Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 111, 1981, 493-509

Rural settlemen Grampian ti n Region: approaches and sources ShepherdlaG nA Sandrd *an RalstonaM f

INTRODUCTION There have been several approache recenn i s t e problemyearth o t s f recordino s d gan assessing the field evidence for Scottish rural settlement which still survives today from many periods of the past. In this work the methods of selecting a fruitful study area are of crucial importance. Scholars studying the more recent past have emphasised the value of locating areas for whic survivine hth g documentary source rice Parrg sar h (e y 1975 ; Morriso24 , n n 1980i ) 35 , order to illuminate the 'general processes of settlement history irrespective of place' (Dodgshon 1980, 46) while Fairhurst has called consistently for detailed regional studies of the morpholo- gical elements of later settlements (1967, 143; 1968, 165). Most of the recent work carried out state behaln o th ef o farchaeologica l bodie ruran o s l differensettlemena d ha s t ha emphasist , being largely concerned with area-specific survey differinf so g size time-scalesd san . Anciene Th t Monuments Branc e Scottisth f ho h Development Departmen commiss ha t - sioned intensive survey f areaso s under catastrophic threat from 1976 S forestrDE , g 23-4y(e ; 1977, 3, 28-9; 1978, 32) whose remit has generally been to identify and record all surviving feature f archaeologicao s l potential wit hviea westablishino t g prioritie r preservatiofo s r no excavation (Mercer 1980; Mercer & Howell 1980, 1). The methods developed depend on the availability of a sizeable pool of labour and are best applied over a short period to a unitary block of country. The work of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotlan t threat-determineno s di coversd dan , with considerable resources largea , r a are n ao different time-scale. All available sources of information are utilised in preliminary research while intensive site-specific field wor intendes ki leao dt definitivo dt e descriptions ) (Stee3 , rnd which are published in the well-known Inventories (eg RCAMS 1980). The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland's Archaeological Field Survey, which from 1977 to 1981 was funded by the Scottish Development Department and attached to the Royal Commission, aimed to survey selected areas rapidlcompilo t d d publisyan ean h list f monumento s s swiftly (Archaeol Field Survey SAS 1978). Whil thre e wore th e th ef ko Fiel d Surveyormano discoveriet w d yne le s r sha fo s- sitee th sl Uppee listeal examplth f o n di r % Eskdal3 e2 e newllise ar t y discovered medievad an l post medieval sites (Archaeol Field Surve 1980S , 20-5ySA 3 , - thei) r labour indebtede ar s s a , are l Scottisthosal f eo h field archaeologists site th e indeo t , x cards produce Ordnance th y db e Survey Archaeology Division. These cards forme e Site Monumentd basie th dan r sth fo s s Record established between 1975 and 1977 by Grampian Regional Council. Development of the Record of this archaeologi- cally under-prospected region relie continuinn so g field survey whicr sfo limite e hth d resources * Grampian Regional Council, Woodhill House, Aberdeen. t PADC, Departmen Geographyf o t , Universit Aberdeenf yo , Aberdeen. | PROCEEDING 4 49 S OF THE SOCIETY, 1981 available demand the definition of a series of priorities. (This problem, of verifying and expanding field data, which faces most SMRs many of which are better endowed than Grampian's, was noted but not faced in the Survey of Surveys (Taylor & Aberg 1979, 3-4).) The following paper represents contexe th n i , t outlined above attempn a , refino t t methoa e f selectindo mose gth t productive areas for survey in the southern and eastern sectors of the Grampian Region. startins It impressioge pointh s wa t n that feature earlf o s y settlement survived bes arean i t s which became wooded (or otherwise unavailable for agriculture) in the late 18th century and thus were preserved from the destructive agricultural practices of the Improving Movement 'so drasti widespread can d were (whose) change tha. . s. t few sign previouf so s settlement land san d use systems are visible today' (Kay 1962, 100). This model was based to a large extent on the 18c 0 hectare facinBellmuif S so e th g rivee n slopro th rf eo Ytha n 365 0 (NG87 ) wherJ RN e eth Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division recorde impressivn da e sequenc f buriaeo l cairnst hu , circles and stone clearance heaps, and rig and furrow (OS cards Nos NJ 83 NE 32-36, 40) on land which had been wooded during the 19th century and is currently used for rough grazing (LUC categorie. 5) d an s4 t musI emphasisee b t d that this study doe t concersno n itself primarily with furtherinr gou knowledge of the Improving Movement, but rather utilises the already rich literature on Scottish rural settlemen Cairg (e t d 1964; 1980; Gailey 1962 1962y Ka ; ; Parr Slatey& r 1980; Smou& t Fenton 1965; Turnock 1977; Whittington 1973 recognitioe th ; d 1975ai o t )f survivin no g field system settlementd san . Indeed Parry' sphasee worth n abandonmenf ko so uplanf o t d settlement Lammermuire inth s (1976a; 1976b greaf o s )i t potential assistanc establishinn ei gchronologa y and has important implications for work in other upland areas, which will be considered later in this paper.

PROJECT SUMMARY A period of approximately 20 man weeks in the late summer and autumn of 1980 was spent e presenbyth t author combininn i s g cartographic, photographi field can d survey n data n ai attempt to identify areas which had survived the impact of the agricultural improvers.

CARTOGRAPHIC SOURCES An attempt was made to correlate over time land use and settlement information from a variet mapsf yo addition I . n lan capabilite dus y mappin gareao gavtw sn ei indication presenf so t cultivation limits, while place name evidence provided some indicatio time th abandonmenf ef o n o t of settlement. Timothy Pont, Buqhan from Ythan River Duverneo t 1581-96 (Cas ho 10) N 1907 .9 57 , This knuckl earlE showp N ye ma f Scotlansth eo d fro moute Ythae mth th f Banfo hno t a t a f scale varyin miles3 o t gIo t f . n froi n mile i 1 m1 o st Robert Gordon, Aberdeen, Banf, MurreyInverneso t c & 1640 (Cas h25)o n 1907 .6 58 , detailedA , although smal milesf Scotlandwhol6 e o th o lt E f scal)eo n N i earl p 1 e.( yma General William Roy, Military Survey of Scotland 1749-1751 (Skelton 1967, 7; Roy Scot Geo 1973c gSo , 103-12) detaileA . d stud mapmade s th y f Generawa f transcribins y o eo b y Ro l g at the same scale all the land use and settlement information for the whole Region. Rivers, areas of cultivation, marsh, rough pasture, enclosed fields, woodland, settlements and roads were all re-drawn, but topographic information was omitted, in re-creating Roy's 'historic landscape transect' (Skelto Militarye valune th 1967Th f eo . 5) , Survey sourca s a s bee eha n admirably summarised by Parry: f • SHEPHERD, RALSTON: SETTLEMENT IN GRAMPIAN REGION 495

Glen Muick

FIG 1 Location of survey areas selected from cartographic analysis

In SE Scotland a comparison of the Survey with other county maps and estate documents revealed onl farmstead5 y3 s omitte errorn di , these amountin totale leso gth t f s o tha % n5 the existencen ni n additioI . n thers closwa ee correspondence betwee e locatioth n f o n aerially mapped abandoned farmlan cultivatioe th d dan n symbol Militarye th f so Survey. Thus the cultivation limits marked on the Military Survey apparently reflect with a reasonable accurac cultivatioe yth n mid-18tlimite th f so h century (1980, 181). while Coull has recently emphasised the accuracy of the drainage and settlement pattern (1980). James Robertson, Counties f Aberdeen,o Kincardined Banffan 1822 (Roy Scot Geoc gSo 1973, 122). This map depicts with great clarity, roads, settlements, and woodland (within and without estate policies) at a scale of 1 in to the mile. This land use and settlement information was compared with the Military Survey in an attempt to establish the continuity or discontinuity of information on locations throughout the three former counties. Map of the Estate of Glenmuick and Pananich belonging to Lieut Colonel Farquharson of 496 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1981 Invercauld 1868 (printed by W & A K Johnston, Edinburgh) (Aberdeen University, Dept of Geography Foli H392)o oN drainage Th . e pattern, wood settlementd san Glen si n Muicd kan the Crathie area are shown at a scale of 1 in to the mile. inchesmile6 e t editionth S 1s O o t of Aberdeenshire (1871-3 principally, 1871-1901/2d an ) the 2nd edition (1902) were used in a similar manner to Robertson's map. The Military Survey, Robertson's Map and the early OS editions were valuable in providing complete coverage of much of the Region, while their chronological spacing was sufficient to reflect significant landscape change. LandCapabilitye Us Maps (1976) relevane Th . t coverag e mosth f teo recen mapC LU ts only extende Ytha the Gle areasdto nand n Dye . These maps were use defindto e current marginal land.

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOURCES Low level aerial photographs. Regular aerial survey in the Region by Aberdeen Archaeo- logical Surveys (DBS 1977 ; 197819 , , 10-11; 1979 ; 1980 Aerial; 12 , 12 , Archaeol, (1978)2 , 81-2) had, prior to 1980, identified certain sites where traces of early cultivation survived. These sites and their surrounding areas had not however been the subject of systematic aerial surveys. Detailed low level photographs, taken in differing lighting and vegetational conditions, formed an important part of the subsequent recording of the areas and site complexes discovered during this project. 1:11000 vertical stereo aerial photographs, taken in 1976-7 and held by Grampian Regional Council, were used principall confiro yt locatioe mth survivad nan featuref lo s identified fro cartographie mth levew lo c l e sourceflying th e print s mos d th beed A .f san sha o t n taken durin summere gth , natural vegetation hindered clear identificatio somn ni e instances. However possibls wa t i identifo et furrod yan stoned g areawan ri f structureso examininy sb photoe gth - graphs throug hstereoscopea .

SELECTIO AREAF NO S Four areas were chose r furthen fo (fi) 1 gr researc limited han d field examinatioe th n no basis of information collected in the process of comparing the maps. The early maps were used both on their own (to identify areas, previously cultivated and settled, which apparently dropped out of agricultural use in the late 18th and 19th centuries) and in conjunction with the aerial photographs (to expand the area of search from the initial, often site-specific, aerial photograph lead-in). While this latter process, in an idealised format, ran from the individual low level photograp mapse th o ht , wher possibilite eth furthef yo r features coul confirmede o db t n o d an , the vertical stereo pairs which would attest the survival or otherwise of whole areas or rural settlement, these stages were ofte practicn ni e conflated sample Th . e areas selected wer vallee eth y of the River Ythan between Fyvie and Ellon, the lower reaches of the Crathie Burn immediately confluencs it f o N e wit Rivee betweee hth De r n Braema Ballaterd an r , Glen Muick from Loch Muick to Ballater, and upper Glen Dye, running W from the B974, 8 miles S of Banchory.

FIELD WORK The aims of the field visits were to confirm the interpretation of the features identified in the map and photograph searches, to complete Sites and Monuments Record cards, and to assess complexite th survivine th f yo g remains. This last proces bases sindicationwa n do varietf so d yan phasing in the structures and features. Features confirmed in this work included hut circles, SHEPHERD, RALSTON: SETTLEMENT IN GRAMPIAN7 REGIO49 | N

\,—-1——-__° HUT CIRCLE \ """"-•

—Boundarie— s -Stonewall— s -Trac— k Arable land

FI G2 Settlement Ythae traceth n t Doolinso a e Bridge (4). map;BasedS O n o Crown copyright reserved

stone clearance heaps, lynchets, rig and furrow cultivation, spade ridges, field dykes, sunken tracks, long houses of various types, corn-drying kilns and limekilns. The information entered recore onth d cards included form, condition, shape, dimensions, relief, aspec land an td use, while in addition record photographs were taken. Detailed interpretive plans wer t produceno e t thida s stag f researcho e . Rathes wa t i r possibl preparo et e some general site plans economically using details fro e 1:250mth 0 scale OS maps, if published, in conjunction with the various aerial photographs available (eg figs 2, 3). In the areas studied a high proportion of the turf and stone boundaries and stone structures beed ha n surveye , evedin n although they relat lan o et patterne dus f previouo s s centurier sfo which no antiquity record had been made. The inclusion of such features is left to the discretion of the individual surveyor (P Adams, pers comm).

GAZETTEER The following gazetteer lists the principal sites identified in the survey of the four sample areas. Entrie arrangee sar samply db e area withid an , n each are griy ab d reference. 498 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1981

300m

1111 Rig and Furrow —— ~ Field Boundaries Aultonrea a cnstonet Structures itres 200 SMR FI G3 Cultivatio settlemend nan t trace t Oiesa n Muick sites 1-4 (21-24 Aultonred an ) a (25)symboe Th . r fo l rig s stylisesi reflectd dan s their areorientatiod aan t theino t r spacingnbu . map;S BasedO n o Crown copyright reserved

Information is laid out in the following order: Gazetteer No. Site Name National Grampian Regional Category Grid Ref. Council Sited san Monuments Recoro dN Text Earlies Refp .Ma t In the descriptions of rig and furrow, the term 'wavelength' is used for the measurement of the distance between adjacent ridge crests, following Parry (1976b furrodefinitio,a d 8)r an :fo g wri f no SHEPHERD, RALSTON: SETTLEMENT IN GRAMPIAN REGION | 499 cultivation Fentoe se , n (1976 . Ful5) , l detail f eaco s hGrampiae sithele th ear n di n Regional Council's Sites and Monuments Record.

Ythan Valley The immediate environs of the 15 miles of the River Ythan between Fyvie and Ellon contrast strongly wit orderee hth d agricultura rivere th partn f I .o l S slandscape d an N e sth whico t e hli steep-side craggyd dan rivee ,th rslopee bankth d s sabovan outwite eli modere hth n field boundaries preservd an etruncatea d patter formef no r land use.

1 Braes of Minonnie North NJ 793 373 NJ 73 NE 39 Rig and Furrow Low lying rigs running paralle Rivee th o rbankt l E Ytha hauge a th ,n nwito n ho wavelengtha h of c 5-5 m and covering an area of 1 ha.

2 Blackhillock NJ 792 375 NJ 73 NE 40 Rig and Furrow rigw slo witf o hwavelengta a h directio , runninS ban1 W m N/ haug5 e ka a c th n n gf ni o hn o h o of the river.

1 4 E N 3 3 7 BraesJ N 7 of36 Minonnie2 79 J N Longhous Enclosurd ean e Depleted footings of a longhouse c 9 m by 3 m, with a small enclosure or kailyard, on the E bank of the river, wedged between the river and a rocky cliff. In all the site covers 0-5 ha. Military Survey 1750

2 4 E N 3 7 J N 4 Doolie2 38 5 Bridge79 J N Depopulated Settlemen Earlied an t r Features (fi) g2 A sequence of settlement features established in two principal foci and covering an area of 2-5 ha. rockn i , yW lane th d o borderinT flooe gth d plain three ar , e longhouses (middly eb housm 7 e1 2- internally5m stono tw ed enclosures)an gentla s i yE S sloping, e whilth o et terrace encloseo dt the N by a substantial earthen bank and on the other sides by a low stone wall. It contains, in the SW corner, two longhouses and associated kailyards, the larger house being 15 m by 3 m. A hut diametercirclen i m ,7 , lies immediatel banke entrancn th a sunken f i .A o p yN e ga n track linke sth two foci and winds down to a former river crossing. Two enclosures and other banks and dykes lie within this area, which is on a N facing slope immediately above the river. Traces of rigs underlie presene th t field dykes immediatel thif o syS complex. Gordon 1630-50

5 Wood of Wardford NJ 835 391 NJ 83 NW 16 RiFurrod gan w 16-5 ha of well preserved rigs with a wavelength of c 4-8 m on a NW facing slope of 11°. The upper part of the slope has recently been improved, but rigs can still be detected as crop marks. Military Survey 1750

7 1 W N 3 8 J 6 N Blairfowl 6 38 8 80 WestJ N RiFurrod gan w rigsw lo , f wavelengto a h 1 pasturhn facini N 5- , a 5 m gn e o slope, muc whicf ho s beehha n taken into modern cultivation. Military Survey 1750

8 1 W N 3 8 7 J N Blairfowl 4 38 4 81 EastJ N RiFurrod gan w rigsw ,Lo simila facinN a (6)o grt n abov, o ,slop 4° floo e f eo th d Ythan e plaith f no , coverinn ga . ha are1 f ao 2K 500 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1981 8 Haddo Farm NJ 825 385 NJ 83 NW 19 FurroRid gan w Intricate patter f lonno g sinuous rigs, wavelength 11-4 m runnin improven gi d pasture froe mth facingfarE N m e rive,dowe th 5th n ° ro o nslope t coverind an , aren g a 42- f a. o 5ha Military Survey 1750 9 Bellmuir NJ 870 365 NJ 83 NE 32 Hut circles, stone clearance heaps, rig and furrow. A site complex, located withi unimprovef o n18c a 0h d pasture Archaeolog,S recordeO e th y db y Division (see above p 493) and consisting of a round cairn, five low round barrows, ten hut circles, stone clearance heaps, sunken tracks ovaln a , , stone-walled enclosure containing spade ridged san wit hsmala l circular enclosur centreextensivs n a it t d e a variouf an o , ) e systeha s0 type3 mc ( f so furrowd rigan , par whicf o t h respect (?w ) lo hea sa d dyke. Military Survey 1750 10 Wood ofSchivas NJ 902 353 NJ 93 NW 27 Rig and Furrow and Associated Features Intricate patter f differenno furrod an t g typewri f coverinso undulatinn ga g aref f o 27-a o a 5h cleared woodlanRive e banN th e f rko th Ythan n do . Rigs vary from regular, narro straighd wan t (up to 80 m long) to moderately sinuous and in some areas are overlaid by depleted stone banks. A substantial trapezoidal enclosure contain broas8 d (?) spade ridges, whil stonea e walle t circledhu , diametern i m 2 1 fiela ,c d clearance hea othed pan r field boundaries also survive. Military Survey 1750 Crathie c 100 ha of hill slopes and ridges comprising the catchment area of the lower reaches of the Crathie Burn, just N of its confluence with the River Dee, between Ballater and Braemar. The following sites were found in under-utilised land adjacent to the present mixed farmland.

11 Rintarsin NO 264 965 NO 29 NE 7 Depopulated Settlement Three longhouses situated on a SE facing slope at a height of 425 m, and covering an area of 0-. 5ha Military Survey 1750

12 Knock ofLawsie NO 263 963 NO 29 NE 8 Depopulated Settlement Substantial longhouse shap2-, L y footing, b 5m facin S 0- plano n t highem i a 5m 0 p gn 1 u s,o , housee th sit e f o e Th . coverW S enclosurn e n sa A th . o t m slopaltitud n a 0 m e t e0 40 a lie f 10 seo area of 1 -3 ha. Military Survey 1750 9 E N 19 32 O BurnN 2 o96 f 4 Rintarsin26 O N Depopulated Settlement (pi 57) Three longhouses, one standing alone and two backed together in an L formation, situated at 380 m, Rintarsi e banE th e f oko nth n Burn coverind an , aren g a . 0-f ao 3 ha 0 1 E N 9 2 O N 0 1496 4 Lawsie26 O N Depopulated Settlement ) (p57 i Settlement c 3 ha in extent, consisting of nine longhouses, two enclosures and a limekiln situated at a height of 370 m on a W facing slope. Wall footings survive to a height of 1 rn. Military Survey 1750 1 1 E N 9 2 1O 5N 9 Crathienaird95 6 25 O N Depopulated Settlement Remain smala f so l townshi pconsistind coverinan , longhouses5 ha f are1 n ggo a f ao , with stone SHEPHERD, RALSTON: SETTLEMENT IN GRAMPIAN REGION | 501 footings survivin heightn i 0- o t 5 m p gu . Some house subdividede sar varl al dimensions n yi d an , .A low bank runs beneath the enclosure of the present steading. There are also two enclosures and deplete settlemente dth fielf o d sit e N dykee .Th lie facinth a n N o so t g. slopaltitudm n a 0 t ea 34 f eo Military Survey 1750

2 1 E N 9 2 16O N Farm1 96 2 ofLawsie26 O N Depopulated Settlement Footings of two longhouses with a small enclosure near the present steading. An old track runs fro N fare mth m passin moro gtw e longhouses with interna tracle partitionssidth W kf eo e th n O . are the ruins of a limekiln. The site is situated on a S facing slope at an altitude of 350 m, and covers an area of 1-5 ha.

Glen Muick Of the 11 miles of glen which follow the River Muick N from Loch Muick to its confluence with the River Dee near Ballater, only the E side was surveyed, as the slopes on the W side are densely afforested narro e e siteth Th n s . wo sidE recorde e seriee flooe li th th f dn so n o do plai d nan flanking hills and ridges predominantly used for rough grazing or grouse moor.

17 Auchnacraig Hill 1 NO 336 893 NO 38 NW 3 Depopulate Furrodd Settlemenan g wRi d an t Small township extentn i a h ,3 consistinc , fivf go e longhouse enclosuren a d san , S situate e th n do facing slope of Auchnacraig Hill at 425 m. Broad rigs run in a NW/SE direction immediately N of the houses and are enclosed by field boundaries. Two isolated longhouses lie c 300 m E of the settlement. Robertson 1822

18 Auchnacraig Hill 2 NO 339 889 NO 38 NW 4 Depopulated Settlement and Rig and Furrow Small township extentn i a h ,5 enclose,c heaa y ddb dyk consistind ean fouf go r longhousen a d san enclosure at an altitude of 430 m. Two plots of sinuous rigs, wavelength c 11 m, on the N facing, 3° slope, run NE/SW and NW/SE, focusing on the settlement. Robertson 1822

19 Auchnacraig Hill 3 NO 346 894 NO 38 NW 5 Depopulate dFurrod Settlemenan g wRi d an t Two longhouse All e banE th te f kCholzieo sth witn ploto o h rigm f enclosurs.Tw o 0 n so 35 t a e eli settlemente facingfocud th W an n a slop ° o s 5 wholNE/S,e n W eru E/ Th . ed W sitan e covern sa are . f 6-ao 5 ha

20 Titabutie NO 311 863 NO 38 NW 6 Depopulated Settlement Two longhouses. m 0 rive, e ban39 coverinE th t e ra f ko th n aren o ga , 0-f ao 6 ha Robertson 1822

4 E S 9 3 O N 2 15 92 7 Glen35 O MuickN 1 Depopulated Settlement and Rig and Furrow (fig 3) Substantial townshi f twelvpo e houses, three enclosure corn-dryina d an s g kiln, situatea n do prominent ridge at 300 m. Footings of earlier buildings underlie the township. To the SW of the township, on a W facing, 8° slope within a dyke is an extensive system of well preserved rig and furrow with a wavelength of 12 m and stone clearance along the rig sides. There are indications of a chang orientation ei ploughine th f northerne o th n gi nsysteme parth wholf e to .Th e site covern sa sunkeA . ha nare8 tracf ao k run similaa o st r settlemen t Glea t n Muic (22)k2 . Military Survey 1750 502 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1981 5 E S 9 3 O N 4 2 92 2 2 Glen36 O MuickN 2 Depopulated Settlement and Rig and Furrow (fig 3) Five houses and two enclosures on a SW facing slope at 350 m. Sinuous rigs with a wavelength of NW/Sa n i n Eru 9- directio2m n withi nheaa d dyke site eTh . cover allsn i 8-.a 8h Robertson 1822 23 Glen Muick 3 NO 360 927 NO 39 SE 7 Furrod an g wRi (Fi) g3 2-5 ha of sinuous broad rigs, on a N facing, 8° slope, inside a dyke which runs in a N and W-ward curve from Glen Muic (22) klonghous2 e .On e overlie rige sth s nea middle cultivatee rth th f eo d area. Military Survey 1750 24 Glen Muick 4 NO 356 929 NO 39 SE 8 Rig and Furrow (Fig 3) sinuouf o 3-a facin5h E . sSomn a rigm gn 5 slopseo ridg32 smala f c e o t ea l stone structures overlie the rigs. Military Survey 1750 25 Aultonrea 6 NE OS 9 353 6 O 91N 9 Depopulated Settlement and Rig and Furrow (fig 3) Six longhouses and two kailyards enclosed by stone wall on an undulating ridge. One gable-end standing to 1-8 m and earlier walls still visible, but robbed. Indistinct rigs and six clearance heaps settlemene th f o pronounced W an tfacin e N th e lio eth gt slopen d o are e rige Th sa.ar occupied by these. featureha 8 c s si 9 E S 9 3 O N 2 2693 6 35 Garlot O N Rig and Furrow c 3-5 ha of rigs on an E facing slope at 320 m. Robertson 1822 27 Balno NO 348 912 NO 39 SW 3 Depopulated Settlement A small township covering 0-7 ha and consisting of five longhouses and two enclosures. It lies on the flood plain of the E bank of the river, at an altitude 280 m. The longhouses vary from 10 m varyininternallyn i m e 2 ar y gb d statem an , 8 decayf so o t m b .y3 Military Survey 1750 Glen Dye The 3 miles of upper Glen Dye, through which the River Dye runs E/W before turning N at the Spital, contain moderate th n o , e hill slopes immediately abov rivere followineth e th , g serief so depopulated settlements principae Th . thif l o lan se aredus t presen agrousa a s a s i et moor. 28 Waterhead NO 625 836 NO 68 SW 1 Depopulate Furrodd Settlemenan g wRi d an t Six longhouses, and rig and furrow in nine enclosures, which cover in all 15 ha, are situated on a smalA . facing S m llonghouse e enclosur0 th slop° 25 f 6 , o t e a e contain d eon san backo t n sso pronounced spade ridges. Enclosures to the W of the settlement show distinct straight rigs, with a whicn wavelengto , hlatem a 2 1 r f squarho e stock enclosur bees eha n built. Military Survey 1750 2 2 9W 7 S N 83 8 O 6 Gauns6 63 O HillN Depopulated Settlement and Rig and Furrow settlemenA t coverin alln i ,a witdistinch o g8 htw presene tth focif o tS . trac foue kar r longhouses and c ten enclosed fields of rig and furrow on a S facing slope at 225 m. Several small enclosures near the houses contain distinct spade ridges. To the N of the present track are two longhouses and four enclosures, a possible corn-drying kiln and a substantial head dyke. A sunken track runs E through the settlement and crosses the river to the settlement at Little Stag Hill (30). SHEPHERD, RALSTON: SETTLEMENT IN GRAMPIAN3 REGIO50 | N 30 Little Stag Hill NO 638 837 NO 68 SW 3 Depopulated Settlement and Enclosures A substantial longhouse with three partitions and attached byre is situated on a N facing slope at 215 m. A semi circular embanked enclosure abuts the S side of the house. A small circular enclosure lie e depletes immediatelTh . E d e remainth o a possiblyt f o s e additional longhous othed ean r whole Th . e W sit d e occupiean enclosureN e th s o . 1-t 5e ha sli

31 Spitalbank NO 647 841 NO 68 SW 4 Depopulated Settlement enclosureo Tw thred san e longhouses, substantially depleted facinsituatee W ar , a gn dslopo t ea 215 m, covering 2 ha. Military Survey 1750 5 W S 8 6 O N 0 383 2 7 61 CharrO N Depopulated Settlement rivee th f rfoco o f settlemen o i N Tw coverind e vallee an th th m n n yi t0 gO floor . 6-25 5t ha a , are three enclosures, one longhouse with three partitions and a small rectangular kailyard, and a stone walled enclosure. S of the river are one longhouse and two small patches of rig and furrow. Military Survey 1750 33 BogofLuchray NO 629 835 NO 68 SW 6 Depopulated Settlement Three subdivided longhouses and two enclosures are situated on a N facing slope at 250 m. The site in all covers 2 ha. 34 Pawn's Heugh NO 605 833 NO 68 SW 7 Depopulated Settlement and Rig and Furrow (pi 58) Comple furrowd x an syste g ri , f mencloseo subdivided dan dykew lo sy db int fieldsx orige si sTh . have a wavelength of c 9 m and run down a S facing 7° slope from a substantial longhouse with kailyard, while ther alslonghousee o ear o tw s further upslope squareA . , stone walled sheepfank overlie cornesysteE e N th e f mo rsth whil substantiaea l longhous sitee Th . W ee overlieth o t g sri appeard an , complemarm o st 5 limie k27 th settlemenf t o txa , coverglene ha th 5 are.n n 1 i ts a f ao

ASSESSMENT The first and most obvious feature of the sites identified in the survey is their comparative homogeneity. There are, it is true, differences between the areas, but all contain predominantly evidence of settlement from the more recent past. So, to the extent that the gazetteer is dominated by occurrence furro and longhouse wand rig sof s rathe circler thahut ston nsand by e clearance heaps, it might be considered that the original model for the survey has not been fully sustained. Conceived from one site complex on the Ythan, the role of woodland as a factor in the preserva- tio cultivatiof no n evidenc seee b t othena n eca r Ythan sites suc Schivas ha s (10), Wardford (5), Blairfow pard l f HaddWesan o t ) (fi) . (6 tHowever og(8 4) modee th , l doe t sees no m applo t n yi e otheth r areas studied, where different factors wer operationn i e : thes e reflectear ee th n i d differences which can be perceived between the areas. The Crathie sites, for example, (with the exceptio f Lawsino e (14) surroundee ar ) lany db d still actively farmedextene th o tT . that their landscape contexts have been largely destroyed, they contrast strongly with such site complexes as seen in Glen Muick. It is therefore exceptionally difficult to make comparisons between, or to attempt chronological or functional deductions from, these two groups of sites. Similarly cragge th , y slopes abov Ythane eth , whic outwite har reace hth mosf ho t modern farming practices, have preserved an albeit truncated series of features which are difficult to interpret, while again contrasting wit apparene hth t completenes f otheso r sites suc thoss ha n ei Glen Dye. 50 | 4PROCEEDING S OF THE SOCIETY, 1981 Throughout this project the examination of a variety of cartographic sources was under- taken. Some attempt should now be made to comment on the value of this work. All available maps for the sample areas were consulted and the information then correlated in tables, of which examplen a s i earliese fi 4 gth 160c s .f o Font'0t wa p availablsma ensured ean d tha threa t e hundred year period coul examinee db Parrf d(c y 1976a, 50-60; Morrison 1980, 35). There are, however, several problems associated with this technique, which arise from the (obvious) fact that a map is the product of a surveyor's own interpretation, the basis for which is not always clear r exampl Fo .discoveres wa t ei d that severa sitee th sf lo wer e showearle mapth S yO n n o s werarguet e namedt b bu en no dca that .I t such settlements were uninhabitep timma e e th eth y db was drawn up. However, the only maps consulted during the survey which gave some direct indicatio conditioe (1904e d e th th f structurer d e n o (1809 d )th fo 2n e f t nd o 1s )an sS werO e eth Crathie area wher terme eth s 'OLD LIMEKILNS 'RINTARSId an ' RUINSNN I ' were used. furtheA r exampl e problemth f o e s associated with using place-name evidenc n thii e s fashion is seen in Glen Muick. The OS 1902 map suggests that all the settlements, with the exceptio f BALNOo n n 1902i ,e werus . n i Howevee f 186o e Estat th p 8r showma e s only TITABUTI BALNOd Ean t woulI . d seem reasonabl assumo et e tharelativele th t y large scale estate map would include all thriving, or rent-producing settlements. Therefore those remaining settlements might be assumed to be out of use by 1868, and that the OS in 1902 mapped the structures, the lack of names suggesting that the buildings were not inhabited. Fig 4 summarises the information for the newly discovered sites on the Ythan. The role of woodlan coverinn di g area rigf bees so sha n note t Wardforda d (5), Blairfowl West (6), Haddo Farm (8) and Schivas (10). In some cases, for example Schivas (10), it was difficult to establish the exac t locao t locatio rige e lth du s cartographi f no c distortion furtheA . r proble ms thai e th t symbo Militarye l useth n do Survey depico t t appearsg areari f so , almost invariablya e b o t , stylistic convention. Therefore it would be unsound to draw conclusions on the orientation and dimensio rigf no s solely fro depictione mth Militarye th n so Survey. strikins i t I g that onlsitee yon , Doolie Bridge (4), revealed direct evidenc continuitr efo y of settlement ove lona r g perio f timedo . Indee correlatioe dth fiele cartographid th an d f no c evidenc t alwayno s ei s straightforward r examplFo . e several inferences coul drawe db n froe mth fact thasitee f th Auchnacrait o s , whic2 gd hHilan toda1 l y display extensive cultivatiod nan settlement evidence, do not appear on the Military Survey of 1750 but do appear on Robertson 1882. The first and most obvious inference would be that the cultivation was indeed post 1750. Alternatively rige th ,s could represent pre-1750 cultivatio 175y b e n0 us whic f o gond t hha eou and that the sites were reoccupied by 1822. A possible support for this second solution may come fro e placmth e name itself, Auchnacraig e firsth , t elemen f whico t h derives fro e Gaelimth c 'Ach' (Achadh) meaning field (Small & Coull 1969, 50). The appearance of this name on Roy withou associatey an t d settlemen cultivatior o t n symbols suggest antiquite sth cultivatiof yo t na these sites. There is of course a third option, which in this particular case is unlikely, namely tha sitee th t s were occupie Militarye time th th f eo t da Survey, t werbu e omitted fro mape mth . This disturbing element of uncertainty has been shown by Parry (1980, 181) to apply only to a relatively tiny (5 %) proportion of sites.

DISCUSSION The sample areas considered in this survey do not consist of prime agricultural land, neither are they readily accessible in modern terms. Furthermore the uses to which these areas intensityw lo f havo e ,e ar sucbee t s rougha npu h grazin r grousgo e moor, which have been SITES /SOURCES PONT GORDON ROY ROBERTSON OS OS 1581-96 1630-50 1750 1822 1873 1901 IBRAES OFMINONNIE(N)

2.BLACKHILLOCK

3.BRAES OFMINONNIE

4.DOOLIE BRIDGE *MINNONIE" tn w O 5.WOO WARDFORF DO D I 6.BLAIRFOWL WEST 41

7.BLAIRFOWL EAST

8.HADDO FARM 41 41 41 41 41 3 > 10.WOOD OF SCHIVAS 41 41 s o KEY- woodland I-settlement ||~rig and furrow "DOOLIE-settlement named SMR FI G4 Summar f lan informatioye o dus n obtained from early map r sitesfo s discovere Ythae th n ndo | PROCEEDING 6 50 THF SO E SOCIETY, 1981 compatible wit e survivath h f theso l e importan d hithertan t o unappreciated enclave thin i s s Region. Nor should modern concepts of accessibility colour our interpretation of the potential importance of those sites in the rural economy of the past. For example the Crathie, Glen Muick (Haldane 1952, 117Gle d (Frasee )an nDy r 1921, 78-80closr o weln o et o ) e lsite li establishe l sal d 18th-century drove roads. Indeed, in the early 18th century, as many as 6,000 cattle were recorded crossin e Cairgth ' Mountno h (immediatel f Gleo S yn summee Dyeon n i ) r (Smal Coul& l l 1969, 51). Turning to the physical characteristics of the sites, a major variable is the morphology of furrowd an variatioe tracee g th Th ri . f so morphologn ni observes ywa t onldno y between sites t alsbu o withi largee nth rr exampl sitesfo s a , t Schivaea s (10) where both narro broadd wan , enclose unenclosedd dan , rigs were noted. AgainYthae th n i n, valley rige t Wardforth ,sa ) d(5 were narrow and straight (4-8 m in wavelength and c 2-5 m wide), while those at the adjacent site of Haddo (8) were broad and sinuous (11-4 m wavelength, c 8 m width). At Glen Muick 2 (22), distinctly curved rigs wit hwavelengta widta 7- c d wer2f m h an o f 9- heo 2 m found within a head dyke, which were mirrored at Auchnacraig Hill 2 (18). However these contrast with the straight rigs to be found at Waterhead(28) (c7-5m wide and 12m wavelength), which are enclosed in rectilinear fields t botA . h Gauns Hill (29Waterhead )an d (28) small kailyards contain densely packed and well denned spade ridges. These clear variations reflect differences in agricultural techniques, which have a potential chronological value detailee Th . dimplicatione workinth f o t gou f theso s e observatione th n si manner of Parry's work (1976a; 1976b) (on a very much larger sample) is clearly outwith the scop thif eo s paper, although some deduction made b n e sca fro characteristice mth rigse th .f so In general a distinction can be made between the narrow straight rigs of Wardford (5) and the broad sinuous ridges of the four Glen Muick sites (21-4) on the one hand, and the broader, straighter and more regular enclosed rigs of Glen Dye on the other; the former being a product of pre-improvement cultivation technique lattee th produce th d r san f improveo t d techniques. Such a distinction as is made here should not be taken as a firmly established statistical artefact whicn i y distinctioe hth wa e inth n mad (1976be . Broab Parr y 5) ey b , fig& ydma 9 , 4 sstraigh t rigs simila thoso rt e foun Glen (28hav) e di 32 n,Dy e been attributed (Parry 1976b, 13; Fenton 1976, 39) to the introduction of James Small's iron 'swing plough'. However to use this intro- ductio singla s na e horizo datinn ni g these technique hazardoua s i s s proces a s ther a s ewa considerabl technique w adoptioe ne th ee n i timth g f differenn nsi o ela t areas (Parry 1976b, 14; Alexander 1877, 38; Carter 1979, 44). For example Parry (1976b, 14) dates the introduction of the 'swing plough' in East Lothian 1767o t t comin,i g into widesprea 1770se th n i ; e howevedus r some upland areas continuee b o dt cultivated by the old methods up to the 1830s. In Aberdeenshire the swing plough was not introduced until approximately 1800 (Alexander 1877, 38) on the large lowland farms (Carter 1979, 44) and was in use widely by 1850. This apparent time-lag between the North-East and East Lothian would have been reduced by the introduction in some cases of 'expert ploughmen' from East Lothia Aberdeenshiro nt exampln ea t 'tose workinn ei g them' (Alexander 1877, 39). suggestioe Th n that rigs suc thoss ha t Wardforea d (5) ,Blairfow Haddd an ) o(8 l Wes) (6 t belon pre-improvemeno gt t times would confirmee seeb mchango e t th y land-usdb n ei e shown by the mapping of trees at these sites by 1822 (fig 4). cleas i t I r from this short discussion that precise dates canno attributee b t abandone th o dt - ment of the sites listed in the Gazetteer. However there are indications from the Ythan of a relative chronology which comprises pre-improvement curved rigs of varying dimensions, and improved rigs whic broade har , straigh enclosed an t separatn di e fields. SHEPHERD, RALSTON: SETTLEMEN GRAMPIAN TI N 7 REGIO50 | N furtheA r possible fixed poin thin i t s discussio chronologf no paie sitesf th o rs yi , Auchna- whic) 18 h& hav7 crai(1 e, 2 bee gd Hilnan suggeste1 l d (see page 504 belongins )a pre-Militaryo gt Survey times and, hence to pre-improvement times. There, curved rigs can be compared with the Glen Muick sites (21-4), which therefor consideree b alsn oca d pre-improvement structurae Th . l remain t thessa e sites however shoulinterpretee b t dno beins da g contemporary wit cultie hth - vation evidence. By the same token, Glen Dye illustrates the characteristics of improved rigs: regular, broad, straigh enclosedd an t . Several casepossibla f so e sequenc visible th n ei e settlement features have been noten di the Gazetteer. These features and the suggestions of pre-improvement date for some of the cultivation evidence suggest that such sites demonstrate a greater 'time depth' than might be assumed from such archaeological work which has been undertaken on comparable sites. For example, at Lix, in Perthshire, the excavator did not feel confident to attribute any structure to 18td beformi h e centureth y (Fairhurst 1969, 191-2). Howeve t shoulri notee db d that this dating has been criticised as an overcautious interpretation of the possibilities (Dodgshon 1980, 62; Alcock 1980 . Therefore2) , alreads ha s a ,y been mooted beginninge th , severaf so thesf o l e sites could conceivably lie in post, or late, medieval times, possibly as part of a system of shieling sites (Turnock 1977, 332 Wels)N similae th h o Hafodt r settlement ,summee whicth s hwa r base o transhumancfa e circuit (Alien 1969) shielingo t r o , s see Scotlan18te n ni th hf o d d froen e mth century, in Perthshire, Avonside and Assynt (Fenton 1980, 101-2). On the other hand, other aspects of some of these sites should be interpreted in the light of factor slat e sucth e s croftinha g boom cattle baseth n ed o industr y (Turnock 1974, 346d )an small scale squatter reclamation (Kay 1962, 104-6). Confirmatio f theso n e possibilitiea t a s site-specific level will require detailed documentary research, whic outwits hi scope hth f thieo s initial survey.

CONCLUSIONS It must be emphasised that the approach to the study of rural settlement described in this paper is valuable essentially as a first phase in that it identifies areas which are rich in field evidence. However a second phase should follow up the rich documentary records such as Statistical Accounts, estate papers, rent books, etc combinatioe .Th fielf documentard no dan y evidence can only lead to a fuller understanding of these historical landscapes. Detailed surveying would valuabla als e ob e contributio furtheo nt r research. Indications of considerable time depth at several of the sites identified encourage the belief tha elucidatioe th t pre-improvemene th f no t settlemen impossibltn a patter t no s ni e task. e apparentlTh y mute evidenc f cultivatioeo n whic s presentehi thin di s paper represents fragments fro mpre-industriaa l farming landscape, whose challenge problemd san s have probably never been better summe eponymoue thap th d u y nb s Johnny Gib Gushetneukf bo , who, looking back ove year0 3 r toilf so , says 'Takin't as it is, there's been grun made oot o' fat wasna grun ava; an there it is, growing we'vn ke eu a mad , ay e beastn u weea O n - .l eese aneucma crap th eo r t upon'tsfo hoo ; but it's nae i the naitur o' man to gyang on year aifter year plewin, and del'in, an earin, an shearin e bitgth s o' howe knowesn a s , seei vere th na yird obaidient till's care, takin' shape, an sen'in up the caller blade in its sizzon, an aifter that the 'fu' corn i the ear, as the Scriptur says, onbeen a kin and thirl't to the vera rigs themsels.' (Alexander 1871, 244). 508 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1981

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The society indebtedis Grampianto Regional Council granta for towards cost the this of paper.