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Dooket Hill is a medieval motte and doocot located in Nairnshire, Scotland. The motte, a raised earthwork typical of Norman defensive strategy, stands upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone formed during the Middle Devonian period. The underlying geology comprises a varied sequence of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone, which would have provided a stable foundation for the castle earthwork and the structures built upon it.
The doocot—a dovecote or pigeon house—represents a later addition to the site, reflecting the medieval landowner's commitment to food production and resource management. Such structures were common on estates of standing and means, where the breeding of pigeons provided a valuable source of meat and manure for agricultural purposes.
The monument is protected as a scheduled ancient monument under Historic Environment Scotland's designation SM9293, recognising its significance as a surviving example of medieval settlement and agricultural practice. The combination of motte and doocot on a single site offers evidence of how medieval lords organised both their defensive and economic interests on the landscape of medieval Nairnshire.
Dooket Hill, motte and doocot, Auldearn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM9293. View the official record →
Dooket Hill is a medieval motte and doocot located in Nairnshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM9293.
Dooket Hill, motte and doocot, Auldearn dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte and doocot, auldearn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dooket Hill, motte and doocot, Auldearn 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 SM9293.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Laikenbuie, cairns 300m SSW of (3.5 km), Rait Castle, enclosure 320m NE of (3.6 km), Rait Castle (3.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dooket Hill, motte and doocot, Auldearn'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.
Dooket Hill, motte and doocot, Auldearn stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.