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Cairns and hut circles recorded across the wood, including a cluster (NJ81NW0003) northeast of Woodside Farm. Various hut circles, cairns, and clearance cairns were identified by OS and RCHAMS. Sample excavation of two hut circles and two cairns were carried out by M Cook in 2005 An extensive programme of survey and evaluation was carried out between 2011 and 2016, as part of the Kintore Landscapes Project, to characterise the remains in the wood. Walkover surveys carried out by C Shepherd (FCS) and NESARS in 2013 increased the number of identified prehistoric features. A walkover survey was carried out by CHC in 2015 to reassess and further record the 269 cairns (and hut circles) previously recorded by FCS. Of the cairns, 47 could not be located, and five were found to be either natural or a hollow way. A total of 181 were less than 5m in diameter, clustered in a way that suggests they are clearance cairns relating to medieval or post-medieval field systems. Thirty-one are between 5m and 10m in diameter, mostly located close to the smaller cairn clusters. Four cairns are between 10m and 20m in diameter. Over the six seasons of fieldwork by M Cook a total of 31 trial trenches and 87 test pits investigated nine possible hut circles, six cairns and an enclosure. Of the eight sampled ‘hut circles’, seven were dated to the Middle Bronze Age, the other undated. Three were thought to be non-domestic structures, one and possibly a second being a ring cairn variant. The domestic hut circles ranged between 11.5m and 18m internally, all with ring ditches present, but few objects were recovered. The majority of the cairns appear to be small featureless clearance cairns less than 5m in diameter. Two of the sampled cairns were not clearance cairns: Cairn 103 was dated to the Early Neolithic, Cairn 271 undated but covered a cache of lithic cores which could date from Neolithic to BA. The enclosure investigated comprised a reverse ‘C’ shaped bank measuring 22m east-west and 20m north-south, located on a small knoll. It was assumed to originally be a complete circle before impacted by post-medieval settlement and forestry. It was not clear if Neolithic material from the interior is contemporary or residual, and also unclear if this was a small settlement enclosure, substantial hut circle or disturbed ring cairn. A total of 320 lithic and fragments from 93 pottery vessels recovered from the investigations, those from trenches/test pits in the vicinity of a number of structural features producing the bulk of the assemblage (268 pieces), those associated wit excavation of cairns yielding 43 items, and the enclosure eight. Assemblage is dominated by flakes, with only a small number of blades (five) recorded, along with a significant quantity of fragments and chunky indeterminate waste. Amongst the flaked lithics flint is the dominant material. Blades and flakes subject to secondary modification are dominated by scrapers which have Neolithic/Bronze Age technological affinities. One definite hammerstone and three rubbers were also found. The evidence indicates the presence of at least five Mesolithic to Middle Bronze Age lithic scatters. Prehistoric pottery was recovered from six of the 15 sampled structures (3 hut circles one cairn and the enclosure). Radiocarbon dates indicate two main clusters of activity in the Neolithic and the MBA. Bulk of the Neolithic dates are from charcoal within soils associated with cairns. See also NJ81NW0210, NJ81NW0212, NJ81NW0004, NJ81NW0214.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)