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Blackford Hill is a Iron Age fort and settlement located in Midlothian, Scotland. The site occupies a prominent position on bedrock composed of Silurian to Devonian extrusive rocks, a foundation of ancient mafic lava and tuff laid down during the Devonian period. This volcanic geology would have provided a naturally defensible location with steep rocky slopes, making it strategically valuable for Iron Age communities.
The fort and settlement represent a significant phase of Iron Age occupation in the Lothians, when hillforts served as both defensive strongholds and centres of social and economic activity. The elevated position offers commanding views across the surrounding landscape, typical of Iron Age fort placement in Midlothian. The combination of natural geological defences and constructed fortifications would have protected inhabitants and their assets.
Blackford Hill is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland's national record (SM5818), recognising its importance as a multi-period archaeological site. The monument contributes to understanding Iron Age settlement patterns and land use in south-east Scotland, a region rich in contemporary archaeological remains. The site's preservation enables ongoing study of Iron Age fortified settlements and their relationship to the wider Lothian landscape.
Blackford Hill, fort and settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5818. View the official record →
Blackford Hill is a Iron Age fort and settlement located in Midlothian, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5818.
Blackford Hill, fort and settlement dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort and settlement. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Blackford Hill, fort and settlement 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 SM5818.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castlelaw, fort and souterrain 205m NNW of (7.2 km), Mountmarle,cairn 260m SW of (7.4 km), Rosslyn Chapel, burial ground, buried remains of nave and remains of St Matthew's Church, Roslin (7.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Blackford Hill, fort and settlement'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.
Blackford Hill, fort and settlement stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.