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Elgin Castle is a motte-and-bailey fortification located in Morayshire, Scotland, dating to the Norman period, likely established in the twelfth century. The castle consists of an earthen mound topped by a wooden or stone keep, characteristic of early medieval defensive architecture, with an adjoining bailey or outer enclosure. It represents an important early feudal stronghold in northern Scotland, reflecting the spread of Norman-influenced settlement patterns into the region during the medieval period. The site remains visible as an archaeological monument, with its earthworks surviving to demonstrate the form and scale of Norman military architecture in Scotland.
Elgin Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1229. View the official record →
Elgin Castle is a motte-and-bailey fortification located in Morayshire, Scotland, dating to the Norman period, likely established in the twelfth century. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1229.
Elgin Castle 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 SM1229.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Bishop's House,Elgin (1 km), Elgin Cathedral (1.1 km), Elgin, Pans Port and precinct wall (1.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Elgin Castle'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.
Elgin Castle stands on Upper Old Red Sandstone, bedrock that formed in the Late Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.