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Cockleroy fort is an Iron Age hillfort commanding the landscape of Linlithgowshire in central Scotland. The monument occupies a position of considerable natural strength, built upon bedrock composed of dolerite and tholeiitic basalt of Permian age. This igneous intrusion provides a foundation of exceptional durability, its hard volcanic rock offering both defensive advantage and practical challenges for the fort's construction.
The fort's defences exploit the natural topography created by this resistant geology. The rocky substrate would have supported substantial ramparts and ditches, typical of Iron Age fortifications across Scotland. The site's elevation above the surrounding terrain, combined with the fortress nature of the volcanic bedrock itself, would have afforded commanding views and made approach difficult for potential attackers.
Cockleroy fort is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2378, ensuring the preservation of this significant Iron Age site. The monument represents an important example of Iron Age fortification strategy in Linlithgowshire, where geological conditions and territorial positioning combined to create a stronghold of considerable strategic value.
Cockleroy,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2378. View the official record →
Cockleroy fort is an Iron Age hillfort commanding the landscape of Linlithgowshire in central Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2378.
Cockleroy,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.
Cockleroy,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 SM2378.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Craigmailing,cross slab 550m NW of (1.6 km), Castlethorn, fort and standing stones 500m ESE of Torphichen Mains (2.4 km), Cairnpapple Hill, prehistoric ceremonial complex (2.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Cockleroy,fort'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.
Cockleroy,fort stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Carboniferous To Permian, bedrock that formed in the Permian. The rock here is dolerite and tholeiitic basalt.