Scheduled MonumentsScotlandCraig Hill,fort and broch
Iron Age · Fort and broch

Craig Hill,fort and broch

Scotland
HES SM3038
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort and broch
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Craig Hill, Angus is an Iron Age fort and broch situated on sandstone bedrock of the Arbuttnott-Garvock Group. The site occupies a naturally defensive hilltop location in Angus, where Pragian-age geology of sandstone, conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone provided a stable foundation for its construction. The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the scheduling reference SM3038.

The fort comprises substantial earthwork defences arranged around the hilltop, typical of Iron Age settlements in eastern Scotland. The broch—a distinctive circular stone tower—stands at the heart of the fortification, representing a form of monumental architecture concentrated in Scotland during the later Iron Age. This structural arrangement reflects the strategic importance of the location and the resources available to its builders.

Craig Hill demonstrates the sophisticated understanding Iron Age communities possessed of landscape and fortification design. The elevated position commands views across the surrounding Angus countryside, whilst the local sandstone geology would have supplied the stone necessary for the broch's construction. The dual defensive system of broch and outer fort indicates this was a significant settlement, likely serving as a stronghold for a local elite group during the pre-Roman Iron Age.

Craig Hill,fort and broch is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3038. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Craig Hill,fort and broch?

Craig Hill, Angus is an Iron Age fort and broch situated on sandstone bedrock of the Arbuttnott-Garvock Group. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3038.

What period does Craig Hill,fort and broch date from?

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

Who is responsible for protecting Craig Hill,fort and broch?

Craig Hill,fort and broch 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 SM3038.

What other scheduled monuments are near Craig Hill,fort and broch?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tayfield, settlement NE of South Lodge (8.6 km), Kirktonbarns, unenclosed settlement 650m N of (8.8 km), Inverdovat, ring ditch 650m S of (9.1 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Craig Hill,fort and broch

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Craig Hill,fort and broch'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 Craig Hill,fort and broch

Craig Hill,fort and broch stands on Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, bedrock that formed in the Pragian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.