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Kielhope Law is a palisaded settlement situated in Roxburghshire, Scotland. The site occupies a hilltop position where Silurian to Devonian extrusive rocks—ancient mafic lavas and tuffs formed during the Devonian period—form the underlying bedrock. This volcanic geology would have provided a naturally defensible foundation and outcrops of usable stone for the settlement's inhabitants.
Palisaded settlements of this type, common across Iron Age Scotland, were typically enclosed by timber fences rather than stone walls. These settlements served as focal points for family groups or small communities, offering protection and facilitating social gatherings and trade. The hilltop location at Kielhope Law would have afforded good visibility across the surrounding landscape, advantageous both for defence and for pastoral management of livestock.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM10738, recognising its archaeological importance. The site preserves evidence of Iron Age settlement patterns and land use in the Scottish Borders, contributing to our understanding of how communities organised themselves and exploited the local landscape during this period.
Kielhope Law, palisaded settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10738. View the official record →
Kielhope Law is a palisaded settlement situated in Roxburghshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10738.
Kielhope Law, 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 SM10738.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Loddan, fort (4.2 km), Brownhart Law,Roman signal station & Roman road,Dere Street (4.6 km), Roman fort, two Roman fortlets, two Roman camps, a section of Roman road and a medieval settlement and chapel at Chew Green (5.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Kielhope Law, 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.
Kielhope Law, 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.