Last of the Westland Whigs

In the late 17th century, the 'Westland Whigs' were the radical descendants of earlier Covenanters who had defied the absolutist rule of Stuart kings in south west Scotland.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Mote of Mark -the book

Just spotted a short review of this book in new issue of British Archaeology magazine.

I wonder - will it will it say more on critical questions than can be found in TDGNHAS : 1973 : Laing L. :The Angles in Scotland and the Morte of Mark ?

1. Was there a post-Roman 'kingdom of Rheged' in Galloway/ Solway Firth region? If not, what was there here?

2. Anglian advance - occupation appears to have ended in late 7th century when the site was set on fire and find of (from memory) piece of bone with Anglian runes on it has suggested it was the Angles wot done it. Can this be linked with Daphne Brooke's theory of more extensive/ intensive Anglian impact in 'Northumbrian Settlements in Galloway and Carrick: PSAS: 1991 ?

Will find out in due course.


The Mote of Mark: A Dark Age Hillfort in South-West Scotland
by Lloyd Laing and David Longley

The Mote of Mark is a low boss of granite rising from forty-five metres above the eastern shore of Rough Firth, where the Urr Water enters the Solway, between the villages of Kippford and Rockcliffe. The summit comprises a central hollow between two raised areas of rock and was formerly defended by a stone and timber rampart enclosing one third of an acre. The Mote of Mark appears to have first attracted the attention of antiquaries in the late eighteenth century, and first assumed national importance with Alexander Curle's major work in 1913. After the interruption of the First World War, the site was left largely alone until it was re-excavated in the 1970s. These excavations, in 1973 and '79 were designed to answer three specific questions: How many phases of activity are represented in the structural history of the defences? How many phases of activity are represented by the evidence for Early Medieval metalworking and occupation? And, how does the evidence of occupation within the defences relate to the structural history of the defences? This book presents the results of the excavations and their interpretation within the framework of these questions. 216p, 8p of col pls, many b/w figs (Oxbow Books 2006)
ISBN 1842172174. Price GB £45.00

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