Scheduled MonumentsScotlandElm Knowe,settlement
Settlement

Elm Knowe,settlement

Scotland
HES SM5222
Site type
Settlement
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Elm Knowe is a settlement located in Roxburghshire, Scotland, situated upon bedrock of unnamed extrusive rocks of Silurian to Devonian age. These volcanic deposits—comprising mafic lava and mafic tuff formed during the Devonian period—provided the geological foundation for human occupation at this site. The settlement is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the designation SM5222, recognising its archaeological significance within the Scottish Borders landscape.

The settlement represents a phase of rural occupation characteristic of the upland and border regions of southern Scotland. The volcanic geology underlying the site, typical of the Midland Valley's geological formation, would have influenced both the character of the land and the resources available to its inhabitants. Such settlements often exploited the pastoral potential of their localities, with the undulating terrain providing suitable grazing grounds.

Elm Knowe's protection as a scheduled monument reflects its importance to understanding the settlement patterns and land use history of Roxburghshire. The site contributes to the broader archaeological record of Borders settlements, where such remains provide evidence of historical occupation and community development across the region's distinctive landscape.

Elm Knowe,settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5222. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Elm Knowe,settlement?

Elm Knowe is a settlement located in Roxburghshire, Scotland, situated upon bedrock of unnamed extrusive rocks of Silurian to Devonian age. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5222.

Who is responsible for protecting Elm Knowe,settlement?

Elm Knowe,settlement 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 SM5222.

What other scheduled monuments are near Elm Knowe,settlement?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Round cairn 420m north-east of Blindburn Bridge (6.7 km), Round cairn on Shillhope Law (7.7 km), Cross dyke and two building foundations at Copper Snout (8.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Elm Knowe,settlement

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Elm Knowe,settlement'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.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Elm Knowe,settlement

Elm Knowe,settlement stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.