Cathlaw Site

West Lothian Archaeology Group

Cathlaw

(The building in the aerial photo* is the central one in the photo below)

The site of Cathlaw Cottage (and a small 'ruin' - see map below) viewed from Gormyre Hill in the near infra-red (West to The Preceptory -→)

Click on image for larger version Central building at 55° 55' 52.7" N , 3° 38' 7.8" W

The ramp-like feature slopes down to a trackway which leads in one direction to Torphichen Preceptory and to Cathlaw House in the other. The building at the centre formerly housed a water tank but is now a residential property. Cairnpapple Hill in the background.

The site covered in snow. The differential melt on this grazed landscape was optimal for revealing the central feature which has yet to be identified 7th February 2009

Is the v-shaped feature in the rectangle the remains of a standard agricultural structure?

Kite aerial photograph of Cathlaw over the top of Gormyre Hill which has a low, snow-covered, dense mixed flora 7th February 2009

Click on image for larger version

An ultra-violet photo taken in overcast conditions, showing how manmade structures (and stone etc) can be contrasted against a dark flora 16th July 2009

Fuji F30 with Hoya U-360 UV-pass + Schott BG39 IR-block, 25mm filters

Some features can also be seen in the grazed grass, as in the snow images above. These features are not apparent in ordinary (snow-less) visible or infra-red images.