The summit of Walls Hill, a steep-sided rocky plateau, 1540' x 650', is occupied by a fort, walled settlement (R W Feachem 1965), large enough to be considered an oppidum of the Damnonii. The rampart enclosing the summit was of earth, with stone kerbs, probably furnished with a timber revetment at the front. It had been reconstructed at least once. There are no surface traces of dwellings, but excavations in 1956 and later years revealed the foundations of circular, timber-walled huts, one of which produced Early Iron Age pottery.
Newall states that it was probable that the initial occupation of this site ended with the arrival of the Romans. However, his excavations showed that somewhere between the first and fourteenth, very possibly between the fourth and eleventh, centuries, the site was re-occupied. A final occupation took place in the 14th century, when a farm house was constructed.
J G Scott 1966; R W Feachem 1963; F Newall 1960

This fort is generally as described. The rampart is only evident on the N and SW sides. No internal features were noted save for the low bank from the centre of the fort to the E side. Newall's terrace area on the NE side of the hill appears to be entirely natural. No traces of former occupation were noted. The finds from the excavation are in Paisley Museum (no accession numbers).


A struck flake of green flint was recovered from a runnel just outside the main entrance to the fort in 1970 by A S Newall. In 1977, a rim fragment of a large cooking pot of coarse grey-black clay was found; it is on loan.
F Newall 1970

References:

Alexander, D (2000 )
'Later prehistoric settlement in west central Scotland',
Harding, J and Johnston, R, Northern pasts: interpretations of the later prehistory of northern England and southern Scotland,, BAR British series 302, Oxford, 160-1,
DES (1977 b)
'Small finds',
Discovery Excav Scot, 1977, 44,
Feachem, R W (1963 b)
A guide to prehistoric Scotland,
London, 148, 1st
Feachem, R (1965 )
The North Britons: the prehistory of a Border people,
London, 159,
Newall, F (1960 a)
Excavations at Walls Hill, Renfrewshire,
{Paisley}, 1-39,
Newall, F (1970 o)
'Small finds. Walls Hill, Lochwinnoch; East Green Farm, Kilmacolm',
Discovery Excav Scot, 1970,