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Keir Knowe is a medieval motte situated 460 metres west of Easter Glinns in Stirlingshire, Scotland. The earthwork rises from bedrock composed of Inverclyde Group deposits, a sequence of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone laid down during the Osagean period of the Carboniferous. This solid geological foundation would have provided good drainage and stability for the defensive structure, whose elevated platform commands views across the surrounding landscape characteristic of such fortifications.
The motte represents a form of military architecture common in medieval Scotland, particularly from the twelfth century onwards. Its position in Stirlingshire places it within a region of considerable strategic importance, where such earthwork fortifications served as local administrative and defensive centres during the feudal period. The monument's survival as an upstanding earthwork indicates that its construction exploited natural topography combined with artificial mounding.
Keir Knowe is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2561. The site's preservation ensures that this physical record of medieval fortification practices and land use remains available for archaeological investigation and public understanding of Scotland's medieval heritage.
Keir Knowe,motte 460m W of Easter Glinns is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2561. View the official record →
Keir Knowe is a medieval motte situated 460 metres west of Easter Glinns in Stirlingshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2561.
Keir Knowe,motte 460m W of Easter Glinns dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte 460m w of easter glinns. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Keir Knowe,motte 460m W of Easter Glinns 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 SM2561.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Double Craigs,hut circle (4.3 km), Craigton,dun 460m N of (4.6 km), Harvieston,deserted village E of (4.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Keir Knowe,motte 460m W of Easter Glinns'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.
Keir Knowe,motte 460m W of Easter Glinns stands on Inverclyde Group, bedrock that formed in the Osagean. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.