New Sites Reported by the Public
Over the last month, a number of sites have been reported to us by members of the public, and have been incorporated into our Sites and Monuments Record database. Sites have been reported from a number of Council areas.
In West Dunbartonshire, D.A. Cameron has identified a number of sites using satellite images available on Google Earth. Sites reported by Mr Cameron include a farmstead at Black Wood (WoSAS Pin 66088), an enclosure at Red Brae (WoSAS Pin 66092) and remains associated with the lime industry at Spouts Burn (WoSAS Pin 66091). The image below shows the location of the former lime workings identified by Mr Cameron, though better views are available on Google Earth, where it is possible to view aerial photographs taken at different times and in more favourable lighting conditions.
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From East renfrewshire, David Riddet has used map regression to identify the site of what appears to be a previously-unrecorded 18th century County House or Mansion in Uplawmoor (WoSAS Pin 66081). This house, annotated as Fort William, appeared on Ainslie's 1796 'Map of the County of Renfrewshire', but was not depicted on either the earlier Roy Map or the later 1st edition, indicating a very short period of occupation. Also in East Renfrewshire, Susan Hunter of the Association of Certificated Field Archaeologists reported the presence of the ruinous remains of a substantial building in the garden to the rear of one of the houses fronting onto Montgomery Street, Eaglesham. It has been suggested that this could represent the remains of a small mill, and though this interpretation does not appear to be supported by map regression, the presence of what look like twin fireplaces suggests that it may not have had purely residential function. (WoSAS Pin 66049)
Standing wall of ruinous structure, photo copyright Susan Hunter
Two new sites have been reported in Ayrshire. At a bend in the River Irvine around half a mile east of Galston in East Ayrshire, Malcolm Coxhead has reported that high water levels over the last couple of years have exposed a landfill or rubbish tip (WoSAS Pin 66071). From the material present, this appears to date from the later 19th or earlier 20th centuries. However, comparison with historic OS maps do not indicate the presence of a dump at this location. They do however show the course of the river as being considerably straighter during this period, and it is speculated that the dumped material may have been associated with its artificial canalisation. Also in Ayrshire, Adrian Madonado has identified two fragments of possibly 19th century incribed gravestones built into the stone boundary wall from Ballochmartin, on Great Cumbrae in North Ayrshire (WoSAS Pin 66087). The origin of these stone fragments is not known.
Graevstone fragment built into wall, photo copyright Adrian Madonado
Finally, from Argyll, two sites have been identified during the course of fieldwork conducted by Helen Woodley. One of these, a mound containing a couple of earthfast stone projecting through the turf at Achamhinish on the Isle of Gigha, may represent a possible dun identified by members of ACFA during their 1993 survey of the island, though the grid references ascribed to that site are different (WoSAS Pin 66093). The second site identified by Ms Woodley is a possible long cairn recorded from Lower Ranachan in Kintyre (WoSAS Pin 66089). While the photo below does indicate that a quantity of recent field clearance material have been deposited on the site, it is apparent that a 'kerb' of turf-covered stones is also present.
Looking along long axis of possible cairn, photo copyright Helen Woodley
Thanks go to all contributors, both those listed on this page and those who have supplied information on new sites to us previously. We are always pleased to receive any information on new sites identified from the area we cover.