There are traces of fortifications on the summit of Chatto Craig, a rocky mound in the Scottish Borders. Visible on the hill are the remains of a small oval citadel inside a wider enclosure. There is a single rampart defending this enclosure, with a second rampart on the southern side. The entrance to the fort is on the north-west direction and is opposite the citadel entrance, linked to it by a hollowed track. There are no surviving internal structures or artefacts from the site.
The image on the left shows the view from Chatto Craig hillfort across to Chatto (CC – Walter Baxter).
The Royal Commission for the Ancient Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAMHS) believes that the fort is from the post Iron Age/Dark Age period. They argue that key features of the site, such as the oval citadel and defensive system, are typical of this time. However, these could also be the result of a late Iron Age settlement overlying earlier defence lines. It is also notable that the fort lies near to the old Roman road Dere Street. This road ran north from Eboracum (modern day York) through the Scottish Borders and up to the Antonine Wall and was used extensively throughout the Iron Age.
For more information see the National Record of the Historic Environment (CANMORE) entry here: https://canmore.org.uk/site/57959/chatto-craig
