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White Caterthun

Angus, Scotland · Atlas SC3087

White 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, rubble, vitrification, counterscarp bank, and unfinished work, and an enclosed area of 6.7 hectares.

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

The topographic record places it on a hilltop and at 295 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes pasture and heather moorland.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (90069).

Location

Atlas number
SC3087 (3087)
Country
Scotland
Current county or unitary authority
Angus
Historic county
Angus
Parish, community, or townland
Menmuir
National Grid reference
NO 5473 6607
Latitude
56.78404
Longitude
-2.74253
Altitude
295 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort and multiple enclosure
Condition
Extant
Morphology
multivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
5
Ramparts by quadrant
NE 4, SE 5, SW 4, NW 5
Number of ditches
4
Possible original entrances
14
Breaks through the ramparts
29
Enclosed area
6.7 ha
Enclosure areas
0.68 ha, 5.5 ha, 6.7 ha
Footprint
8.9 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank, rubble, vitrification, counterscarp bank, and unfinished work
Enclosing works, excavated
earthen bank, palisade, and counterscarp bank
Also recorded
annex, multi-period enclosure system, and ditches
Entrance forms
Simple Gap (East); Oblique (East); Simple Gap (South east); Simple Gap (South); Simple Gap (South west); Oblique (South west); Simple Gap (West); Simple Gap (North west); Oblique (North west); Simple Gap (North); Simple Gap (North east)

Landscape

Topographic position
hilltop
Aspect
level
Land use
pasture and heather moorland
Water source
well or cistern

Dating

Dating
undated
Dating reliability
D - None

Interior and investigation

Interior surface
curvilinear platforms and other roundhouse evidence
Interior excavation
pits and postholes
Investigations
1st Identified Written Reference (1726); 1st Identified Map Depiction (1755); Earthwork Survey (1755); Other (1793); Excavation (1845); Other (1863); Other (1882); Earthwork Survey (1898); Other (1956); Other (1958); Other (1967); Other (1980); Other (198

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
90069
HER
Angus SMR per Aberdeenshire Council NO56NW0017
National record
record NO 56 NW 17; monument 35007
Wikidata
Q31095663

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 (2007) Excavations at Brown Caterthun and White Caterthun Hillforts, Angus, 1995-1997. TAFAC Monograph 5. Tayside and Fife Archaeological Committee: Perth
  4. Feachem, R W. (1963) Guide to prehistoric Scotland. Batsford: London.
  5. Gordon, A (1726) Itinerarium Septentrionale: or A Journey Thro most of the Counties of Scotland And Those in the North of England. LondonHalliday, S P (1991) 'Caterthun Forts', in Pounds, N J G (ed) The St Andrews area: Proc of the 137th Summer Meeting of the Royal Archaeol Inst, 148 (1991), 19-22
  6. Kenworthy, J B (1980) 'White Caterthun (Menmuir p): ring-ditch house, possible: cup-marked stone: vitrifaction'. Disc Exc Scot (1980), 37-8
  7. Warden, A J. (1880-5) Angus or Forfarshire: the land and people, descriptive and historical (5v). Charles Alexander & Co: Dundee
  8. Sherriff, J R. (1982) 'Survey'. Disc Exc Scot (1982), 30-32
  9. St Joseph, J K (1974) 'Air reconnaissance: recent results, 33'. Antiquity 48 (1974), 52-4
  10. Strachan and Hamilton, R and J (1997) 'White Caterthum (Menmuir parish), hillfort'. Disc Exc Scot (1997), 15-16