Site Event/Activity record EHG288 - Easter Galcantray, Cawdor

Location

Location Easter Galcantray, Cawdor
Grid reference Centred NH 8103 4834 (92m by 70m)
Map sheet NH84NW
Operational Area INVERNESS NAIRN BADENOCH AND STRATHSPEY
Civil Parish CROY AND DALCROSS
Geographical Area NAIRN

Technique(s)

Organisation

University of Manchester

Date

1985-1986

Map

Description

Between 1984 and 1990 the late G D B Jones and C M Daniels from the Universites of Manchester and Newcastle-upon-Tyne respectively undertook excavation at four large rectilinear cropmark sites, including Easter Galcantray. This work successfully identified discrete phases of activity dating from the Neolithic through to historic times. It was the excavators' belief that the rectilinear enclosures had been Roman military fortifications relating to the Agricolan advance into north-eastern Scotland. In 1984 aerial survey by the Moray Aerial Survey Group focused on an area close to the western end of the Moray littoral, between the towns of Forres and Inverness. Within this corridor Jones and Keillar (1985) documented a variety of cropmarks, but placed particular emphases on an apparent concentration of sites found between Cawdor and Easter Galcantray. In this area they documented several probably later prehistoric settlements, which they suggested may have been contemporary with an unexcavated fort found above Dallaschyle Wood. Closer to the River Nairn, Jones and Keillar noted the presence of a peculiar cropmark site; an enclosure with a rounded south-western corner, and a centrally placed entrance on its southern side. After the initial identification of the enclosure at Easter Galcantray a programme of excavation was undertaken with the aim of defining the function and date of the site. <1>

Sources/Archives (2)

  • --- Text/Report: Jones B. Cawdor. University of Manchester. . .
  • <1> Text/Publication/Article: Richard A Gregory. 2001. Excavations by the late G D B Jones and C M Daniels along the Moray Firth littoral. Proc Soc Antiq Scot Volume 131. 177-222. Digital.

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Record last edited

Jun 14 2016 12:32PM

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