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Brown Caterthun

Angus, Scotland · Atlas SC3085

Brown Caterthun is a contour fort and a multiple enclosure in Menmuir, Angus, Scotland.

It is recorded as extant, with a multivallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank, stone wall, counterscarp bank, and unfinished work, and an enclosed area of 5.55 hectares.

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

The topographic record places it on a hilltop and at 286 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes pasture and heather moorland.

Dating evidence is recorded for before 1200 BC, 800–400 BC, and 400 BC–AD 50 (C14). Reliability is recorded as B - Medium.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (90069).

Location

Atlas number
SC3085 (3085)
Country
Scotland
Current county or unitary authority
Angus
Historic county
Angus
Parish, community, or townland
Menmuir
National Grid reference
NO 5553 6686
Latitude
56.79121
Longitude
-2.72957
Altitude
286 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort and multiple enclosure
Condition
Extant
Morphology
multivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
6
Number of ditches
2
Possible original entrances
9
Breaks through the ramparts
9
Enclosed area
5.55 ha
Enclosure areas
0.28 ha, 2 ha, 5.55 ha
Footprint
8.88 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank, stone wall, counterscarp bank, and unfinished work
Enclosing works, excavated
earthen bank, stone wall, timber-laced wall, other burning, palisade, counterscarp bank, and unfinished work
Also recorded
multi-period enclosure system and ditches
Entrance forms
Simple Gap (North); Simple Gap (East); Simple Gap (South); Simple Gap (West); Simple Gap (North west); Oblique (North); Simple Gap (North east); Simple Gap (South east); Passage-way/Corridor (South east); Oblique (South); Passage-way/Corridor (South); Simple Gap (South west); Oblique (South west); Passage-way/Corridor (East); Over-lapping (West)

Landscape

Topographic position
hilltop
Aspect
level
Land use
pasture and heather moorland

Dating

Dating
before 1200 BC, 800–400 BC, and 400 BC–AD 50
Dating evidence
C14
Dating reliability
B - Medium

Interior and investigation

Interior surface
quarry hollows
Interior excavation
pits and postholes
Finds
metal and lithics
Investigations
1st Identified Map Depiction (1755); Earthwork Survey (1755); Other (1793); Excavation (1845); Other (1863); Other (1882); Earthwork Survey (1898); Other (1956); Other (1958); Other (1982); Earthwork Survey (1989); Other (1994); Geophysical Survey (1995)

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
90069
HER
Angus SMR per Aberdeenshire Council NO56NE0001
National record
record NO 56 NE 1; monument 34969
Wikidata
Q31095650

Sources

References

  1. Christison, D (1898) Early fortifications in Scotland: motes, camps and forts: the Rhind lectures in archaeology for 1894. Blackwood & Sons: Edinburgh
  2. Christison, D (1900) 'The forts, "camps", and other field-works of Perth, Forfar and Kincardine'. Proc Soc Antiq Scot 34 (1899-1900), 43-120
  3. Dunwell and Strachan, A J and R (1995) 'Brown Caterthum (Menmuir parish), hillfort survey and excavation'. Disc Exc Scot (1995), 94-96
  4. Dunwell and Strachan, A J and R (1996) 'Brown Caterthun (Menmuir parish), excavations'. Disc Exc Scot (1996), 13
  5. Dunwell and Strachan, A J and R (2007) Excavations at Brown Caterthun and White Caterthun Hillforts, Angus, 1995-1997. TAFAC Monograph 5. Tayside and Fife Archaeological Committee: Perth
  6. Feachem, R W. (1963) Guide to prehistoric Scotland. Batsford: London.
  7. Ralston, I B M. (1982) 'Brown Caterhun Fort (Menmuir p), bank , ditch'. Disc Exc Scot (1982), 30.
  8. Warden, A J. (1880-5) Angus or Forfarshire: the land and people, descriptive and historical (5v). Charles Alexander & Co: Dundee