Scheduled MonumentsScotlandCastle Hillock,motte
Medieval · Motte

Castle Hillock,motte

Scotland
HES SM137
Period
Medieval
Site type
Motte
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Castle Hillock is a medieval motte situated in Angus, Scotland. The earthwork rises prominently from ground formed by Strathmore Group bedrock, a sequence of Emsian sandstones interbedded with conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone that underlies much of the surrounding landscape. This geological foundation provided stable ground for the construction of the castle mound, which would have been crowned with timber or stone defences typical of 12th and 13th-century feudal strongholds.

The motte represents a characteristic form of medieval military architecture, consisting of an artificial or enlarged earthen mound designed to elevate a fortified position above the surrounding terrain. Such monuments were commonly erected by Norman lords and their Scottish counterparts to project authority and control over their territories during the medieval period.

Castle Hillock is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM137. This designation reflects its significance as evidence of medieval settlement patterns and lordship in the Angus region, contributing to understanding of medieval Scotland's landscape and social structure.

Castle Hillock,motte is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM137. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Castle Hillock,motte?

Castle Hillock is a medieval motte situated in Angus, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM137.

What period does Castle Hillock,motte date from?

Castle Hillock,motte dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Castle Hillock,motte?

Castle Hillock,motte 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 SM137.

What other scheduled monuments are near Castle Hillock,motte?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Belliehill, unenclosed settlement 350m NE of (5.2 km), Mill of Balrownie,ring ditch 200m SE of (5.3 km), Keithock, Roman camp N of East Mains of Keithock (5.3 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Castle Hillock,motte

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Castle Hillock,motte's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Castle Hillock,motte

Castle Hillock,motte stands on Strathmore Group, bedrock that formed in the Emsian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.