Site type CRANNOG
Canmore ID 47934
Site Number NS97SE 3
NGR NS 978 742
Council WEST LOTHIAN
Parish TORPHICHEN
Former Region LOTHIAN
Former District WEST LOTHIAN
Former County WEST LOTHIAN

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Recording Your Heritage Online

Lochcote
In a natural loch to the north of the present reservoir an Iron Age crannog was discovered in the 19th century. No trace above ground of the large 16th-century château depicted by Timothy Pont: nearby fragment consists of a small vaulted chamber, probably a relic of the mansion described in 1807 as showing baronial gloom and splendour.


Taken from "West Lothian: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Stuart Eydmann, Richard Jaques and Charles McKean, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk

Archaeological Notes

NS97SE 3 978 742.

There are the remains of a crannog in the old bed of Lochcote (F Groome 1883). An old local informant, describing the loch before it was drained, mentioned 'its central island, and the big logs taken from it and burned.' Horns were also found in the loch, but have since been lost. Part of a quern was found by Prof Duns on an examination of the site.
J Stuart 1868

The exact location of this crannog was not found; the loch was centred at NS 9785 7429. Old local informants had no knowledge of the crannog, nor of any finds. No further information.
Visited by OS (JLD) 8 December 1952.

Notes and Activities

Groome, F H (ed.) (1901) Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland, 5v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.5, 526 Held at RCAHMS B.2.GRO

Jaques and McKean, R and C (1994) West Lothian: an illustrated architectural guide, RIAS/ Landmark Trust series [Edinburgh]
Page(s): 49 Held at RCAHMS D.7.3.JAC

Stuart, J (1868d) 'Notice of a group of artificial islands in the Loch of Dowalton, Wigtonshire, and of other artificial islands or "Crannogs" throughout Scotland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.6
Page(s): 159