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Coulter Motte is a medieval motte located in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The monument sits upon Silurian to Devonian extrusive rocks, a foundation of ancient mafic lavas and tuffs formed during the Devonian period. This geological base provided a naturally elevated platform upon which the earthwork was constructed, a practical advantage for the motte's defensive position. The site is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90082.
Mottes were prominent defensive structures across medieval Britain and Scotland, typically comprising a large earthen mound surrounded by a ditch, often with an attached bailey or enclosure. At Coulter, the underlying geology of volcanic stone would have presented both opportunities and challenges for construction, offering solid ground but requiring considerable labour to shape. The motte form represents a common approach to establishing lordly authority and military control during the medieval period, and Coulter's positioning within Lanarkshire reflects the strategic importance of the region during this era.
Coulter Motte,motte,Wolfclyde is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90082. View the official record →
Coulter Motte is a medieval motte located in Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90082.
Coulter Motte,motte,Wolfclyde dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte,wolfclyde. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Coulter Motte,motte,Wolfclyde 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 SM90082.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Snaip, settlement 380m SSW of (3.6 km), Snaip Hill,fort (3.7 km), Langloch Knowe,fort E of Nisbet (4.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Coulter Motte,motte,Wolfclyde'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.
Coulter Motte,motte,Wolfclyde stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.