<< Our Photo Pages >> Doon Hill Dunbar - Ancient Village or Settlement in Scotland in East Lothian
Submitted by drolaf on Thursday, 02 July 2020 Page Views: 5161
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Doon Hill Dunbar Alternative Name: DoonhillCountry: Scotland County: East Lothian Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Nearest Town: Dunbar Nearest Village: Spott
Map Ref: NT6868775539
Latitude: 55.971820N Longitude: 2.50327W
Condition:
| 5 | Perfect |
| 4 | Almost Perfect |
| 3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
| 2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
| 1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
| 0 | No data. |
| -1 | Completely destroyed |
| 5 | Superb |
| 4 | Good |
| 3 | Ordinary |
| 2 | Not Good |
| 1 | Awful |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
| 4 | Short walk on a footpath |
| 3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
| 2 | A long walk |
| 1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
| 4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
| 3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
| 2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
| 1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
| 0 | no data |
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Doon Hill is a deceivingly innocuous undramatic hill to look at, but its key lies in its location, on the eastern edge of the Lammamuirs, giving extensive views of the entire coastal plain from North Berwick to St Abbs. This area of East Lothian was important in the Mesolithic, with a very early settlement found at East Barns and another further south at Lowick. One of the attractions of the north in the Mesolithic may have been the relatively stable sea levels, due to land rebound equalising sea level rise. There was continued occupation in the area throughout the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages.
The hill is the site of Neolithic cremations and a small associated rectangular structure. Slightly to the south is the site of a rectangular building, possibly roofed originally, but not necessarily. It is of a form very similar to rectangular timber structures of a Neolithic timescale, such as Balbridie and Sprouston (see Millican 2016). Massive posts in the interior are indicative of a Neolithic date. The massive timber structures of the time period must have presented similar construction challenges as moving large stones.
Inside this site is a much later 'Anglo-Saxon' hall constructed in about 640 AD. This raises questions of how the Northumbrians of 600 AD knew that there was an ancient building on the site. Perhaps, as we see at sites today, it showed up as field marks in summer droughts, and this was a signal to build on the site.
The site would have given the Northumbrians a strategic view of any movement in the plain below, or coastal sea transport.
Access-a short walk from the lane. Ambience-fantastic views and feeling of long distance links. Outline of halls laid out and a plaque, showing deliberate burning of the hall, which is unfortunate as it was just as probably accidental.
Web links and references
Site maps:
https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/hes/57668/doon-hill/rcahms?item=936733
trig panorama:
http://www.panoramicearth.com/8950/Dunbar/Doon_Hill_Trig_Point
Millican K. 2016 Seeing the wood in the trees: the timber monuments of Neolithic |Scotland, Chapter 8 in The Neolithic of Mainland Scotland. Eds Brophy K, MacGregor G, Ralston I. Edinburgh University Press
Local Bronze Age:
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146410532
Mesolithic East Barnes:
https://canmore.org.uk/site/212799/dunbar-east-barns
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Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
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