1 The Tw eed pours its w aters afar D ow n the links on yon w ild, w inding glen A nd the m ountains look up to the stars R ound the haunt and the dw ellings of m en H enry Scott R iddell Plate 1 The confluence of the River Tweed and Biggar Water looking to Drumelzier Frontispiece 2 Dedication This survey is dedicated to the memory of Andrew Lorimer Farmer of Mossfennan, Tweedsmuir Andrew Lorimer contacted the writer of this report and asked if a survey of Mossfennan Farm would be possible, since he knew of numerous unrecorded sites. The writer was invited to walk over the farm with Mr Lorimer who did indeed point out sites without record and also the monuments that had been recorded. The farm, like the other areas of Upper Tweeddale has a rich legacy of upstanding buildings, covering a range of periods. That visit was one of the reasons for the present research of the archaeological sites and monuments of Upper Tweeddale. To facilitate a survey, Mr Lorimer sketch painted a view of Logan, depicting the sites he knew about. This was presented to the writer and is produced here for the first time. Sadly, Andrew Lorimer did not live to see the outcome of what he desired. However, this survey of Upper Tweeddale, the land he loved so much, could not have been reproduced in the form it is, without a generous grant from the Andrew Lorimer Trust. The writer acknowledges that essential support and is grateful to the Trustees of the Fund for their confidence in the outcome of this work, of which the survey is the first phase. Plate 2 A painting of the environs of Logan Burn by Andrew Lorimer (See Mossfennan report) 3 Biggar Museum Trust Upper Tweed Archaeological Survey Tam Ward May 2004 Contents Frontispiece....................................................................................................................................1 Dedication .....................................................................................................................................2 Contents ........................................................................................................................................3 Introduction....................................................................................................................................4 Gazetteer .......................................................................................................................................5 Burnetland Farm ......................................................................................................................5 Kilbucho Farm..........................................................................................................................7 Mossfennan .............................................................................................................................14 Kingledoors .............................................................................................................................20 Hearthstanes Farm .................................................................................................................39 Drumelzier Place.....................................................................................................................41 Pyatknowe ...............................................................................................................................59 Tweedholm (house) .................................................................................................................59 Oliver.......................................................................................................................................60 Talla.........................................................................................................................................66 Hawkshaw & Fingland ...........................................................................................................84 Craiglaw ..................................................................................................................................95 Fruid........................................................................................................................................96 Stanhope................................................................................................................................108 Patervan and Polmood..........................................................................................................112 Menzion.................................................................................................................................113 Hearthstane...........................................................................................................................114 Wrae......................................................................................................................................118 Rachan Mill...........................................................................................................................119 Cardon...................................................................................................................................120 Glencotho ..............................................................................................................................123 Glenkirk ................................................................................................................................125 Glenbreck forestry................................................................................................................129 Dawick...................................................................................................................................130 Drumelzier Haugh ................................................................................................................131 Easter Dawyck ......................................................................................................................137 Discussion..................................................................................................................................142 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................149 References:................................................................................................................................150 Plans list ....................................................................................................................................151 Photographs list ........................................................................................................................152 4 Abstract The continuation of the upland survey of Upper Tweeddale by Biggar Museum Trust (BMT) in association with Peeblesshire Archaeological Society has produced a new level of data of previously un-recorded sites and monuments. This latest survey includes pre-historic settlements, burial sites, field systems, burnt mounds and cairns; later sites include settlements, shielings, buchts and enclosures associated with post medieval pastoral farming. Introduction The latest phase of survey by BMT was targeted at the Upper Tweed valley to conjoin with the survey work carried out in Clydesdale (Ward, 1992), Broughton Heights (Ward, 1999) and Manor Valley (Peeblesshire Archaeological Society, 2000, forthcoming). The fieldwork for this report was carried out by volunteers from the above mentioned organisations, and was done principally early in 2000, before lambing time commenced, and then resumed thereafter. Due to unforeseen circumstances including the Foot and Mouth epidemic in 2001, the project was suspended until November 2003, after which the fieldwork was finalised and which included the opportunistic surveys within the Fruid and Talla Reservoirs. The excavation work in 2003 within Fruid Reservoir has been dealt with in a separate report (Ward, 2004). Methodology Only unimproved land was walked except when visiting known sites. Apart from lower summits, known hill forts and other sites, the higher ground and summits were omitted from this survey. Particular attention was given to burn and spring courses in the search for burnt mounds, and also to boulders and rock out crops for any indication of rock art or carving. The ground was walked in close detail as dictated by the vegetation and visibility conditions, the Group consisted of experienced and novice archaeologists. Surveys were carried out on selected sites using the tape-offset method and planned to scales dictated by the size of area. Nearly all previously recorded sites were visited and some of these are given here with updated reports. The sites given here are not necessarily in the order of discovery. The ownership or farm name for each group of sites is given for convenience. Where measurements for the heights of burnt mounds and cairns are given, these are always taken from the lower sides of the mounds, often on steep slopes, this dimension does not necessarily reflect the true depth of the deposits of some mounds. All burnt mounds given in this report have been proved. Natural mounds and large indentations on hill slopes are also given to distinguish them from burnt mounds and unenclosed platform settlements, although some of the latter can only be proved by excavation or other techniques. 5 Gazetteer Burnetland Farm Site No 1 Unenclosed platform NT 03 NE NT 09810-7505 290m OD settlement. Figure 1 & Plate 3 On the SW flank of Burnetland