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Cullykhan

Aberdeenshire, Scotland · Atlas SC2982

Cullykhan is a promontory fort in Gamrie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Other names on the record: Castlehead, Troup, Fort Fiddes, Castle Point, Cullychan, and Fort Fiddis.

It is recorded as extant, with a partial univallate rampart form, surface evidence of rubble and vitrification, and an enclosed area of 1 hectares.

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

The topographic record places it on a coastal promontory and at 20 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes coastal grassland.

Dating evidence is recorded for 1200–800 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, AD 50–400, AD 400–800, and after AD 800 (Artefactual and C14).

A scheduled monument number is recorded (11037).

Location

Atlas number
SC2982 (2982)
Country
Scotland
Current county or unitary authority
Aberdeenshire
Historic county
Banffshire
Parish, community, or townland
Gamrie
National Grid reference
NJ 8373 6621
Latitude
57.68552
Longitude
-2.27450
Altitude
20 m

Form and condition

Type
promontory fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
partial univallate
Complete rampart circuit
No
Number of ramparts
1
Ramparts by quadrant
NE 1, SE 0, SW 1, NW 1
Possible original entrances
1
Breaks through the ramparts
1
Enclosed area
1 ha
Enclosure areas
0.25 ha, 1 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
rubble and vitrification
Enclosing works, excavated
stone wall, timber-laced wall, vitrification, and palisade
Also recorded
multi-period enclosure system
Entrance forms
Simple Gap (West)

Landscape

Topographic position
coastal promontory
Aspect
level
Land use
coastal grassland

Dating

Dating
1200–800 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, AD 50–400, AD 400–800, and after AD 800
Dating evidence
Artefactual and C14
Dating reliability
D - None

Interior and investigation

Interior excavation
pits and postholes
Finds
pottery, metal, metalworking, and lithics
Investigations
1st Identified Written Reference (1777); 1st Identified Map Depiction (1869); Earthwork Survey (1963); Excavation (1964); Excavation (1965); Other (1965); Excavation (1966); Excavation (1967); Excavation (1968); Excavation (1969); Excavation (1970); Excav

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
11037
HER
Aberdeenshire Historic Environment Record NJ86NW0001
National record
record NJ 86 NW 1; monument 19942
Wikidata
Q31084872

Sources

References

  1. Greig, J C (1970) 'Excavations at Castle Point, Troup, Banffshire'. Aberdeen Univ Rev 43.3 (Spring 1970), 274-83
  2. Greig, J C (1971) 'Excavations at Cullykhan, Castle Point, Troup, Banffshire'. Scot Archaeol Forum 3 (1971), 15-21
  3. Greig, J C (1972) 'Cullykhan'. Curr Archaeol 3.8 (1972), 227-31
  4. Greig and Cairns, J C & R H (1964) 'Castlehead, Troup'. Disc Exc Scot (1964), 22-3
  5. Greig and Cairns, J C & R H (1967) 'Castlehead, Troup'. Disc Exc Scot (1967), 16-17
  6. Greig and Greig, M K and C (1989) 'Remains of a 12th-century structure and other medieval features on the Knoll of Castle Point, Troup (Cullykhan), Banff and Buchan'. Proc Soc Antiq Scot 119 (1989), 279-96
  7. MacKie, E W (1976) 'The vitrified forts of Scotland', in Harding, D W (ed) Hillforts: later prehistoric earthworks in Britain and Ireland. Academic Press: London, New York & San Francisco, 205-35