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West Lothian Archaeology Group
Gormyre Hill
e-mail
Rosie
Archaeology Index
Aerial
Photo
First
Edition OS Map
Updated 21 February 2010
Canmore
WOSAS entries
for Gormyre:
18267
17876
50158
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Torphichen Hills and access route as seen from the west. Gormyre
Hill is the highest point in the hills (to the left).
Is this one large prehistoric site?
Castlethorn
scheduled prehistoric
hillfort is to the right of the central small Canniewell Slack and to the left of the
larger Milking Slack on the extreme right which leads through to
Cathlaw.
Cathlaw Hill
and Cairnpapple are top right on the horizon
(KAP:
Pentax Optio W60) October
2009
The
Preceptory,
Torphichen.
KAP
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| Gormyre Refuge Stone in the Near
Infra-Red |
February 2010 ©
Jim Knowles |
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The Gormyre refuge stone. Just visible is the outline of part of a
cross. Originally described as a Maltese Cross, now in its poor
state of preservation, it could be interpreted as various other
forms of cross (Potent,
or Lorraine).
Until Jim took this photo it was thought that
'there is now no trace of the cross'.
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Eastern side of the Torphichen Hills, July 2009
- Gormyre Hill top right behind the trees IR Fuji IS1.
(cf the smaller
Chesters Hill Fort - built to reflect the above hills?)
Eastern side of the Torphichen Hills from
Cairnpapple, July 2009 (Castlethorn left - Gormyre Hill right) IR
Telephoto Pentax Optio E35.
The above image is very deceptive,
de-emphasising the scale and relative size of the hills. This effect
increases with the altitude of view. (cf the
image above)
1st December 2008
The area corresponding to the eastern side of
'Remains of camp (Supposed Roman)' on the first OS map (KAP).
Part of the site on a frosty afternoon. Pentax Optio
W60, red-channel, 28mm equivalent lens,
interval mode, auto ISO (It selected ISO 50 in sports mode!!) f3.5,
1/60th sec.
The image
is blurred because of the slow shutter speed. We will take further photographs at
a higher ISO. This image illustrates how
photographic quality is secondary to good ground conditions and lighting.
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A nearly square enclosure on Gormyre Hill,
known locally as the "Roman Camp". Its outline is now very faint,
consisting of an earthen bank c. 1' high. Nothing has been found in it,
and there are no associated traditions.
Name Book 1854 |
Possibly the structure was no more than a
cattle fold.
RCAHMS 1929, visited 1923; MSS, 1953 |
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The remains of a rectangular enclosure,
consisting of a low earthen bank, near the summit of Gormyre Hill. It has
been built on top of rig-and-furrow and is clearly of later date. Some
80.0m to the NE are the remains of a similar such structure. Neither of
these is an antiquity.
Visited by OS (JP) 14 August 1974 |
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Snow covered - 6 February 2009
Kite aerial photographs
Photos were taken with an Optio W60
waterproof camera which has no external lens movement and integral
time-lapse (ie press and release the button and it takes a set
number of images at a set time interval).
Settings: ISO 400, Sports
mode, focus set to 'infinity', 28mm equivalent lens and time-lapse
interval 10 seconds |
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| Southern edge (top) of Gormyre Hill
(corresponding to the image taken 1st Dec 2008) Clump of
gorse (top left) 7m in diameter.
Note the large,
raised, curved feature which looks circular
(on 192.com) and similar in size to
Castlethorn prehistoric
hillfort (Gormyre: 1st and highest hill, Castlethorn: 4th hill down)
Zoom in on aerial photo
http://www.192.com/maps/photofinder.cfm to compare. |
North-east corner of Gormyre Hill
Red dots on lower right 1 metre apart - will use 5 metre
spacing in future.
(Northern edge on left of image) |
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Snow covered - 7 February 2009 |
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| Cathlaw and
the top of Gormyre Hill (foreground) covered in snow
^ ~SSE.
Click on image for larger version (f4.2,
1/1500sec) .
Frontispiece: The Photogrammetric Record 24(126): 118 (June
2009) |
As above - clump of gorse centre right, 7
metres in diameter. Note again the large,
raised, curved feature to
the right. |
 In the
trees
above ? |
 South-west corner of large rectangle
(ie furthest right): 55° 56'
9.7" N , 3° 38' 27.3" W |
Inverted (ie
negative) image of the top of the hill - as above, the image is composed
of snow covered flora.
The above features look much more complex than previously described.
Looking down on the western side of Gormyre Hill to
Castlethorn.
(Gormyre Hill, Nether Gormyre Hill, Upper Castlethorn,
Castlethorn)
We will return to photograph the other hills next winter.
Gormyre Hill is an impressive location aligned with
Kipps Hill and
Cockleroy to
the north-east and worthy of further investigation. |
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Gormyre Hill Survey 16 July 2009 |
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Rosie with members of the survey team from
The Edinburgh Archaeological Field
Society - drenched to the bone! |
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Local archaeological scientist Jim Knowles came along to help. |
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Ground Resistance Results for
the enclosure at the top of Gormyre Hill.
© EAFS |
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Gormyre Hill Survey 31 October 2009 |
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The EAFS survey team who were assisted by WLAG's archaeologist Jim
Knowles and Dr Cade Wells. |
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Fieldwork makes you feel and look younger! |
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Ground resistance results for
the top of Gormyre Hill with added 20x20m squares on the northern and
eastern sides of the enclosure.
© EAFS |
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View from Gormyre Hill to the north-west, IR Optio E35. |
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Cow Hill to the north of Gormyre Hill - on a less than
kite-friendly day. |
The Ochil Hills to the north.
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Acknowledgements
Provisional - under construction
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Castlethorn Prehistoric
Hillfort
has been relocated to
HERE
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