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Platt Hill (formerly known as South Platt Hill) lies at the West end of a small wooded ridge on the North-west side of the village of Ratho, to the North of Tormain and to the South of Huly Hill. Although once a quiet spot with peaceful views across West Lothian towards Cairnpapple, Platt Hill is now circumscribed by the M8 extension to the Edinburgh City Bypass on the North and the National Rock Climbing Centre in the old Ratho Quarry on its Western edge, which is the site of an ancient settlement. It is also across the glen from Hillwood (formerly North Platt Hill), site of another hillfort, and possible barrow.
Nonetheless, Platt Hill is worthy of mention for several reasons, including a defended settlement structure and apparent standing-stones near to its summit. Local legend also suggests a Roman fort on the summit, but the well-preserved circular ruined wall is far more likely to be the remains of a more modern farming structure.
Notably, however, this wall intersects the possible sites of the hillfort structures, and may also include various stones reused from them. A trig-point sits on the Western summit. Platt Hill was once the site of a small hillfort, around 10 metres in diameter occupying the summit of the hill with two similarly-sized small circular enclosures associated with it on its East and West flanks. Apparently, each structure was surrounded by ramparts, and included flagstones within the central areas.
One problem which an investigation of the hillfort sites now has is the fact that the Southern centre of the hill summit has been quarried at some point, presumably for wall stones for the surrounding farming structures, and possibly also the nearby Ratho Hall.
The following photograph shows the possible site of the Eastern circular enclosure, pictured from the South.
Unfortunately, the site was largely destroyed in the late C20th, with the debris being reused to construct parts of walls on the adjacent Ratho Hall property. Further finds from the hillfort included large yellow and blue beads, which are now, unfortunately, lost. Another locally-discovered artefact now in the National Museum of Scotland is the following Bronze Age beaker, presumably associated with a burial:
On the Western edge of Platt Hill lies Ratho Quarry, site of several burial and other finds, and to the North, across the M8 Extension on the other side of the glen lies Hillwood (formerly North Platt Hill), site of a possible barrow, hillfort, and where two Bronze Age axes were also found.