Rockhill Limestone-Terrace Enclosure

In rough, stony pasture, in an area of undulating terrain broken by extensive limestone outcropping. The enclosure encompasses a natural terrace, defined at N and S by E–W seams of limestone outcropping. To N the ground drops in a series of limestone terraces to an expanse of flat, wet ground which stretches towards the banks of a river located c. 200m to N of the enclosure. There is a spring well c. 90m to N. The enclosure consists of a subcircular area (42m E–W; 37.5m N–S) defined by a ruined stone wall. The wall is evident as a low, sod-covered stone bank (Wth 2m; H 0.3m), which coincides at N with the rocky scarp (H c. 2m; Wth slope c. 4m) on the N edge the terrace. At SE–SW the wall is incorporated into a ruined field wall. The surface of the interior is extensively broken by E–W seams of karst. These bedrock seams create natural terraces or changes of level in the interior, with the most marked slope from a raised area of rock outcrop at S down to the centre of the interior. The outline of a D-shaped area (4.5m N-S; 4.5m E–W), defined by low moss-covered stones, is barely discernible abutting the exterior of the enclosing wall at E. The function of this feature is unclear. There is another enclosure (DG103-088----) located 22m to W, a possible enclosure (DG103-087----) 25m to SW, and a house (DG103-090002-), a souterrain (DG103-090001-), and an enclosure (DG103-090003-) c. 80m to N. Attached image: DG103-089----_01.JPG viewed from W Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 9 July 2015