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Community Affairs
KIPPEN HERITAGE
Archaeological Dig at Keir Hill of Dasher May 2022
Kippen Heritage held its second archaeological dig at Keir Hill of Dasher over four days at
the end of May. It followed much the same format as the previous dig in 2019, with the
primary school children attending and taking part on the Friday afternoon and visitors
invited to come along on the Saturday afternoon.
However, this year saw a considerably
increased number of volunteers with at
least 30 attending every day, including many
archaeological students and graduates. This
resulted in a huge amount of excavation
work over a much larger area. Contrary to
2019 when excavation work was confined
to the east and northeast of Keir Hill in a
more restricted area, this year a trench was
dug immediately out with the rampart (and
Scheduled Area) of the Keir and around 18
trial pits were opened across the field to the
west of the Keir.
The trial pits mainly produced shards
of local Throsk Green Glaze pottery and
other artefacts dating to 17th and 18th
centuries. These may have been discarded
items from local occupation such as nearby
Cuthbertson Cottage or the result of the field
possibly being used over the centuries as a
marketplace. There was evidence of the field
having been ‘flattened’ by ploughing over the
centuries.
The trench which was dug adjacent to the Keir measured 5.00 x 6.00 x 1.80m deep and
confirmed the existence of a defensive ditch. Charcoal found at the base of the ditch
will now be radiocarbon dated and it is expected that it will indicate the earliest date of
occupation of the Keir as a fortified motte, to late 10th century, thus matching the 2019
carbon finds.
Discovered on the last day and of especial interest was the edge of a paved causeway.
This was 1.00m below the existing ground level and from its position, clearly aligning with
the entrance to the Keir, indicated a 6.00m wide paved access approach in line with the
existing mown path.
As well as the many visitors who came along to learn about the site, we also received a
visit from archaeologists, Drs Neil McGuigan and Alex Wolf from St Andrews University,
whose interests lie in understanding how the River Forth functioned as a boundary in premedieval
times. Both visitors were impressed to see such a small but important site being
excavated by a local community group, such as Kippen Heritage.
The significance of Keir Hill is its strategic location on the south side of the River Forth
overlooking one of the major crossing points at the Brig o’ Frew. Until around the end of
the first millennium, the river marked a frontier between the Highlands and the Lowlands
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