Scheduled MonumentsScotlandKnowe Kniffling,fort
Iron Age · Fort

Knowe Kniffling,fort

Scotland
HES SM2740
Period
Iron Age
Site type
Fort
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Knowe Kniffling is a Peeblesshire fort of Iron Age date, situated on wacke bedrock of the Portpatrick and Glenwhargen Formations. The underlying geology reflects the region's Caradocian-period origins, when these turbidite sequences were deposited during the Ordovician era. This solid foundation of metamorphosed sedimentary rock would have provided a stable base for the fort's construction and occupation.

The fort is positioned within Peeblesshire's landscape of moorland and river valleys, where Iron Age communities established defended settlements. The site's location reflects strategic considerations typical of the period—visibility, access to resources and communication routes, and natural defensibility offered by the terrain.

Knowe Kniffling is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland's reference SM2740, recognising its archaeological significance as evidence of Iron Age settlement patterns in the Scottish Borders. Such fortified sites represent crucial periods in the region's pre-Roman history, when communities organised themselves within defended structures across the southern uplands.

Knowe Kniffling,fort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2740. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Knowe Kniffling,fort?

Knowe Kniffling is a Peeblesshire fort of Iron Age date, situated on wacke bedrock of the Portpatrick and Glenwhargen Formations. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2740.

What period does Knowe Kniffling,fort date from?

Knowe Kniffling,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 Knowe Kniffling,fort?

Knowe Kniffling,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 SM2740.

What other scheduled monuments are near Knowe Kniffling,fort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tripans Knowe,enclosure (5.2 km), Chester Knowes, enclosure (5.9 km), Glenkerie Burn,fort (5.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Knowe Kniffling,fort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Knowe Kniffling,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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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Knowe Kniffling,fort

Knowe Kniffling,fort stands on Portpatrick Formation And Glenwhargen Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Caradocian. The rock here is wacke.