Archaeology & History

Archaeology & History

Craigmarloch Wood stands on the land between East and West Kilbride hamlets on the north-western border of Kilmacolm with Port Glasgow, with commanding views across the Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland's central belt. The remains of an Iron Age vitrified fort 210 ft (64m) x 115 ft (35m) lie at 450ft OD, within the wood, on a natural plateau. It dates to around 700BC. An ancient iron quarry is located just outside the north-eastern boundary and the surrounding area is known for structures dating back beyond the bronze age. There are two old stone barn footprints within the lower areas of the wood, which had been used for timber working and probably date from the 18-1900's.

In an archaeological dig at the fort between 1963 and 1965 Helen Nisbett found shale rings, rough terracotta pottery shards, whorls for weighting weaving looms and fishing nets, bone fragments, a tanged flint arrowhead, a flint scraper, discs, hammers and a fragment of a wooden vessel, most of which are associated with the early occupation and thought as having strong links to the Abernethy Culture. The finds along with Helen Nisbett's original notebooks from the dig are kept at Paisley Museum.

The fort, classed as a primary settlement, is a flattened oval, within the ruins of a 10ft thick wall, originally timber-laced. Small pieces of vitrified matter were found near the 5ft wide entrance in the WNW. Test trenches in the interior failed to provide any evidence of structures and no traces of occupation were found near the centre. Close by is a recent fox conduit. A radio-carbon date of 590 +/- 40 BC was given on material associated with the palisaded enclosure and charcoal from the later vitrified wall was dated to 35-40 BC. Enclosed by an oval stockade, two palisades were found. One had been destroyed prior to the other being built as a replacement. A smaller timber-laced stone fort replaced the original stockade which was probably destroyed by fire producing vitrification. Two annexes, the first measuring 130ft by 60ft, on the NE and enclosed by a wall, showing features similar to the main fort wall, with a suggestion of post-sockets, though no vitrification. The second on the SW was shown to be an enormous structure, terraced and relating to the steep slope. No occupational debris or dating evidence was found in either. Neither was dating evidence found for the duration the Roman period, but the later annexes were built and used probably through the early historic to the mediaeval periods.

Now the fort is mostly overgrown and the archaeology is well hidden until winter dieback. Tall trees have been growing inside the fort area, threatening the remaining archaeology. A raised bog within the north side of the wood facing the firth provides source water, which drains into a sink hole inside the south-west perimeter – reappearing as a spring in the neighbouring flood plain to the south. The wood is enclosed by a dry stane dyke. Recently, further field surveys have been carried out by Paisley University and Library together with Paisley Museum, being utilised as a teaching tool for local archaeology and history studies. Greenock and Ayrshire Railway ran past Craigmarloch Wood from 1865 until absorbed by Glasgow and South Western Railway in 1872 . This is now a well-used cycle track and runs past West Kilbride farm. Local names for Craigmarloch Wood included Robbers' Crag and Black Wood.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 13 May 1964- Surveyed at 1:2500.

When visited in 1964, this was described as a sub-rectangular fort, in a poor state of preservation. It measured about 52.0m E-W by 30.0m transversely, enclosed by a turf-covered rubble rampart, 5.5m broad in the E, with a maximum height of 1.3m, though in places it fades out in the vegetation. A gap in the E side opened on to a level area formed by natural slopes. A fragment of fused wall face, about 1.0m long, was seen S of the entrance, in the WNW. Vague traces of a second rampart were seen along part of the N side at a lower level.
Lainey Irvine 2005 updated 2007

 

 

Craigmarloch Wood , Port Glasgow Road, Kilmacolm

Map Reference NS 3471

RCAHMS Database Results
Type of Site: Fort
NMRS Number : NS37SW 8
Map reference : NS34 43 71 85

 

Archaeology Notes (NS37 SW8 3443 7185) (NS 3445 7185) Fort (NR)
OS 6" map (1970)
InverClyde Council - Tress Preservation Order IC No2 - Site Important Nature Conservation .