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<< Text Pages >> Dalmahoy Hill - Hillfort in Scotland in Midlothian

Submitted by Andy B on Monday, 30 March 2009  Page Views: 9334

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Dalmahoy Hill
Country: Scotland
NOTE: This site is 0.8 km away from the location you searched for.
County: Midlothian Type: Hillfort
Nearest Town: Edinburgh  Nearest Village: Balerno
Map Ref: NT135669
Latitude: 55.887442N  Longitude: 3.384499W
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.
 2 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.
 3 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
 4

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Hillfort in Midlothian. The remains of this fort occupy the twin eminence to that upon which the Kaimes Hill Fort (NT131665) stands. The two forts represent two structural periods, the earlier of which is very difficult to interpret. Briefly, the craggy and uneven hill was enclosed by a system of stone walls which defended and area measuring 1200ft in length by a maximum of about 400 ft in width, bordered on the NW by the precipitous face of the hill.

The second phase structure is an oval enclosure on the very summit of the hill, which measures 140ft by 85ft. This enclosure must occupy the same ground as did the central feature of the fort.

While there is no reason to suppose that the earlier works are not of pre-Roman Iron Age date, the period at which the later enclosure was built has not yet been established. There is reason to believe that it may be of post-Roman date as it belongs to a class of monuments which are almost always found to overlie pre-Roman forts and which have, in some cases, produced relics of early medieval (Dark Age) date.

A gold stud cap 1/5 inch in diameter was picked up in the Dalmahoy secondary enclosure, as were several fragments of moulds, all of which can be assigned to that late period. Only the excavation could answer the problem satisfactorily.
In the area centred NT13436673 are the remains of a hut circle, with an internal diameter of 19ft. There is an inner facing of stones set on edge. The entrance has been from the east.'

Source: RCAHMS
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Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
NT1366 : Views from Dalmahoy Hill Fort to Ravelrig Quarry by thejackrustles
by thejackrustles
©2022(licence)
NT1366 : Dalmahoy Hill Trig Point by Anne Burgess
by Anne Burgess
©2016(licence)
NT1366 : Modern or Ancient? Graphitti at Dalmahoy Hill Fort by thejackrustles
by thejackrustles
©2022(licence)
NT1366 : Dalmahoy Hill by Richard Webb
by Richard Webb
©2008(licence)
NT1366 : Dalmahoy Hill by Richard Webb
by Richard Webb
©2008(licence)

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"Dalmahoy Hill" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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5,000-year-old home of Edinburgh's first farmers discovered by Andy B on Monday, 30 March 2009
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THE remains of a hilltop home believed to be about 5,000 years old have been discovered on the outskirts of Edinburgh, The Scotsman can reveal.
The Neolithic roundhouse, found on a site where a quarry is due to be expanded, is one of the oldest prehistoric buildings to be discovered in the capital.

Archaeologists have hailed it as one of the most important finds ever made in Edinburgh because of its age – about the same as Skara Brae in Orkney – and unique location.

It is also expected to help fill in a largely unknown chapter in Scottish history, when farming had only recently spread to Britain from Europe.

The site, at Ravelrig Hill, near Dalmahoy, enjoys spectacular views across the Lothians and Fife, including landmarks such as Arthur's Seat.

Experts believe the roundhouse was probably built by one of the first families of farmers to start producing their own food in the area.

Experts from Glasgow University's Archaeological Research Division (Guard) have spent several months working in the area, which is already home to the remains of two prehistoric hill forts. The house, remains of which were found in a huge circular ditch, was surrounded by a larger egg-shaped enclosure.

Although no materials such as pottery have been discovered, archaeologists have been able to date flint recovered from the site, and the remains of an internal fireplace were found.

The site is thought to be roughly the same age as the cairn at Cairnpapple Hill, which is widely regarded as Scotland's most prehistoric burial site and can be seen from Ravelrig Hill.

Donna Maguire, project director for Guard, said there may once have been a number of settlements on the hill, lost when quarrying began in the area more than 150 years ago.

The discovery was only made because Edinburgh City Council insisted that an archaeological dig was carried out before construction giant Tarmac was allowed to expand its quarrying operation in the area.

Ms Maguire told The Scotsman: "We had no idea we would find anything like this, so it was hugely exciting. There's been very little like this discovered anywhere in the Central Belt. It dates from around the time of early farming but very little is known of that era in Scotland and that's why it's so significant.

"It was clearly built at the top of the hill because of its location overlooking the landscape. In a way, it was intended to make people see it and regard it as an important landmark."

John Lawson, the city council's archaeologist, said: "Although remains of buildings discovered at Cramond within the last ten years have been dated to 8,500 years ago, this is one of the most significant prehistoric sites to have been found in the wider Edinburgh area for many years."

All materials recovered are being taken away for analysis. The discovery is not expected to delay work to expand the quarry. Tarmac has been quarrying there since 1987.

Source:
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/5000yearold-home-of-capital39s-first.5097272.jp
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