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Barra Hill

Aberdeenshire, Scotland · Atlas SC2981

Barra Hill is a contour fort in Bourtie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Other names on the record: Hill of Barra, Comyn's Camp, and Barra Hillfort.

It is recorded as extant, with a multivallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank and counterscarp bank, and an enclosed area of 1.54 hectares.

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

The topographic record places it on a hilltop and at 193 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes pasture and heather moorland.

Dating evidence is recorded for 800–400 BC and AD 400–800 (C14).

A scheduled monument number is recorded (3997).

Location

Atlas number
SC2981 (2981)
Country
Scotland
Current county or unitary authority
Aberdeenshire
Historic county
Aberdeenshire
Parish, community, or townland
Bourtie
National Grid reference
NJ 8025 2570
Latitude
57.32149
Longitude
-2.32957
Altitude
193 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
multivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
3
Number of ditches
3
Possible original entrances
4
Breaks through the ramparts
4
Enclosed area
1.54 ha
Enclosure areas
0.92 ha, 1.54 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank and counterscarp bank
Enclosing works, excavated
stone wall
Also recorded
multi-period enclosure system and ditches
Entrance forms
Simple Gap (North); Passage-way/Corridor (East); Passage-way/Corridor (South); Blocked (South); Passage-way/Corridor (West)

Landscape

Topographic position
hilltop
Aspect
level
Land use
pasture and heather moorland

Dating

Dating
800–400 BC and AD 400–800
Dating evidence
C14
Dating reliability
D - None

Interior and investigation

Finds
pottery, metal, and lithics
Investigations
1st Identified Written Reference (1726); Other (1780); Other (1793); 1st Identified Map Depiction (1822); Other (1867); Earthwork Survey (1957); Other (1969); Other (1977); Other (1981); Earthwork Survey (1995); Other (2000); Excavation (2009); Other (200

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
3997
HER
Aberdeenshire Historic Environment Record NJ82NW0003
National record
record NJ 82 NW 4; monument 19668
Wikidata
Q31084837

Sources

References

  1. Cook, Engl, Dunbar, Kdolska and Sagrott, M,R,L,H and S (2009) 'Hillforts of Strathdon: Phase 3 - Hill of Barra and Hill of Newleslie, Aberdeenshire (Bourtie and Leslie parish), evaluation'. Disc Exc Scot, New Ser, 10 (2009), 19
  2. Cook. M (2011) 'New evidence for the activities of Pictish potentates in Aberdeenshire: the hillforts of Strathdon'. Proc Soc Antiq Scot 141 (2011), 207-29
  3. Cook, M (2012) 'The altered earth: excavations at Hill of Barra, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire'. Tayside Fife Archaeol J 18 (2011), 27-40
  4. Cordiner, C (1780) Antiquities and scenery of the north of Scotland, in a series of letters to Thomas Pennant, Esq. London
  5. Feachem, R (1963) A guide to prehistoric Scotland. Batsford: London
  6. Gordon, A (1726) Itinerarium Septentrionale: or A Journey Thro most of the Counties of Scotland And Those in the North of England. London
  7. Halliday, S P (2007) The later prehistoric landscape. In RCAHMS (2007) In the Shadow of Bennachie: A Field Archaeology of Donside, Aberdeenshire. RCAHMS & Society of Antiquaries of Scotland: Edinburgh
  8. Howard, W J (1995) 'Klrkton of Bourtle (Bourtie parish), Barra Hill'. Disc Exc Scot (1995), 31
  9. Howard, W J (1999) 'Barra hillfort (Bourtie parish), ?Iron Age pottery; flint blade fragment'. Disc Exc Scot (1999), 7
  10. Howard, W J (2000) 'Barra Hil l (Bourtie parish), Prehistoric pottery; flint scraper'. Disc Exc Scot, New Ser, 1 (2000), 8-9
  11. Stat Acct (date) Statistical Account of Scotland: Drawn up from the Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes (Sinclair, J ed), 1791-99