Dechmont Law
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Disambiguation: the name Dechmont, and an associated "Dechmont Hill" are also places near Cambuslang in Scotland
| Dechmont Law (& Deer Hill) | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 271 metres (889 feet) |
| Location | West Lothian, Scotland |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 65 |
| OS grid reference | NT033697 |
| Listing | none |
Dechmont Law is a hill outside Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. It lies between there and Bathgate; Deans is also near by. It is known locally as "Decky Hill" although these names are of far more recent provenance. It has also been known as "Dechmont Hill" (Law is Lowland Scots for "hill"). "Deer Hill" is another peak of the same hill, to the north east of the main peak.
It is the highest hill in the Livingston area, and Arthur's Seat and the Pentland Hills can be seen from here, as well as a view down the Almond valley.
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[edit] Geology and other history
Dechmont Law is a volcanic plug.
The slopes show signs of agricultural terracing, from the Bronze and Iron Age, but it is unclear whether it was ever a hillfort. Its strategic position makes this likely, but there is insufficient archaeological evidence.
In 2005, the investigation of the murder of Rory Blackhall, a schoolboy, also involved Dechmont Law. The woods were one of the last places he was seen, and it was here that his corpse was found (the case has since closed, and the murder suspect committed suicide). [1]
[edit] The "Livingston Incident"
Main article: Robert Taylor incident
The hill is used mostly for forestry plantations, and it was here in 1979 that Bob Taylor, a forestry worker had an alleged encounter with a UFO in a clearing, which he claimed dragged him along the ground. Police were called in to investigate, and found odd marks and indentations on the ground, but these did not correspond exactly with Taylor's claim, and it has been said that they had been made there by other workers, who may have stored ladders and equipment on the site. It is, however, still considered one of the most significant "Close Encounters" on Scottish soil, and often referred to as "the Livingston Incident".
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