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Denoon Law is a Silurian to Devonian iron age fort situated in Angus, Scotland. The monument occupies a naturally defensible volcanic ridge, formed from ancient mafic lava and tuff deposits that solidified during the Devonian period. This dark igneous bedrock provided the fort's builders with a commanding elevated position and naturally resistant stone foundations ideal for fortification.
The fort represents a significant settlement of the iron age period, when such hillforts served as centres of defence, administration and community life across Scotland. The distinctive geology of Denoon Law, rising above the surrounding landscape, made it strategically valuable for its commanding views across the fertile lowlands of Angus. The lava flows and volcanic debris that form the hill's foundation would have been partially exposed, offering substantial stone resources for construction.
Denoon Law is protected under Historic Environment Scotland's scheduling system (reference SM138), reflecting its importance as a scheduled ancient monument. The fort survives as a testament to iron age settlement patterns and defensive architecture in eastern Scotland, demonstrating how communities chose locations that combined natural advantage with practical accessibility during this transformative period of Scottish prehistory.
Denoon Law, fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM138. View the official record →
Denoon Law is a Silurian to Devonian iron age fort situated in Angus, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM138.
Denoon 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.
Denoon 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 SM138.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Balkello,standing stone (6.2 km), Unenclosed settlement 300m SW of Westwood (6.5 km), Martin's Stone, cross slab, Balkello (7.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Denoon Law, 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.
Denoon 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.