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Hillfoot ring-ditches, located 400 metres west-north-west of Hillfoot in Angus, is a Neolithic or Bronze Age ceremonial monument. Ring-ditches are circular ditches, typically between 20 and 40 metres in diameter, that once enclosed burial mounds or ritual spaces. They represent some of Scotland's earliest monumental architecture, constructed during the third and second millennia BC to mark significant burial or gathering sites within Bronze Age communities.
The monument sits upon bedrock of the Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, formed during the Pragian epoch. This underlying geology comprises sandstone with subordinate bands of conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone, which would have influenced both the drainage of the site and the character of the landscape visible to those who built and used the monument. The stability of this sandstone base would have made it suitable for digging and maintaining the ritual ditches.
The site is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM7248, recognising its significance as evidence of prehistoric ritual practice and burial tradition in the Angus landscape. Ring-ditches across Scotland vary in their state of preservation; some survive as earthworks visible in the topography, whilst others are detectable only through aerial survey or archaeological excavation, making their protection essential for understanding Bronze Age society in the region.
Hillfoot, ring-ditches 400m WNW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7248. View the official record →
Hillfoot ring-ditches, located 400 metres west-north-west of Hillfoot in Angus, is a Neolithic or Bronze Age ceremonial monument. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7248.
Hillfoot, ring-ditches 400m WNW of 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 SM7248.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rait Hill, fort (8.5 km), Rait, souterrains 130m & ring-ditch 170m S of (8.7 km), Evelick Castle (9.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Hillfoot, ring-ditches 400m WNW of'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.
Hillfoot, ring-ditches 400m WNW of stands on Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, bedrock that formed in the Pragian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.