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<< Our Photo Pages >> Trusty's Hill - Hillfort in Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway

Submitted by PaulH on Saturday, 28 January 2017  Page Views: 28441

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Trusty's Hill
Country: Scotland County: Dumfries and Galloway Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Gatehouse of Fleet  Nearest Village: Anwoth
Map Ref: NX58895601  Landranger Map Number: 83
Latitude: 54.878875N  Longitude: 4.200953W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
2 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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markj99 visited on 7th Mar 2022 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 3 I accessed Trusty's Hill from Rutherford's Monument but it is normally approched via Vinnie Hill on the outskirts of Gatehouse of Fleet. I found the remains of the hillfort difficult to interpret but the elevated site has panoramic views all round.

drolaf coin have visited here

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by dodomad : Trusty's Hill aflame Photo Credit: © GUARD Archaeology Ltd (Vote or comment on this photo)
Hillfort and Pictish Symbol Rocks in Dumfries and Galloway

This site is notable as one of the few sites in Southern Scotland with Pictish symbol carvings. The location is really beautiful, with great views out to the Solway Firth. It is near to the spectacular sites of Cairnholy chambered cairns and the stone circles of Cambret Moor.

Perhaps not the most spectacular set of remains when you finally find them, but well worth the effort because of the surroundings.

This site is not easy to find. From looking at the map the most obvious approach is from the east, from Gatehouse of Fleet. However the problem when approaching from here is finding which hill of a number in the area is actually the one with the fort on it ! There are many hills to choose from, no obvious waymarked path (someone is clearly taking waymark posts down and hiding them), lots of bracken, and sometimes bulls ! The actual field boundaries, walls and fences don't coincide with those shown on 1:25000 scale maps.

On a second attempt I found it was best to approach from the West. Park in Anworth, near the Old Kirk. Follow the path past the southern boundary of the churchyard of the Old Kirk, and up the hillside through a conifer woodland. When you emerge above the conifers, head in the direction of the Rutherford Obelisk uphill and try to find the triangulation point. Trusty's hill is due east from the trig. point (down hill, cross the valley and up the other side), and has a flattish, N-S elongated top.

The carvings are beside the southern gate of the fort, and are protected by a metal grille, which is how you'll spot them. They consist of a double disk and Z-rod, a monster with a spiral tail, and a bizarre "teletubby" face with antennae.

The fort itself has a nice set of southern ramparts, a hut foundation set into the E side of the south gate, and a spectacular rock-cut ditch on the E side of the north gate. There are also apparently signs of vitrification of the fort, but having never seen a vitrified fort before I was unable to identify them.

For more information on the hillfort see Canmore ID 63641 and for the Pictish Symbol Rock Carvings at NX 5889 5601 see Canmore ID 83748.

Note: The fiery demise of a hillfort - new evidence for vitrified forts and warfare in early medieval Scotland
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Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by markj99 : Z-Rod & Double Disc Carving in NW Quadrant of Trusty's Hill Pictish Symbol Stone. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : Dumfries and Galloway To W of Gatehouse of Fleet NX588560 Trusty's Hill viewed from West at triangulation point NX586559 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : To W of Gatehouse of Fleet NX588560 Pictish symbols carved in living rock The "teletubby" ! (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : Dumfries and Galloway To W of Gatehouse of Fleet NX588560 Pictish symbols carved in living rock Monstrous beast and "paperknife" (Vote or comment on this photo)

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : Dumfries and Galloway To W of Gatehouse of Fleet NX588560 An alignment of "modern" structures to locate the trig. point. Nearest; triangulation point. Middle distance; memorial to merger of Anwoth and Girthon charges Far distance; Rutherford obelisk

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : To W of Gatehouse of Fleet NX588560 Pictish symbols carved in living rock The "teletubby" ! (1 comment)

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : (2 comments)

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by markj99 : Trusty's Hill Fort Summit viewed from S.

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by markj99 : Sea Monster and Sword in NE Quadrant of Trusty's Hill Pictish Symbol Stone.

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by markj99 : Trusty's Hill Pictish Symbol Stone is protected by an iron grill.

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by drolaf : view from the fort top west to cairnharrow

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by drolaf : Trusty's hillfort from the near west

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by durhamnature : Drawing from "Ancient Forts..." via archive.org

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : Dumfries and Galloway To W of Gatehouse of Fleet NX588560 4m wide rock-cut defensive ditch on N side of fort

Trusty's Hill
Trusty's Hill submitted by PaulH : Dumfries and Galloway To W of Gatehouse of Fleet NX588560 Fort; North side showing rock-cut ditch

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1m E 90° Anwoth* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NX58895601)
 544m WNW 291° Rutherford's Well (Anwoth) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NX5838856224)
 550m WNW 291° Rutherford's Well* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NX58385622)
 928m WNW 286° St John's Well (Anwoth) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NX5800456296)
 1.5km NNE 32° Harper's Hill Standing Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NX59735726)
 2.6km WSW 246° Lagganmullan 8* Rock Art (NX56475503)
 2.6km WSW 246° Lagganmullan 9* Rock Art (NX56465504)
 2.7km WSW 244° Stone Triangle (Lagganmullan)* Modern Stone Circle etc (NX5641154896)
 2.8km W 269° Lady's Well (Anwoth) Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NX5608356025)
 2.9km WSW 253° Lagganmullan 3* Rock Art (NX56125528)
 2.9km WSW 251° Lagganmullan 4* Rock Art (NX56095516)
 3.0km WSW 255° Mill Knock Standing Stones* Standing Stones (NX5597855343)
 4.9km W 278° Cairnharrow Cup & Ring Marked Stone* Rock Art (NX54005684)
 5.1km SW 226° Newton Cairn* Chambered Cairn (NX55065256)
 5.5km W 269° Cairnharrow Summit* Cairn (NX53335610)
 5.6km WSW 240° High Auchenlarie* Stone Circle (NX53955342)
 5.8km SW 225° Mossyard* Rock Art (NX54695204)
 5.8km SW 220° Mossyard 6* Rock Art (NX5497951658)
 6.0km W 279° Cauldside Burn Stone Circle* Stone Circle (NX52955711)
 6.0km W 279° Caulside Burn Cairn South* Cairn (NX52945714)
 6.1km W 280° Caulside Burn Stone Setting Stone Row / Alignment (NX52915722)
 6.1km W 280° Caulside Burn Cairn North* Cairn (NX52905725)
 6.2km W 281° Penny Stone (Cambret Moor)* Rock Art (NX52855738)
 6.2km WNW 281° Cambret Moor Cairn* Cairn (NX52815744)
 6.3km SW 222° Mossyard 1* Rock Art (NX54525141)
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"Trusty's Hill" | Login/Create an Account | 5 News and Comments
  
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Re: getting there by drolaf on Thursday, 27 September 2018
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The route to the fort and nearby Rutherford monument hill is well signposted from the north and the local brochure has a map of the routes from Gatehouse of Fleet. The tracks are also on the OS map, so it's easy to walk up the track from the layby near the visitor cottage for the Cardoness tower house.

There are deer in the woods so beware of ticks and risk of Lyme disease. Keep legs well covered and keep to paths. Avoid the long grass. A long stick is handy to wave in front of you when walking to shoo the little whatsits away. check legs regularly to brush the ticks off. Check dogs before going home. check again when you get home. Ticks are 3 to 5 mm long, numbers start to increase from late March, peaking in late spring and summer and will remain active until October.

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Re: The fiery demise of a vitrified hillfort in Scotland by RogerJeffery on Tuesday, 07 February 2017
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Anything dateable after circa 538? Read seemingly dubious account years ago of Bede, who describes what to any layman in description would fit a devastating comet strike at that time, which appeared over the central highlands, on a trajectory SSW,/SW cutting a swathe of destruction as it crossed south , breaking up somewhere east of Carlisle,the main body trajectory southerly/SWS and exited our shores over the S.Wales/Bristol Channel.
The reports emminating from Norse records, speak of a "British comet", which came from the north, passing western and southern provinces at a high altitude, buti descended rapidly Toward Scotland..
Seems v.improbable I know, but it seems a study of these vitrified hilltop settlements would seem consistent with a comet strike/near Miss of such proportions as to be consistent with the temperatures required to achieve this rock to glass state i.e. 3000 degrees plus. The vitrification, notably according to Chewter ( see later) intensifies on upper and higher exposed points, indeed as if "toasted from above", rather than "baked" in a fuel fed fire of bafflingly intense heat suggested by the alternative destruction theory of intentional/culturally significant destruction of the representation of a conquered tribes identity in the form of the palisade ringing the settlement, rendering it useless & symbolically neutering their defeated foe. 3000+ degrees, WITHOUT cracking the rock, which you might expect,, but melting its exterior as if blasted by very high heat for a shorter time, rather than hours of continual heat & core expansion. Gildas, writing circa 540, gives account of a large area of the land being burned from "End to end" for over Eleven days,and a great tragedy befalling the people of the land.
There are accounts in China of a great explosion being heard that year & other accounts of famine and anarchy in northern provinces,some tenuous or not at all. See comet theories 538/9. Dendocronology records of around this time in Northern Europe support the contemporary Breton, Byzantine and other accounts of a great comet in the sky, subsequently followed by several years of cold, darkened summers and harsh overlong winters, as well as reports of a sustained "Blue sun" for some time- some accounts of observations suggest a year or more. Growth rings in oaks on Ireland, on closer view show a definite dip in ring growth circa 535, (Krakatoa), but a much more pronounced dip approx summer 539. The Kingdom of Bernicia, centred on modern day Northumbria,was around this time suddenly ruled by kinglets, in their own smaller realms,for unexplained reasons, though the kings succeeding this time by their reinstatement circa 560, continue in the same blood line, father to son (Ida) Bernicia probably extended from the River Tyne, to the River Tees, making it probably the largest kingdoms after Wessex and Mercia at the time, so certainly a significant shift to more direct, and locally centred control for a short period seems indicative- suggesting not a threat from the outside, but chaos within to be confronted? br> This coincides with a seemingly sudden abandonment of many previously still seemingly flourishing Romano- British settlements of size in the Northern central and mid western districts not much later than this period. ThIs could be attributable to many factors, including the arrival of St Justinians plague /Egyptian plague shortly after, but could be the start of a new general theory of why we might now know the reason of a more than enlightened era, was henceforth referred to as the Dark Age. And it makes much more sense, non?
Nutshell theory see John Chewter, who points to evidence that the kingdoms of Britain appealed to our continental Brethren in Christendom for help.But it seems the early British church, which actually preceded the Roman Catholic one by some eighty years, was not of the right type of Christian church, i.e. We were all heretics. So when the British church implored Rome for help, their description of fiery stones falling from heaven, was

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Re: The fiery demise of a vitrified hillfort in Scotland by marekiau on Thursday, 02 February 2017
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What temperature would a fire need to be to vitrify stone? Surely a normal wood fire wouldn't be hot enough..
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Re: The fiery demise of a vitrified hillfort in Scotland by KenMP on Wednesday, 01 February 2017
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Excellent posting with really useful advice on accessing the site. Many thanks. Ken
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The fiery demise of a vitrified hillfort in Scotland by Andy B on Friday, 27 January 2017
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Archaeological research has just been published which reveals new evidence for vitrified hillforts and warfare in early medieval Scotland. The excavation of Trusty’s Hill, which lies in Galloway in south-west Scotland, revealed that in the early seventh century AD this hillfort was deliberately destroyed and subjected to such sustained burning that the timber-laced stone rampart circling its summit was vitrified.

‘Our excavation of Trusty’s Hill revealed all the hallmarks of an early medieval royal site,’ said Ronan Toolis of GUARD Archaeology, who led the 2012 excavation. ‘The layout of this hillfort, comprising a fortified summit with supplementary defences and enclosures along its lower-lying slopes, is recognisable as a nucleated fort, a type of fort that has been recognised in Scotland as a form of high status secular settlement of the early medieval period. E-ware pottery indicates that the household here were part of a trade network that linked western Britain with Ireland and Continental Europe. The household were also patrons of a workshop within a part of the site here that was producing high status metalwork of gold, silver, bronze and iron. And the summit was approached via a ritualised entranceway defined by Pictish carvings on one side and a large rock-cut basin on the other. The material culture and layout of Trusty’s Hill is so closely similar to other early medieval royal sites in Scotland that there is little doubt now that Trusty’s Hill was once a royal stronghold of the Britons of south-west Scotland. The vitrification of the ramparts coincides with the destruction of the interior of the site and the end of the occupation of this hillfort.’

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http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/01/2017/the-fiery-demise-of-a-vitrified-hillfort-in-scotland
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