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Creag a'Chaisteal is a dun, a fortified homestead of Iron Age date situated in Perthshire. The monument crowns a rocky outcrop formed from psammite and pelite bedrock of the Southern Highland Group, laid down during the Middle Cambrian period. This natural elevation provided both defensive advantage and commanding views across the surrounding landscape, making it an ideal location for a settlement requiring security and surveillance.
The dun comprises the remains of stone structures characteristic of Iron Age settlement in the Scottish Highlands. Such fortifications typically consisted of defensive walls and internal buildings arranged within a compact courtyard, designed to protect inhabitants and their livestock from hostile forces. The rocky foundations of Creag a'Chaisteal would have required minimal additional fortification, with the natural topography serving as a formidable defence.
The site is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM2493, recognising its archaeological significance as evidence of Iron Age occupation and settlement patterns in Perthshire. The dun contributes to our understanding of how Iron Age communities exploited the region's geology and terrain to establish defensible settlements in the Scottish uplands.
Creag a'Chaisteal,dun is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2493. View the official record →
Creag a'Chaisteal is a dun, a fortified homestead of Iron Age date situated in Perthshire. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2493.
Creag a'Chaisteal,dun dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a dun. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Creag a'Chaisteal,dun 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 SM2493.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Balnacraig,cairn 370m NNW of (0.1 km), Fortingall Church, two stone circles and one stone row, 300m ESE of (0.7 km), Fortingall, rectilinear enclosure SW of (0.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Creag a'Chaisteal,dun'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.
Creag a'Chaisteal,dun stands on Southern Highland Group, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is psammite and pelite.