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Help needed identifying mystery feature, and who to report finds to - Galloway
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spencer
spencer
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Edited Oct 09, 2015, 04:24
Help needed identifying mystery feature, and who to report finds to - Galloway
Oct 09, 2015, 04:12
While visiting a site identified as a dun by the OS and Canmore on the west Galloway coast I did some extensive fieldwork in the vicinity, and, as well a finding an additional worn but visible with care three bank fort for which I have found no entry whatsoever, standing on its uppermost rampart I also saw a very strange feature nearby, the remnants of three rings of stones, one inside the other. None of the stones was bigger than a foot across, the innermost ring having most stones visible, approximately half, these being almost flush with the turf and equally spaced, one pace apart. By pacing round the circumference of this inner circle and stamping my feet while doing so I was able to establish that the non visible stones seemed to be present, buried below the turf. This gave a total of approximately sixteen stones and a circumference of the inner circle of approximately forty eight feet, based on the length of my paces. The remains of the middle ring of stones was roughly four feet out from the inner, and the outer a further four feetish out. I really haven't a clue what this obviously very old feature is - does anyone? Should I report it and the fort to an official body for further inspection and if so, who? I will be uploading pictures of both at the same time as when I make a new entry for the dun on TMA.. it doesn't have one yet. Separately, on another part of Galloway's North Rhins coast, while battling through unfenced rough ground which had recently had its venerable gorse cover blitzed by a digger I found a slightly raised area and on one side of it the digger had exposed some stonework which retained an earth cap. A subsequent visit to the (fab) Caves of Kilhern - on TMA - made me wonder if this was something similar, but intact. It certainly looked extremely old and not a product of any clearances. I did not ascertain who the landowner was at the time. Should I report this for evaluation or just keep schtum, and, once again, if yes, do, to whom? I readily confess to inexperience and do not want to send anyone on a wild goose chase, nor, indeed, wind up the landowner of the latter possible site - but fear for its future if the digger returns - and confess I am totally out of my comfort zone with these finds. I have also found what I am totally, totally, convinced are further in situ stones related to the Wren's Egg site near Monreith - on TMA, which do not appear to have been recorded, and a stone with runes on it - yes, I know these are not within TMA's remit - near the same site. Quite a trip, but .... help!!!!! Please!!!!
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