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Craig Phadrig

Highland, Scotland · Atlas SC2896

Craig Phadrig is a contour fort in Inverness And Bona, Highland, Scotland.

Other names on the record: Craig Phadraig, Craig Phaidraig, Craig Phaidrick, Craig Phatric, Craig Pharuig, Creck Faterick, Craig Phatrick, Craig Phadra and Creek Fateric.

It is recorded as extant, with a partial bivallate and partial multivallate rampart form, surface evidence of stone wall and vitrification, and an enclosed area of 0.6 hectares.

Banks or ramparts are the remains most likely to be visible.

The topographic record places it on a hilltop and at 170 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes commercial forestry and parkland.

Dating evidence is recorded for 800–400 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, and AD 400–800 (Artefactual and C14). Reliability is recorded as C - Low.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (2892).

Location

Atlas number
SC2896 (2896)
Country
Scotland
Current county or unitary authority
Highland
Historic county
Inverness-shire
Parish, community, or townland
Inverness And Bona
National Grid reference
NH 6400 4527
Latitude
57.47730
Longitude
-4.26973
Altitude
170 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
partial bivallate and partial multivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
3
Ramparts by quadrant
NE 3, SE 2, SW 2, NW 2
Number of ditches
1
Possible original entrances
2
Breaks through the ramparts
2
Enclosed area
0.6 ha
Enclosure areas
0.18 ha, 0.6 ha
Footprint
0.8 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
stone wall and vitrification
Enclosing works, excavated
stone wall, timber-laced wall, vitrification, palisade, and counterscarp bank
Also recorded
multi-period enclosure system
Entrance forms
Simple Gap (North east); Blocked (East); Simple Gap (East)

Landscape

Topographic position
hilltop
Aspect
level
Land use
commercial forestry and parkland
Water source
well or cistern

Dating

Dating
800–400 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, AD 400–800, and undated
Dating evidence
Artefactual and C14
Dating reliability
C - Low

Interior and investigation

Investigations
1st Identified Written Reference (1777); Earthwork Survey (1777); Excavation (1777); 1st Identified Map Depiction (1789); Earthwork Survey (1790); Earthwork Survey (1809); Excavation (1809); Excavation (1826); Excavation (1847); Other (1868); Other (1870)

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
2892
HER
Highland HER MHG3809
National record
record NH 64 NW 6; monument 13486
Wikidata
Q31102203

Sources

References

  1. Ainslie, J, Ainslie, J & Faden, W (1789) Scotland, drawn from a series of angles and astronomical observations. National Library of Scotland: Shelfmark Newman 986/EMS.s.26A
  2. Aitken, T (1880) 'Vitrified Forts'. Trans Inverness Sci Soc Fld Club 1, 347 _ 8
  3. Feachem, R (1963) A guide to prehistoric Scotland. Batsford: London
  4. Gentles, D S (1989) Archaeomagnetic Directional Studies of Large Fired Structures in Britain. PhD thesis, Plymouth Polytechnic
  5. Gentles and Harden, D and G (1986) 'Craig Phadrig (Inverness and Bona p) Iron Age hill fort'. Disc Exc Scot (1986), 17
  6. Gowans, J (1870) 'Letter from George Anderson'. Trans Edinburgh Geol Soc 1, 302 _ 04
  7. Headland Archaeology Ltd (2011) A Topographic Survey of Five Pictish Forts in the Highlands. Report to the Forestry Commission
  8. Hibbert, S (1857) 'Collections relative to vitrified sites'. Archaeologia Scotica 4 (1857), 181 _ 201
  9. Peteranna, M and Birch, S (2015) Craig Phadrig Hillfort, Inverness: Archaeological Evaluation Data Structure Report. Data Structure Report AOC Archaeology Project Number: 70011
  10. Pryer, T (1847) 'Proceedings of the Association'. J British Archaeol Assoc 2, 276
  11. RCAHMS (2014) Craig Phadrig, Inverness: Survey and Review. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland & Forestry Commission Scotland: Edinburgh
  12. Small, A (1971) «Craig Phadrig, Vitrified Fort. Disc Exc Scot (1971), 23
  13. Small, A (1972) 'Craig Phadrig, Vitrified Fort'. Disc Exc Scot (1972), 23
  14. Small, A & Cottam, M B (1972) Craig Phadrig: interim report on 1971 excavation. University of Dundee, Dept of Geography Occasional Papers No. 1, Dundee
  15. Tytler, A F (1790) 'An Account of some Extraordinary Structures on the Tops of Hills in the Highlands; with Remarks on the Progress of the Arts among the ancient Inhabitants of Scotland'. Trans Roy Soc Edinburgh 2, Part II (ii), 3 _ 33. Part of this paper was originally read to Philosophical Society of Edinburgh in 1783
  16. Wallace, T (1918) 'Notes on the parish of Petty'. Trans Inverness Sci Soc Fld Club 8 (1912-18), 87-136
  17. West, T (1777) 'An Account of a Volcanic Hill near Inverness, In a Letter from Thomas West, Esq. To Mr. Lane FRS'. Philosoph Trans Roy Soc London, Part 2, No 20, 385 _ 387
  18. Williams, J (1777) An account of some remarkable ancient ruins, lately discovered in the highlands and northern parts of Scotland: in a series of letters to G.C.M. Esq [Sir George Clerk-Maxwell]. Edinburgh