NO6843 Lud Castle
The small islands near the seaward extremity of Lud Castle indicate that the promontory at one time projected further into the sea than it does at present. The process of coastal erosion has reduced the peninsula shaped headland on the three sides in contact with the sea to its present shape and dimensions. Although the Devonian aged sandstone is relatively resistant to erosion, it is not indestructible and rising sea levels and more destructive storms brought about by climate change are likely to increase erosion rates in the future. Linear faults and fissures can be seen in the cliff faces of Lud Castle promontory and at their intersection points with the sea wave cut notches will occur. This process has already produced substantial subtidal caves on the NE and SW sides of the headland; such caves only serve to weaken the structural integrity of the headland and, in time, will lead to further rock collapse.
As the cycle of a headland’s retreat is a universal process, that in itself may be accepted as both normal and natural. In the case of the promontory at Lud Castle, however, it is the site of an Iron Age Fort. Archaeological investigation of the site has taken place and Canmore comments that ‘Apart from the single rampart on the promontory, there is a puzzling earthwork on the cliff overlooking the connecting rock.” Information from the Atlas of Hillforts, dated 31st May 2016 of Great Britain and Ireland notes that, ‘The top of the promontory, however, measures no more than 40m in breadth at this point and while its N margin extends in a narrow finger about 55m out into the sea beyond the rampart, a substantial part of the interior must have collapsed into the sea cave eroded on its S flank. ‘The top part of the promontory, however, measures no more than 40m in breadth at this point and while its N margin extends in a narrow finger about 55m out into the sea beyond the rampart, a substantial part of the interior must have collapsed into the sea cave eroded in to its S flank.’
Given that the above comments note the ‘puzzling’ nature of the site and that erosion is reducing the size of the promontory, I think that a new , professional, archaeological investigation should take place there using the latest research equipment with trained archaeologists to interpret the findings.
Adrian Diack
NO6843 : Lud Castle viewed across Castlesea Bay, AngusNO6843 : Vegetated surface of Lud Castle, AngusNO6843 : Lud Castle on the cliff coastline near Auchmithie, AngusNO6843 : Saddle shaped land at Lud CastleNO6843 : View from Lud Castle in the direction of Meg's Craig, Angus