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Remains of settlement. The grass-covered remains of a small sub-circular structure have been noted at the northeast end. Thought to have been an ancient settlement but the site has never been properly explored. Watt believed it to have been a fort used at some time as the retreat of a hermit. Stuart suggested it was an ecclesiastical settlement of early missionaries, while Simpson believed it could have been a retreat for Ninianic missionaries occupying the promontory on which stands Dunnottar Castle (NO88SE0007). In 1832 several stones were thrown into the sea from a low buried wall along part of the edge of the rock. Subsequently a number of them were recovered and six of them, bearing Pictish symbols were published by Stuart, who maintained that there were other stones which had disappeared. Alexander Thomson purchased 5 of the illustrated stones and had them preserved at Banchory House (NO88SE0027, NJ90SW0039). Small scale excavation in April 2015 has uncovered a hearth and remains of ramparts. Evidence for beam slots, postholes and both timber and stone elements suggest that a substantial timber-framed rampart at least 2m wide existed on the south and north sides of the upper terrace. The rampart had been extensively robbed which tallies with reports by a 19th century report that the locals knew the site as a source of good building stone. Further excavation was carried out in 2016. The main trench in the upper terrace uncovered two stone-built hearths and associated floor layers. A fragment of Samian pottery was found associated with one of the buildings. Adjacent to the floor layers were two pits which contained multiple sherds of handmade pottery, and a pit which contained a burnishing stone for metalworking. Further trenches in the upper terrace identified a metalled road towards the west part of the promontory and revetment material on the south side of the stack. In the lower terrace multiple floor layers and two hearths, one on top of the other, were identified. No postholes were identified suggesting that the walls of the structure were made of turf or non earthfast timber. Further excavation in 2017 uncovered a series of structures and hearths that survived on the upper terrace.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)