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Kae Heughs is a fort of the Iron Age period situated on the Garleton Hills in East Lothian, Scotland. The monument occupies elevated terrain where the bedrock comprises Dinantian extrusive rocks—felsic lavas and tuffs—laid down during the Mississippian period. These volcanic origins have produced a landscape of steep slopes and rocky outcrops that would have provided natural defensive advantages for the fort's occupants.
The site exploits the commanding position of the Garleton Hills to dominate the surrounding lowlands of East Lothian. The underlying geology has shaped both the settlement's location and its physical character; the hard volcanic bedrock would have constrained fortification methods whilst offering solid foundations for structures and defences. The hilltop location afforded extensive views across the territory and the approaches to any fort established here.
Kae Heughs is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM752, reflecting its significance as an Iron Age settlement site. The fort represents a period when defended hilltop settlements served as focal points for local communities, though the specific timeline of its occupation and the identities of its inhabitants remain subjects for archaeological investigation.
Kae Heughs,fort,Garleton Hills is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM752. View the official record →
Kae Heughs is a fort of the Iron Age period situated on the Garleton Hills in East Lothian, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM752.
Kae Heughs,fort,Garleton Hills dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort,garleton hills. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Kae Heughs,fort,Garleton Hills 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 SM752.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Bolton,fort 310m NNW of (6 km), Kirklands,enclosure 250m E of (6.9 km), Eaglescairnie Mains,enclosure 450m ESE of (7.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Kae Heughs,fort,Garleton Hills'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.
Kae Heughs,fort,Garleton Hills stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Dinantian, bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is felsic lava and felsic tuff.