MHG7011 - Enclosure - Rait Castle
Summary
The cropmark of a double ditched enclosure is visible on aerial photography.
Type and Period (2)
- PALISADED ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Pictish - 2400 BC? to 900 AD?)
- (Alternate Type) FORT (Early Bronze Age to Pictish - 2400 BC? to 900 AD?)
Protected Status
Full Description
NH85SE 3 8925 5296.
(Approx NH 894 527) Crop-mark possible palisaded site.
OS 6" map, annotated by A L F Rivet, Ass Archaeol officer, 18 January 1963; Visible on RAF APs CPE/Scot/UK/ 254: 3180-1.
NH 894 528. This is the same site as the crop-mark of the 'Earthwork, Raitcastle' noted by the RCAHMS in Marginal Lands survey of 1956-8. It has not been planned.
NH 8925 5296. There is nothing to be seen at site of crop-mark and no finds have been made. The oval mark, measuring aproximately 50m by 40m, encloses the relatively flat top of a natural hillock, and could be the site of a published enclosure.
Visited by OS (N K B) 19 November 1965.
Hillock cultivated. No trace of cropmark.
Visited by OS (R L) 10 December 1970.
Crop-markings indicate that this earthwork was enclosed by two ditches interrrupted on E, possibly for an entrance.
RCAHMS 1979; Visible on RCAHMS APs N 242, N 260-2: flown 1976 and 1977.
Futher photographs taken in 1979.
Visible on RCAHMS air photographs N 316-17: flown 1979.
Jim Bone APs 2003 - v clear double ditch surrounding natural knoll, possible that out ditch has slightly splayed entrance towards the SE - HAW 10/2003
A double-ditched enclosure from aerial photography where it is visible has been identified as a clearly identifiable cropmark within an arable field. As a bivallate later prehistoric defended settlementor fort , it is a rare class of monument in the lowlands of the NE of Scotland. The boundary ditches and interior of the monument are likely to preserve archaeological deposits. It therefore has the potential to reveal valuable information about local variations in prehistoric settlement. <1>
This site was included in the Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland online database. See link below for site entry. <2>
See link below to HES Canmore for aerial photos of the enclosure.
Sources/Archives (4)
- --- SHG2672 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1978. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The archaeological sites and monuments of Nairn District, Highland Region. . 16, No. 112.
- --- SHG913 Text/Publication/Article: Keillar, I. 1986. ''In fines Borestorum': to the land of the Boresti', Popular Archaeol Vol. 7 April 1986, p.2-9. Popular Archaeol. 2-9. 7; illust.
- <1> SHG27958 Text/Designation Notification/Scheduled Monument: Historic Scotland. Proposal to Schedule an Ancient Monument Statement of National Importance. Historic Scotland. Digital (scanned as PDF).
- <2> SHG27950 Interactive Resource/Online Database: Lock, G. & Ralston, I.. 2017. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. SC2909.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 8924 5296 (90m by 90m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH85SE |
| Civil Parish | NAIRN |
| Geographical Area | NAIRN |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (3)
- http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/SC2909.html (Link to online Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland site entry)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM11805 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/15184 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
Comments and Feedback
Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.