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Dundee Law is a Late Iron Age fort crowning a prominent volcanic crag in Angus, Scotland. The site occupies the summit of an igneous intrusion of mafic rock formation dating to the Early Devonian period, whose resistant geology has shaped both the dramatic landscape and the strategic value of this defensive position. The exposed bedrock provides commanding views across the Tay estuary and surrounding lowlands, making it an ideal location for a fortified settlement during the later prehistoric period.
The fort's defensive architecture would have exploited the naturally steep slopes of the volcanic outcrop, with additional ramparts constructed across the more accessible ground. Iron Age communities in eastern Scotland utilised such prominent hilltop locations as centres of power and refuge, controlling trade routes and demonstrating territorial authority across the surrounding landscape.
Dundee Law is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland's reference SM2878, ensuring the preservation of its archaeological potential. The site remains a prominent landmark in Dundee's townscape and retains substantial earthwork remains, offering important evidence for understanding Iron Age settlement patterns and defensive strategies in Angus and the wider Tayside region.
Dundee Law,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2878. View the official record →
Dundee Law is a Late Iron Age fort crowning a prominent volcanic crag in Angus, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2878.
Dundee 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.
Dundee 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 SM2878.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Easter Kinnear, unenclosed settlement & barrow NE of (8.1 km), North Straiton, unenclosed settlements 605m W of & 790m WNW of (8.2 km), North Straiton, unenclosed settlement 140m N of (8.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dundee 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.
Dundee Law,fort stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mafic igneous-rock.