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Goshen Hill is a palisaded settlement in Roxburghshire, Scotland. The site represents a defended residential enclosure typical of early medieval settlement in the Scottish Borders. The palisade, constructed from timber posts set into the ground, would have enclosed a small community and their domestic structures, providing both protection and a clear demarcation of occupied space.
The settlement is situated upon Silurian to Devonian bedrock comprising mafic lava and tuff, volcanic deposits that shaped the underlying landscape. This geology reflects the ancient volcanic activity that formed much of the Southern Uplands, providing a substantial natural foundation for the settlement's construction.
The site is protected as a Scheduled Monument under Historic Environment Scotland's reference SM10742, recognising its archaeological and historical significance. Palisaded settlements of this type were common across northern Britain during the early medieval period, typically occupied between the late first and early medieval centuries. The defensive nature of such enclosures reflects the social and political organisation of local communities during this formative period in Scottish history.
Goshen Hill, palisaded settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10742. View the official record →
Goshen Hill is a palisaded settlement in Roxburghshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10742.
Goshen Hill, palisaded 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 SM10742.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Stony Law, fort (1.4 km), Plenderleith, scooped settlement 300m SSW of (2 km), Heugh Law, fort (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Goshen Hill, palisaded settlement'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.
Goshen Hill, palisaded settlement stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.