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Houston North Mound is a prehistoric earthwork located in Renfrewshire, three hundred metres west-south-west of Greenhill Farm. The monument stands upon bedrock of Dinantian age, comprising unnamed extrusive rocks formed during the Mississippian period as mafic lava flows and mafic tuff deposits. This volcanic geology, typical of the Midland Valley formation, provides a stable foundation for the mound's construction and has influenced the landscape character of the surrounding area.
The mound's exact form and dimensions reflect its function within the Iron Age or earlier settlement patterns of west-central Scotland. Such earthworks commonly served defensive, ceremonial or residential purposes, though their specific use can vary considerably. The local topography and proximity to Greenhill Farm suggest the site occupied a position of strategic or administrative significance within its contemporary landscape.
Houston North Mound is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3913, ensuring the preservation of its archaeological fabric for future study. The monument contributes to understanding the prehistoric settlement hierarchy and land use patterns across Renfrewshire, where such mounds form part of a broader distribution of defended sites and ceremonial earthworks characteristic of the region's early history.
Houston North Mound, 300m WSW of Greenhill Farm is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3913. View the official record →
Houston North Mound is a prehistoric earthwork located in Renfrewshire, three hundred metres west-south-west of Greenhill Farm. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3913.
Houston North Mound, 300m WSW of Greenhill Farm 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 SM3913.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Ranfurly Castle, Bridge of Weir (3 km), Castle Hill, motte, Bridge of Weir (3 km), Castle Hill, enclosure 260m SE of East Barnaigh (5.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Houston North Mound, 300m WSW of Greenhill Farm'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.
Houston North Mound, 300m WSW of Greenhill Farm stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Dinantian, bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.