Scheduled MonumentsScotlandCastle Law,fort
Iron Age · Fort

Castle Law,fort

Scotland
HES SM661
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Castle Law is an Iron Age fort situated on a distinctive rocky outcrop in Perthshire, Scotland. The site occupies a naturally elevated position, with its defences built upon Devonian mafic lava and tuff that forms the underlying bedrock. This volcanic geology provides a naturally formidable base, rising prominently above the surrounding landscape and offering commanding views across the surrounding terrain. The fort exemplifies the strategic siting characteristic of Iron Age settlement in Scotland, where prominent defensive positions were valued for control of local territory.

The fort's ramparts follow the contours of the rocky hill, exploiting the natural defensive properties of the steep volcanic slopes. Such hillforts were typically occupied during the Iron Age, serving as focal points for local communities and providing refuge during periods of conflict. The geological character of the site—the resistant volcanic rocks—would have presented considerable obstacles to any potential attackers whilst providing stable ground for the construction of substantial timber-laced or stone-built defences.

Castle Law is designated as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland's protection schedule, reference SM661, recognising its archaeological and historical significance. The site survives as a visible landscape feature in Perthshire, contributing to our understanding of Iron Age settlement patterns and fortification practices in the region during the later prehistoric period.

Castle Law,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM661. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Castle Law,fort?

Castle Law is an Iron Age fort situated on a distinctive rocky outcrop in Perthshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM661.

What period does Castle Law,fort date from?

Castle Law,fort dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Castle Law,fort?

Castle Law,fort 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 SM661.

What other scheduled monuments are near Castle Law,fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including West Dron Cottages, cup-marked stone 800m SSW of (1.9 km), Ardagie,homestead moat (2 km), Cairn Geddes, cairn (3.1 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Castle Law,fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Castle Law,fort'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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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Castle Law,fort

Castle Law,fort stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.