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MHG44793 - Site of lookout at James's Temple Dun, Drumderfit Hill

Summary

The remains of a possible dun, which also seems to have served as a lookout during the last century.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

(NH 6601 5218) James's Temple (NAT) Dun (NR)
OS 6" map, (1959)

Henshall (1963) and Feachem (Info from R W Feachem to OS, 1958) agree that this is a small dun, although Woodham (1956) interpreted site as a long cairn. Besides the stones shown on the plan, a great quantity of stone is scattered down the steep slope on the N, and large slabs and smaller stones are scattered around the summit.
A A Woodham 1956; A S Henshall 1963, visited 1956. <1><2>

James's Temple, the scant remains of a dun, overgrown with broom, on spur on NE shoulder of Drumderfit Hill. It is oval on plan, measuring overall about 17m NE-SW by about 11m. The denuded wall is turf-covered and spread to c. 3.5m at the easiest approaches in NE and SW, c2.5m in SE, and is reduced to a faint rickle of stones in the NW where it has fallen down the slope. Six inner facing stones on edge survive in the S arc; four blocks up to 1.0m high, three in the NE and one in the SW, are outer facing stones, and several smaller stones in S and NW may represent others. Several blocks of the outer face lie displaced outside the dun. The entrance in the ENE is flanked at its outer end by two blocks on edge indicating a width of 1.0m. Another prostrate block within the entrance has once flanked its S side.
Revised at 1/2500 (OS {N K B} 21 March 1966).
Visited by OS (N K B) 21 March 1966 and 3 December 1970.

Cleared of trees as on FA walk.
Small hill top site, size makes it hard to reconcile with idea of Dun, unless flattish terrace on lower slope on E side is also part of the monument. Location, with extensive views all around makes it an excellent lookout post, a function that it apparently had in WW2, a small corrugated iron shed (curved roof, andersen shelter type) is still on the hill. Photos - HAW 10.2002 <3><4>

Photographs of this site taken in August 2001 were submitted to the HER by Martin Hind, Easter Ross Countryside Ranger. <5>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 66023 52199 (16m by 13m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH65SE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	KNOCKBAIN

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

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External Links (2)