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Arnot Tower is a 16th-century fortified tower house situated in Kinross-shire, Scotland, standing on bedrock composed of Carboniferous to Permian dolerite and tholeiitic basalt. This hard igneous foundation, formed during the Permian period, would have provided a stable base for the tower's construction and contributed to the strategic durability of the structure. The tower represents the domestic and defensive architecture characteristic of the Scottish Lowlands during the early modern period, when such structures served both as residences and fortified positions for local landowners.
Built from the local stone resources available in the region, Arnot Tower exemplifies the architectural conventions of its era, with a rectangular footprint typical of Scottish tower houses. The building's vertical emphasis and small defensive openings reflect contemporary concerns with both security and the projection of social status within the local landscape. The tower's position in Kinross-shire, an area of significant historical importance during this period, underscores its role within the broader settlement and power structures of the region.
Today, Arnot Tower is recognised and protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM996, acknowledging its importance as a surviving example of 16th-century Scottish military and domestic architecture.
Arnot Tower,Scotlandwell is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM996. View the official record →
Arnot Tower is a 16th-century fortified tower house situated in Kinross-shire, Scotland, standing on bedrock composed of Carboniferous to Permian dolerite and tholeiitic basalt. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM996.
Arnot Tower,Scotlandwell 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 SM996.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cumbrae House, ring-ditches 200m NNE of (4.2 km), St Serf's Priory (4.7 km), Wester Upper Urquhart,cairn 1700m SSE of,West Lomond (5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Arnot Tower,Scotlandwell'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.
Arnot Tower,Scotlandwell stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Carboniferous To Permian, bedrock that formed in the Permian. The rock here is dolerite and tholeiitic basalt.