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Caisteal Camus, also known as Knock Castle, is a fortified settlement occupying the site of the Iron Age dun known as Dun Horavaig in Inverness-shire, Scotland. The castle stands on bedrock of Proterozoic I gneiss, a metamorphic rock formed during the Mesoproterozoic era, which has shaped both the landscape and the defensive possibilities of this elevated position.
The original Iron Age dun would have exploited the natural rocky terrain to create a stronghold suitable for a local chieftain or community. The reuse of this ancient fortified site for later castle construction reflects the enduring strategic value of this location, where the underlying gneiss provided a stable foundation and natural defences. Such continuity of occupation across millennia is characteristic of Scotland's most important strongholds.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM8480, recognising its significance as evidence of settlement patterns and fortification strategies spanning from the Iron Age through to later medieval occupation. The survival of structural remains on this ancient gneiss bedrock provides insight into how communities adapted pre-existing natural and archaeological features to their defensive and domestic needs.
Caisteal Camus or Knock Castle, on site of Dun Horavaig is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM8480. View the official record →
Caisteal Camus, also known as Knock Castle, is a fortified settlement occupying the site of the Iron Age dun known as Dun Horavaig in Inverness-shire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM8480.
Caisteal Camus or Knock Castle, on site of Dun Horavaig dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a on site of dun horavaig. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Caisteal Camus or Knock Castle, on site of Dun Horavaig 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 SM8480.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Knock,dun 1200m NE of (1.4 km), Armadale Bay, cairn 30m E of Faoilinn Cottage (5.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Caisteal Camus or Knock Castle, on site of Dun Horavaig'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.
Caisteal Camus or Knock Castle, on site of Dun Horavaig stands on Proterozoic I gneiss, bedrock that formed in the Mesoproterozoic. The rock here is gneiss; undifferentiated metamorphic.