Enclosure in Largan (gallen By.)

In pasture, on a high steep, S-facing ridge slope. A stream flows down from the top of the ridge, passing c. 20m to W. This enclosure is not shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map; a hachured oval enclosure is shown on the 1919 edition. Roughly oval or oblong area (36m NNW−SSE; 28.3m ENE−WSW) defined by a scarp (H 1.3m at NE, 1.5-1.8m at W). The scarp is particularly high and steep on the downslope S arc, especially at SE (H 2m) where it merges with a deep, steep-sided gully which skirts the E half of the enclosure. This gully appears to have been carved out by a stream/water run-off on the steep ridge slope. On the SW−W arc the scarp is topped here by a low dilapidated bank (Wth 1.5m; H 0.4m) and the scarp is skirted at its base by a field ditch (Wth 1.4m at base, 2.2m at top) which extending beyond the enclosure to SE where it merges with the steam gully. The interior slopes markedly down from N to S, with a drop in height of between 2.5-3m between the N and S ends of the enclosure. This seems remarkably inconvenient for a habitation site. Two small areas of level ground occur on the sloping interior –one at S where the slope levels out, and an area (c. 8m by 8m) in the NW quadrant. A few ephemeral linear features on a N−S axis are evident in the N half of the interior, possibly relict cultivation ridges. A ruined drystone field wall (Wth c. 0.7m; H 0.4m), on a NW−SE axis, crosses the interior to W of centre. There are breaks in the scarp at S, NW, N eroded by farm stock. Thickly ringed with gorse, hawthorn bushes and brambles. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 3 December 2021