Scheduled Monuments›Scotland›Knock Fell,fort
Iron Age · Fort

Knock Fell,fort

Scotland
HES SM1988
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Knock Fell fort is an Iron Age hillfort located in Wigtownshire, in south-west Scotland. The monument is positioned on elevated ground where the underlying geology comprises Gala Group wacke, a hard sedimentary bedrock formed during the Telychian period of the Silurian. This geological foundation would have provided a stable base for the construction and long-term stability of the defensive earthworks.

The fort follows the typical pattern of Iron Age hillforts in the region, with defensive works built to exploit the natural topography of the location. The wacke bedrock, being particularly resistant to erosion, would have offered good conditions for maintaining the integrity of any ditches or ramparts constructed across the site. The positioning of the fort reflects strategic considerations common to the period, with command of the surrounding landscape an essential factor in its siting.

Knock Fell fort is protected as a Scheduled Monument by Historic Environment Scotland, ensuring that the site and its archaeological resource remain safeguarded. The monument contributes to understanding the pattern of Iron Age settlement and defence in south-west Scotland, where such hillforts served as focal points for their surrounding communities during the prehistoric Iron Age period.

Knock Fell,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1988. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Knock Fell,fort?

Knock Fell fort is an Iron Age hillfort located in Wigtownshire, in south-west Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1988.

What period does Knock Fell,fort date from?

Knock Fell,fort dates from the iron age period, and is classified as a fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Knock Fell,fort?

Knock Fell,fort 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 SM1988.

What other scheduled monuments are near Knock Fell,fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including High Gillespie,long cairn 475m SSE of (3.3 km), Craignarget, cairn 800m ENE of (4.2 km), Auchenmalg, standing stone 200m SSE of Longforth (4.3 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Knock Fell,fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Knock Fell,fort's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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Nearby

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

High Gillespie,long cairn 475m SSE of
Neolithic · Long cairn3.3 km
Craignarget, cairn 800m ENE of
Cairn4.2 km
Auchenmalg, standing stone 200m SSE of Longforth
Bronze Age · Standing stone 200m sse of longforth4.3 km
Garheugh,cairn 1050m NW of
Cairn4.8 km
Cairn Buy,cairn 720m NW of Garheugh
Cairn 720m nw of garheugh5 km
Stair Haven, broch 300m S of
Iron Age · Broch5.2 km
Laigh Sinniness,fort
Iron Age · Fort5.3 km
Doon of May,fort
Iron Age · Fort5.8 km
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Knock Fell,fort

Knock Fell,fort stands on Gala Group, bedrock that formed in the Telychian. The rock here is wacke.

All Scheduled Monuments