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Cropmarks of a pit-alignments/ pit-defined cursus. Continued aerial photography, by CUCAP, the RCAHMS and AAS from at least 1976 onwards, has revealed the crop-marks of two parallel lines of pits across level farmland southeast of Balneaves Cottage. Other features are visible at the northern end of the cursus, including rig and furrow orientated north-south and possible ring-ditches.The monument comprises the remains of a cursus likely to date to early prehistory (about 4000 BC to 2000 BC) and a settlement that dates probably to later prehistory (about 2000 BC to AD 500). The cropmarks indicate that the cursus runs northeast-southwest for a distance of at least 450m and varies in width from about 27m at its northeast end to 23-24m in the central and southwest portions. It comprises two long parallel lines of pits, closed by a short line of pits at its northeast end and subdivided by a second short line of pits about 100m from the northeast end. The individual pits of the cursus are often closely spaced, typically measuring about 1m in diameter, and set at intervals of about 0.5m to 1m. Although the northeast end is closed by a line of pits, the southwest end appears to be open-ended, but the true termination of the cursus may not be indicated by the cropmarks. The one visible internal partition coincides with a small change in the alignment of the cursus. A three-sided enclosure adjoins the northwest side of the cursus very close to its northeast end. It is defined by linear crop marks and encloses an approximately rectangular area, some 35m by 20m
Seven cropmarks indicative of penannular ditches cluster close to the northeast end of the cursus, within 165m of the terminal. They vary from 10m to 19m in diameter. The relatively narrow width of the ditches suggests that these represent the foundation trenches of roundhouses. One of the penannular ditches appears to contain nine internal pits, the largest about 0.8m in diameter. These may be structural postholes or other pit features contemporary with the use of the roundhouse. Another cluster of crop marks lies around 140m east-southeast of the northeast end of the cursus and includes a penannular ditch 13m in diameter, an oval penannular ditch measuring 27m southeast-northwest by 22m transversely, and a ring ditch 7.5m in diameter that intersects the oval penannular ditch. Researchers interpret the smaller penannular ditch as another probable roundhouse, the larger penannuar ditch as a settlement enclosure, and the ring ditch as a small roundhouse or barrow. Between these features and the cursus are crop marks suggestive of a further group of pits and a trackway. In addition a linear feature, probably a ditch, crosses the line of the cursus 160m from its apparent southwest end. The cropmarks suggest that complex archaeological remains survive below ground, relating both to the pit-defined cursus and to roundhouses and settlement remains. The cursus is formed from a very large number of individual pits that have potential to contain interesting and significant deposits. Excavation of the Douglasmuir cursus, 1.6km to the southeast, showed that the pits there contained evidence for massive oak posts. In contrast, a pit-defined enclosure at Bannockburn revealed no evidence for posts, but showed that the pits had complex histories: firstly, the pits were dug and allowed to infill, then they were then re-cut and some were lined with stone or wood and burning events took place, and finally the pits were allowed to infill for a second time. We can anticipate that the pits at Balneaves will likewise contain remains that could inform us about the design, construction, function, use, and development of the cursus monument. A development sequence seems very probable because the internal division towards the northeast end of the monument suggests the extension of an existing pit-defined enclosure. The remains have high potential to develop our understanding of the purpose of cursus monuments, which researchers suggest were ceremonial avenues, and perhaps sacred spaces that acted as the venues for ritual activities. This cursus is one of a small group of about 20 parallel pit alignments or rectilinear pit-defined enclosures identified in Scotland. Geophysical survey (gradiometer and ground penetrating radar) of the fields east of Balneaves Cottage was carried out by CfA in November 2010. None of the anomalies recorded could be unambiguously related to features visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs, and many may reflect natural subsoil variation and the effects of rig and furrow cultivation. Subsequently targeted resistance survey was carried out by CFA in August 2012 to further evaluate the potential buried archaeological features. The resulting data was dominated by natural pedological/geomorphological variations across the site and by linear anomalies thought to be agricultural in origin. The resistivity survey provided more support for the conclusion of the 2010 work, that the cropmark features have been severely horizontally truncated by ongoing agricultural practices.
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Angus
HER -
NO64NW0027 - BALNEAVES COTTAGES