Geograph - photograph every grid square

NO 6946
In NO 6946 archaeological evidence of Iron Age settlement comes in the form of two promontory forts at Prail Castle https://canmore.org.uk/site/35438/prail-castle and at West Mains. https://canmore.org.uk/site/35439/west-mains-of-ethie These choices of promontory, settlement sites have been selected due to their defensive positions with impregnable cliffs protecting them on three sides. The wider area also has similarly positioned Iron Age promontory forts including Red Head, Castle Rock, Lud Castle and Maiden Castle. Although the following comments focus on Prail Castle, the points raised also relate to the other Iron Age promontory forts in Angus.
Caircock Head, more usually called Prail Castle rock, is both an imposing, natural headland and the site of an Iron Age promontory fort. In a physical sense, the promontory extends some 110 metres from the mainland and has a maximum width of 21 metres which tapers to a narrowing width at the seaward end. A number of fissures scar the vertical face of the promontory and no doubt the two caves which allow passage through the headland were developed from wave-cut notches at the points where such lines of weakness reached the beach. A number of eroded offshore islands near the tip of the promontory indicate where the headland would once have extended to and how much of the rock has been lost to coastal erosion.
Archaeological evidence shows that the Iron Age fort was situated near what is now the seaward end of the promontory. Approximately 2,000 years ago, however, the fort would have appeared as being relatively nearer the mainland because coastal erosion has reduced the length of the promontory. In the same area as the fort, the Home Guard, during WW11, had an observation post. Unless preventative action is taken, continued erosion by the sea will inevitably lead to the destruction and loss of this unique site. A hard coastal defence barrier is not likely to be put in place as it would be too expensive and would probably disfigure the visual appearance of the area. However, as the entire promontory has not been investigated thoroughly in an archaeological sense, it would seem appropriate that this is undertaken before valuable information is lost forever by the destruction of the site. What do you think?
Adrian Diack M.A.(Hons)

NO6946 : Northwest view of West Mains from the coast, AngusNO6946 : Ravine allowing views of the wave-cut platform near Prail Castle, AngusNO6946 : Coast south-southwest of Ramrod, AngusNO6946 : Islands lying seaward of Prail Castle promontory, AngusNO6946 : Prail Castle promontory as seen looking southeast, Angus