Cascade
Cascade
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On The Rink Farm at NT 48912 32853, there is a glacial mound that shows three faint concentric rings round the top. This showed up best in the drought conditions of 1959 when most of the Borders had turned beige. These rings are neither natural nor made by animals trotting round in circles. Many years later, when investigated by divining rods, it was found that there were four concentric rings of postholes round the flattish top which had a posthole in the middle. This central area had a diameter of around ten metres.
Working out all the probabilities, I came to the conclusion that it was likely to be a house on the high central area with two or three lean-to extensions built round it to be used for storage or animal sheds as and when required. These additions were about 2.3 metres in width. The whole is likely to have been roofed and thatched. By building on a sandy mound, drainage was no problem and heat from animals in the lower enclosures would rise to provide a warm if smelly atmosphere for the human living quarters during the winter.
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