Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

SC2617 Keir, Easter Tarr, Perthshire (Keirhead)

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

HER:  Stirling No record found (None)

NMR:  NN 60 SW 5 (24406)

SM:  None

NGR:  NN 6377 0074

X:  263770  Y:  700740  (OSGB36)

Summary

By tradition place-names including the element 'keir' in this part of Scotland denote an ancient place of strength, though the character of the archaeological remains found in these locations may vary from mottes to brochs or forts. In the case of Keirhead, a cottage with its garden depicted on the 1st edition OS 25-inch map (Perth and Clackmannan 1866, sheet 131.1-2), the character of any archaeological remains is uncertain, the OS in 1968 identifying traces of disturbance and surface quarrying, and RCAHMS investigators in 1957 and 1977 an arc of bank on the N some 7m in thickness by 0.8m in height. The topography, however, comprising a low knoll forming the W end of a terrace, with steep flanks dropping down on the N, E and S into a meander of the Tarr Burn, is a familiar location in the siting of small promontory works, and in this case there is sufficient space for an enclosure measuring at least 55m from NNW to SSE by 35m transversely (0.15ha). Clarification of the character of this site must await further work.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Unconfirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Unconfirmed

Location

X:  -467125  Y:  7594294  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -4.196259622382555  Latitude:  56.17980842323344  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Scotland

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Stirling

Historic County:  Perthshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Port Of Menteith

Monument Condition

None

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

None

Current Use:
Woodland  
Commercial Forestry Plantation  
Parkland  
Pasture (Grazing)  
Arable  
Scrub/Bracken  
Bare Outcrop  
Heather/Moorland  
Heath  
Built-up  
Coastal Grassland  
Other  

Landscape

Hillfort Type

None

Type:
Contour Fort  
Partial Contour Fort  
Promontory Fort  
Hillslope Fort  
Level Terrain Fort  
Marsh Fort  
Multiple Enclosure Fort  

Topographic Position

Position:
Hilltop  
Coastal Promontory  
Inland Promontory  
Valley Bottom  
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop  
Ridge  
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp  
Hillslope  
Lowland  
Spur  

Dominant Topographic Feature:  None

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  30.0m

Boundary

N/A


Dating Evidence

In the absence of excavation, neither the character of this site nor its date can be established

Reliability:  D - None

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC  
1200BC - 800BC  
800BC - 400BC  
400BC - AD50  
AD50 - AD400  
AD400 - AD 800  
Post AD800  
Unknown  

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   Overlain by cottage foundation and garden

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

None

Investigations:
1st Identified Written Reference (1845):   Noted (NSA, 10, Perthshire, 1107)
1st Identified Map Depiction (1862):   Named Keir on 1st edition OS 25-inch map (Perth and Clackmannan 1866, sheet 131.1-2)
Other (1957):   Description for RCAHMS Survey of Marginal Lands
Other (1968):   Visited by the OS
Other (1977):   Noted by RCAHMS

Interior Features

Featureless

Water Source

None

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

None

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features  
Round Stone Structures  
Rectangular Stone Structures  
Curvilinear Platforms  
Other Roundhouse Evidence  
Pits  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics  
Pits  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Roads/Tracks  
Quarry Hollows  
Other  
Nothing Found  

Finds

None

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds  
Pottery  
Metal  
Metalworking  
Human Bones  
Animal Bones  
Lithics  
Environmental  
Other  

Aerial

NO APPARENT FEATURES

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked  
None  
Roundhouses  
Rectangular Structures  
Pits  
Postholes  
Roads/Tracks  
Other  

Entrances

See main summary

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
0:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None known

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:No related records

Enclosing Works

Bank noted on one margin of a promontory

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.15ha.
Total:   0.15ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   At least

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✗   None

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   0
SE Quadrant:   0
SW Quadrant:   0
NW Quadrant:   1
Total:   1

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  
Unknown  

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate  
Univallate  
Partial Bivallate  
Bivallate  
Partial Multivallate  
Multivallate  

Surface Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Rubble  
Wall-walk  
Evidence of Timber  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
Other  

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None  
Earthen Bank  
Stone Wall  
Murus Duplex  
Timber-framed  
Timber-laced  
Vitrification  
Other Burning  
Palisade  
Counter Scarp Bank  
Berm  
Unfinished  
No Known Excavation  
Other  

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✗   None

Number of Ditches:  None

Annex:
✗   None

References

Chalmers, G (1887-94) Caledonia: or a historical and topographical account of North Britain (7 vols + index). Paisley (Vol. 1, 93)

Chrystal, W (1903) The kingdom of Kippen: its history and traditions. Stirling (138)

Name Book, Ordnance Survey Object Name Books (6 inch and 1/2500 scale); available https://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/. Perthshire No. 68, p 78



Terms of Use

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and should be cited as:

Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk


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