The Burnswark Project

30/05/2026

The intensive metal-detector survey begins tomorrow. As the site is a Scheduled Monument we cannot dig any of the signals to check what they are, but by recording the spread of material by metal type we will learn where we are going to site the excavation trenches for digging in June.

27/04/2026

Today was a javelin day; working up for the experimental archaeology element of the season.

26/04/2026

New excavation season announced for 2026!
Excavation will take place within the southern Roman camp and on the approach to the hillfort from 13th June to 26th June.
Please get in touch via the Trimontium Trust if you would like to volunteer.

17/12/2025

Recognition for the fascinating results from the first season of the University of Glasgow works.

Evidence of a Possible Roman Siege in Dumfries & Galloway One Of Scotland's Top archaeological Finds

Traces of Neolithic feasting, evidence of a possible Roman siege in Dumfries and Galloway, and an amulet once thought to be imbued with supernatural power are among the most ground-breaking archaeological finds across Scotland this year as listed by the team from 'Dig It'

Full story on the link in the commen ts below

Image - A trench over the rampart of the hillfort (© James O’Driscoll)

28/10/2025

Consent granted for another excavation to try and clear up acouple of outstanding questions.

Archaelogists hope to shed new light on the story of the battle at Burnswark Hill near Lockerbie.

11/07/2025

Things are afoot at Burnswark again.

A dramatic 3D walkthrough brings to life the historic events at Burnswark Hill in southern Scotland.

10/02/2025

Another analysis of Burnswark just published:

This paper applies KOCOA terrain analysis to the study of the Iron Age hillfort of Burnswark Hill (SW Scotland) and its associated Roman military remains. The Roman camps and projectiles identified...

10/11/2024

John and Andy still looking at sling bullets. Burnswark and beyond!

25/12/2018

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our followers and friends. We have just submitted our first Burnswark articles for academic publication, and work on the excavation report is proceeding.
We won't be working at Burnswark this year, but are hoping to be back on the hill in 2020. We won't be idle this year though, we've found a potential related site nearby and will be hoping to look at that in 2019.
Thanks to our friends at The Trimontium Trust & Museum for their support over the years.

We wish all a very happy Christmas with snow scenes of important Scottish Iron Age & Roman Sites - Trimontium & The Eildons, Burnswark, the Gask Ridge & the Roman road from Britannia to Caledonia - Dere Street. Thanks to all for the comments & likes on Facebook in 2018.

28/09/2018

During his final days, in exile on the Atlantic island of St Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte befriended British Army Surgeon Dr Archibald Arnott. Two days before he died Napoleon gave instructions that no British doctor but Arnott should touch him. A weeping willow tree was Napoleon’s favoured spot for contemplation on the island, and he asked to be buried under its shade. This wish was carried out when he died in 1821 and he was interred there until being repatriated to France nearly 20 years later.

Arnott took a cutting from the tree, planting it on his return home to Ecclefechan where it still grows in the grounds of Kirkconnel Hall Hotel - a spot well known to our excavation team.

The tree is a finalist for Scottish Tree of the Year 2018, so please support the local community and give this piece of history your vote: