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An Dun is an Iron Age fort located in Inverness-shire in the Scottish Highlands. The monument sits on bedrock of the Appin Group, metamorphic rocks formed during the Neoproterozoic era that include marble and meta-limestone. This distinctive geological foundation would have provided a naturally defensible position with solid stone foundations for construction. The fort is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the reference SM2893.
Dun Deardail represents a typical form of Iron Age fortification found throughout northern Scotland. Forts of this period served as strongholds for local elites and communities, controlling trade routes and territories across the Highlands. The substantial stone construction enabled these structures to endure in the landscape for over two thousand years, with many remaining visible as prominent earthworks and ruined walls.
The Neoproterozoic bedrock underlying the site contributes to the survival of the monument. The metamorphic limestone and marble provide a stable foundation resistant to erosion, helping preserve both the archaeological deposits and the fort's structural remains. This geological setting is typical of many Iron Age forts in the Scottish Highlands, where such durable stone formations provided ideal locations for permanent defensive settlements.
An Dun, fort, Dun Deardail is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2893. View the official record →
An Dun is an Iron Age fort located in Inverness-shire in the Scottish Highlands. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2893.
An Dun, fort, Dun Deardail dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort, dun deardail. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
An Dun, fort, Dun Deardail is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2893.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Fort William, fort (4.7 km), Inverlochy Castle (5.3 km), Caledonian Canal,Corpach to Banavie (6.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of An Dun, fort, Dun Deardail's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
An Dun, fort, Dun Deardail stands on Appin Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is marble, meta-limestone.