supposed to be the remains of an old "Pict's house". Name Book 1872.

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 3346 6335 (85m by 69m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND36SW
Civil Parish	WICK
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

Finds (4)

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