Scheduled MonumentsScotlandDungarry,fort
Iron Age · Fort

Dungarry,fort

Scotland
HES SM1070
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Dungarry Fort is an Iron Age fort located in Kirkcudbrightshire, south-western Scotland. The site occupies high ground underlain by felsic igneous rock of Early Devonian age, which would have provided a stable and visible foundation for settlement. The fort's position commands views across the surrounding landscape, a characteristic placement for such defensive structures of the pre-Roman Iron Age.

The fort is defined by its defensive earthworks, typical of Iron Age fortified settlements in Scotland. Such forts commonly featured one or more ramparts constructed from earth and stone, sometimes accompanied by ditches, which would have restricted access and provided protection for the community housed within. The geological substrate of felsic rock would have influenced both construction methods and the practicality of entrenchment.

Dungarry Fort is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1070, recognising its archaeological significance and ensuring its preservation. The site contributes to understanding Iron Age settlement patterns and defensive architecture in the south-west of Scotland, a region with considerable evidence of pre-Roman occupation and social organisation. Such forts represent a crucial phase in Scottish prehistory, preceding Roman contact by several centuries.

Dungarry,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1070. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Dungarry,fort?

Dungarry Fort is an Iron Age fort located in Kirkcudbrightshire, south-western Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1070.

What period does Dungarry,fort date from?

Dungarry,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.

Who is responsible for protecting Dungarry,fort?

Dungarry,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 SM1070.

What other scheduled monuments are near Dungarry,fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including West Kirkcarswell,motte (4.9 km), Nether Hazelfield,fort (6.1 km), Dundrennan Abbey (6.2 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Dungarry,fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dungarry,fort'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.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Dungarry,fort report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Dungarry,fort

Dungarry,fort stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is felsic-rock.