Denniston Motte is a strange looking grass covered mound, 4 metres high, and appears incongruous in the surrounding terrain.
The site was partially excavated in the nineteenth century and revealed four rows of rough boulders a metre below the surface at the summit. This was regarded as possible evidence of stone foundations of a structure. Later, evidence of the motte’s occupation and use in the early medieval period was corroborated when a sherd of 12th or 13th century white gritty pottery was found on the south side of the mound.
It is considered possible that the motte belonged to Hugh de Danielstoun, a knight whose name appeared on the Ragman Roll in 1296. (The 1296 Ragman Roll was signed at Berwick by most of the prominent Scottish landowners to swear allegiance to Edward I after his victory at the Battle of Dunbar.) Later use of the site as some kind of meeting place was indicated by the discovery of a 15th – 16th century bronze or copper jetton or counting piece, found in a sheep scrape on the north side of the motte.