Ramsay, S., Housley, R. A. and Miller, J. J. (2007). Palaeoenvironmental investigations of Rispain Mire, Whithorn. Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway Natur Hist Antiq Soc 81 (third series). Vol 81, pp. 35-55.

Title:

Palaeoenvironmental investigations of Rispain Mire, Whithorn

Issue:

Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway Natur Hist Antiq Soc 81 (third series)

Series:

Transactions of the Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History & Antiquarian Society

Volume:

Page Start/End:

35 - 55

Biblio Note

Please note that this is a bibliographic record only, as originally entered into the BIAB database. The ADS have no files for download, and unfortunately cannot advise further on where to access hard copy or digital versions.

Publication Type:

Journal

Abstract:

Report on a palaeoenvironmental study carried out on a wet fen/mire located 400m south of Rispain Camp, an Iron Age site in Galloway. The investigation revealed a good late-glacial and early-mid Holocene vegetational record but a rather compressed late Holocene sequence. The early post-glacial landscape around Rispain was dominated by Empetrum heath and herb-rich grassland. As the climate improved, woodland dominated by first Betula, then Corylus colonised the area, followed by Quercus and Ulmus as additions to the canopy-forming woodland flora. Alnus appears to have struggled to gain a significant local presence, only becoming important once human impact became an influential feature in the landscape. Unlike other parts of lowland Scotland, Pinus is well represented at Rispain which is in keeping with some other parts of Galloway. It is debatable whether Mesolithic woodland disturbance is discernible at Rispain; however, forest clearance is well documented in later periods, although in the study the temporal resolution is low in the late Holocene. By the Iron Age the majority of the native woodland had been felled and the landscape was dominated by open pasture and arable cultivation.

Author:

Susan Ramsay
Rupert A Housley
Jennifer J Miller

Year of Publication:

2007

Subjects / Periods:

Late Holocene (Auto Detected Temporal)
Holocene (Auto Detected Temporal)
MESOLITHIC (Historic England Periods)
Emphempetrum Heath (Auto Detected Subject)
IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

Note:

[OS NX 429 395]

Source:

BIAB (The British & Irish Archaeological Bibliography (BIAB))

Created Date:

11 Feb 2008