Scheduled MonumentsScotlandGleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork
Tower and earthwork

Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork

Scotland
HES SM7591
Site type
Tower and earthwork
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Gleneagles Castle is a tower and earthwork monument located in Perthshire, Scotland, protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7591. The site occupies ground underlain by sandstone of the Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, a geological formation dating to the Pragian period and composed of sandstone interbedded with conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone. This bedrock would have provided both building material and a stable foundation for the monument's construction.

The castle comprises two distinct structural elements: a tower and associated earthwork defences. Tower houses became a characteristic feature of Scottish medieval architecture, particularly from the 14th century onwards, serving as fortified residences for landholding families. The earthwork component, typical of castles of this period, would have formed part of the defensive system, potentially including a ditch or bank system surrounding the tower.

The monument's survival as both standing structure and earthwork demonstrates the enduring legacy of medieval fortification in this part of Perthshire. As a protected monument, Gleneagles Castle contributes to the archaeological record of Scottish baronial architecture and the settlement patterns of the region during the medieval period.

Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7591. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork?

Gleneagles Castle is a tower and earthwork monument located in Perthshire, Scotland, protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7591.

Who is responsible for protecting Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork?

Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork 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 SM7591.

What other scheduled monuments are near Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Peterhead,enclosure 250m NNE of (0.7 km), Loaninghead, symbol stone 270m E of, Gleneagles (0.8 km), Peterhead, standing stone 350m NNW of (0.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork'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 Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork

Gleneagles Castle, tower and earthwork stands on Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, bedrock that formed in the Pragian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.