Ancient Monuments

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Channel Brae,enclosure 200m south of

A Scheduled Monument in Dunbar and East Linton, East Lothian

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.9483 / 55°56'53"N

Longitude: -2.5613 / 2°33'40"W

OS Eastings: 365046

OS Northings: 672950

OS Grid: NT650729

Mapcode National: GBR ND1Z.TLM

Mapcode Global: WH8W5.MRKB

Entry Name: Channel Brae,enclosure 200m S of

Scheduled Date: 1 November 1993

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Source ID: SM5840

Schedule Class: Cultural

Category: Prehistoric domestic and defensive: enclosure (domestic or defensive)

Location: Spott

County: East Lothian

Electoral Ward: Dunbar and East Linton

Traditional County: East Lothian

Description

The monument comprises the remains of an enclosed settlement of prehistoric date represented by cropmarks visible on oblique aerial photographs.

The monument lies on the S bank of the Cauld Burn at around 150m OD. Three sides of a sub-rectangular enclosure are defined by a narrow ditch, some 2-3m wide. The NW side was probably originally defined by marshy ground adjacent to the burn: no cropmark is visible there. The NE and SW sides stop some distance short of the burn.

The enclosure has approximate dimensions of 100m NW-SE by 70m. An entrance is visible in the S part of the SW side. A short length of ditch carries the alignment of the SE side some 10-15m to the SW, beyond the corner of the enclosure.

The S part of the enclosure is fairly level, but the N part slopes down towards the burn and would have been unsuitable for house construction. A dense, dark cropmark in the SE corner of the enclosure may indicate the survival of occupation deposits on the level ground.

Sub-rectangular enclosures of this kind are geneally thought to date to the period of Roman influence in southern Scotland. The topographical situation of the monument, however, is not paralleled elsewhere in the region.

The area to be scheduled encompasses the visible features and an area around them in which traces of associated activity may be expected to survive. It is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 190m ENE- WSW by 120m as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to add to our understanding of prehistoric settlement organisation and economy. The ditches may be expected to contain evidence relating to the date and construction of the defences while the interior may be expected to contain evidence for contemporary occupation.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NT 67 SE 4.

Reference:

Harding, A. F. and Lee, G. E. (1987) Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain: air photographic evidence and catalogue, Brit Archaeol Rep, BAR British, vol. 175, 381, no. 283, Oxford.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

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