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Knockinnon Castle is a ruined fortification located in Caithness, in the far north of Scotland, situated approximately 400 metres to the east-north-east of Knockinnon settlement. The castle occupies bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Middle Devonian period and comprising conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone—geological formations typical of the ancient lacustrine basins that characterised this region hundreds of millions of years ago. This substantial sandstone foundation would have provided a relatively stable building platform, though the local stone itself served as a ready source of construction material for the castle's walls.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled ancient monument under reference SM13620, reflecting its significance within Scotland's archaeological heritage. Castles of this type in the far north represent important nodes in the medieval settlement and defensive strategies of the Highland and Northern Isles regions. The Caithness landscape, with its exposed moorland and proximity to the northern coast, shaped both the strategic positioning and architectural form of such fortifications.
Knockinnon Castle, 400m ENE of Knockinnon is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13620. View the official record →
Knockinnon Castle is a ruined fortification located in Caithness, in the far north of Scotland, situated approximately 400 metres to the east-north-east of Knockinnon settlement. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13620.
Knockinnon Castle, 400m ENE of Knockinnon 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 SM13620.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Knockinnon,broch (0.6 km), Inver,fort,post medieval house and look-out post 570m SE of (2.3 km), Ballachly,chapel and graveyard 90m SW of (2.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Knockinnon Castle, 400m ENE of Knockinnon'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.
Knockinnon Castle, 400m ENE of Knockinnon stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.