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Gillespie Moat is a medieval motte located in Parkmanse Garden, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. The site represents a form of Norman fortification that became widespread throughout lowland Scotland during the medieval period, typically consisting of a steep-sided earthen mound topped with a timber palisade and tower. Mottes served as the focal points of early feudal estates, combining residential and defensive functions.
The motte at Gillespie rises from bedrock composed of Silurian to Devonian extrusive rocks—ancient mafic lava and tuff formed during the Devonian period. This geological foundation has weathered over hundreds of millions of years, providing the underlying structure upon which the medieval earthwork was constructed. The choice of this location reflects the practical considerations of medieval landowners, who often selected naturally elevated or defensible positions within their territories.
The monument survives within the landscape of Parkmanse Garden, where the earthen mound remains a distinctive topographical feature. Such mottes typically date from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when they represented the primary fortified settlements of the Norman-influenced Scottish aristocracy. Though no masonry or timber structures survive above ground, the motte's form preserves important evidence of medieval settlement patterns and the distribution of lordly power across the Lanarkshire region.
Gillespie Moat,motte,Parkmanse Garden is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2643. View the official record →
Gillespie Moat is a medieval motte located in Parkmanse Garden, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2643.
Gillespie Moat,motte,Parkmanse Garden dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte,parkmanse garden. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Gillespie Moat,motte,Parkmanse Garden 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 SM2643.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Coulter,settlement 190m NE of Cow Castle (4.5 km), Cow Castle,fort (4.6 km), Langloch Knowe,fort E of Nisbet (4.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Gillespie Moat,motte,Parkmanse Garden'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.
Gillespie Moat,motte,Parkmanse Garden stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.