The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Hillhead

Miscellaneous

RCAHMS NMRS No. HY40NW 6 at HY44720855.
1882 A large circular mound, uncultivatable because of stones.

1993 Fort. Spread over two fields (mostly that called 'Well Park'), with many features lost to levelling i.e. no trace of entrance. Single earthen rampart encloses oval area roughly 75 yards north-south by 55 yards [boundary features uphill and downhill lost since 1882 ?].

1964 Enclosure. Now being ploughed out, the site on a western slope has a smaller earth bank inside the main one.

Of the carved stone balls found in Orkney a quarter came from this hillside. One of sandstone from this actual site was last seen in a collection (NMAS, HH417). Of two at HY40NW 13 one is in the Hunterian Museum (B.1914.356) whilst the whereabouts of one of diorite from Hillswick in Shetland are not known. Another was discovered by 1882 drain diggings in 'Well Park' a couple of yards from where a well/spring existed until a decade before (HY40NW 12 located at HY44730866 on the present well [though a dark triangle visible from the road below seems a likely issuance to me] ).

If these balls are truly associated with this site that would put it back at least as far as the Bronze Age. On the other hand, on the basis of the little I know presently, an archaeologist friend is inclined to put it much later and relates it to pre-broch Clickhimin or possibly The Howe 3/4 (even amorphous post-broch).

When I attended a talk on the Bu of Orphir it was revealed that geophysics in Orphir had shown a double ring of 70m diameter. If this site were originally more circular the dimensions are comparable - could there be a connection?
wideford Posted by wideford
8th March 2005ce
Edited 26th April 2005ce

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