Site Report

WoSAS Pin 53280

A linear field bank identified by Ian Martin, running for around 450m in observable length and aligned roughly East - West across the slopes of Cochno Hill. Building material is exposed, and stones around 30 inches long were noted. This dyke may be associated with the field system identified by heather James in 1994, and recorded as WoSAS Pin 15676.
Site report by Ian Martin (17/06/07)
Entered WoSAS (MO'H) 18/06/2007

Field survey of Cochno Hill was conducted by FIRAT Archaeological Services Ltd in July 2008 in advance of proposed forestry planting. This survey located 109 sites ranging in date from Bronze Age to Post Medieval. The survey area is dominated by a head dyke, field dykes and field systems with narrow rig below the 270m contour across the S face of Cochno Hill.

NS 48364 75472 (335m) - NS 48455 75470 - NS 48474 75474 - NS 48541 75475 -NS 48573 75483 ( 329m, gap, possible entrance)- NS 48632 75498 - NS 48770 75509 - NS 48832 75543 (326m).
This site is recorded in the WoSAS SMR and is identified with the WOSASPIN 53280. It is not recorded in the NMRS. The bank was recorded in 2007 by Ian Martin and is described as follows: ‘A linear field bank recorded by Ian Martin, running for around 450m in observable length and aligned roughly East-West across the slopes of Cochno Hill. Building material is exposed, and stones around 30 inches long were noted. This dyke may be associated with the field system identified by Heather James in 1994 and recorded as WOSASPIN 15676.’

The W end of this bank terminates at a small hill. About 10m from its W end on its S side is a possible curving bank c. 7m long and 0.8m wide and less than 0.2m high. The W end of dyke 36 is an area of bright green well fertilised grass though no trace of rig and furrow or sheilings could be seen with the exception of the possible curving bank. The dyke, which is 1.6m – 2m wide and up to 0.6m high peters out in the boggy ground at the top of the wall but picks up again on the E side of the bog. The dyke runs along the 325m – 330m contour and varied from 1m wide to 2m wide and more stone is visible in some places.
Significance Grade: Local / Regional, possibly National (if prehistoric)
Mitigation: Avoid, do not plant and leave buffer zone of 10m on each side.
Baker, F., FIRAT Archaeological Services, 'Cochno Hill, Duntocher, West Dunbartonshire: Archaeological Field Survey for the Forestry Commission', (2008)